Peculiarities of the influence of media products on the level of adolescent anxiety

Abstract

The article considers the problem of the influence of modern media products on the psychological characteristics of the individual, the violation of its information and psychological security and, as a consequence, the increase in the level of anxiety in adolescents. The subjects were 90 adolescents aged 13-15, who were resting in the children's center "Young Guard". The following research methods were used: methods of deviant analysis of media text by S.V. Knyzhnykova, methods of studying the level of anxiety by P. Kondash, methods by CH.D. Spielberger to detect personal and situational anxiety (adaptation by Yu.L. Khanin), the test of viability by S. Maddi (adaptation by D.O. Leontiev, E.I. Rasskazov). Spearman's correlation method and the Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical analysis. The results showed that modern adolescents mostly choose the Internet and television among the media, do not approve of aggressive films, but consider aggression as a quality of a poorly educated person and as a result of self-defense against injustice; they consider cruel films and computer games dangerous, they are outraged by the following media stories - a naturalistic depiction of violence, a demonstration of perversions, a detailed depiction of death and abuse of people. Adolescents have an average level of vitality, but the level of involvement is low, the level of control is medium, and the level of risk appetite is high; the average level of situational and personal anxiety prevails, self-esteem and interpersonal anxiety prevails. It has been proven that such media products as violent films and computer games, films with scenes of various types of violence and murders, as well as media stories such as depictions of bullying and violence against people, their deaths and perversions affect the personality of adolescents and contribute to situational anxiety, interpersonal anxiety and general anxiety.