The distribution of indirect, verbal and physical aggression based on gender, age and victim variables: The case of Superhero movies

The destructive impact of aggression on individual and societal levels has been substantiated through studies across various fields. Mass media plays a critical role in shaping tendencies toward aggression, rooted in numerous factors. With advancing technology, mass media has become a primary source of entertainment and information, leading to increased screen time, particularly among children. Research indicates media content featuring aggressive representations may significantly contribute to children learning aggressive behaviors. Disciplines such as psychology, sociology, and communication studies have examined the outcomes of frequent aggression representations in mass media for decades. These studies offer diverse perspectives on theoretical frameworks developed to understand the reflections of such representations on interpersonal communication processes. In superhero films, where children and adolescents form the majority of the target audience, aggression is often central. Protagonists—superheroes—are frequently rewarded for aggressive actions, provided with justifications, and/or portrayed with reduced negative consequences. These characteristics amplify the adverse effects of media representations of aggression on interpersonal communication processes. This study examines the frequency of aggressive acts in superhero films, categorizes these behaviors, and explores whether distributions vary by superheroes' gender and age. The sample includes superhero films released between 2019 and 2023, selected by filtering IMDb (https://www.imdb.com/) listings under "action," "adventure," and "science fiction." A total of 21 films (2,740 minutes) were analyzed using quantitative content analysis. Aggression was categorized into indirect, physical, and verbal types, with scenes coded based on camera angle changes. Data were analyzed using SPSS 20 with descriptive statistics and t-tests, at a 0.05 significance level. Findings reveal male characters exhibit more frequent and intense aggression than female characters. Male characters scored higher in overall, verbal, and physical aggression, but no significant gender differences appeared for indirect aggression. Regarding aggression victims, males were more aggressive toward other males than females, while females showed higher aggression toward males than females. Male characters were also more aggressive toward non-human entities than females. These findings highlight gender- and age-related differences in aggression portrayal in superhero films. Lastly, adult characters exhibited higher aggression levels than child characters.