Anti-social music 'increases aggression in youngsters'

Melbourne, Mar 8 (ANI): Music with anti-social content makes youngsters more aggressive, according to an expert.

Dr Wayne Warburton, a Macquarie University psychology expert, insisted violent music videos could encourage aggressive mindset.

"Across three decades, research has converged to suggest that exposure to music with violent themes increases the likelihood of aggressive behaviour, along with aggressive and hostile thoughts and negative emotions such as anger, unfriendliness and fear," News.com.au quoted him as saying.

Warburton briefs antisocial songs include aggressive lyrics, abusive language and the degradation of women.

He explained: "The way it (the brain) is wired together is the product of the experiences of the person, just as our arteries reflect what we eat and our muscles reflect what we do.

"Consistent exposure to violent media can be instrumental in the creation of a neural network in which there are many aggression-related concepts, along with aggressive scripts for solving interpersonal conflict, beliefs approving the use of aggression, fear about whether other people can be trusted, desensitisation to violence, and callousness toward the fate of others."

However, Warburton mentioned that pro-social media could have A positive effect.

Warburton is supposed to give a speech at Australian Council on Children and the Media and Macquarie University Growing Up Fast and Furious conference in Sydney on March 19.

The conference will also discuss premature sexualisation, among other issues. (ANI)