"You Are What You Watch?": Evaluating the Impact of Media Violence on Youth Behaviour during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Uzbekistan

ABSTRACT

Considering that today's youth are inadvertently exposed to violence in all forms of media and video games, research shows that this affects the psyche, subsequently manifesting in aggressive behaviour. This research paper examines how media violence, particularly in video games and movies, impacted youth behaviour during Uzbekistan's pandemic-imposed lockdown period in 2020. The research deploys a mixed-method approach by using quantitative online and offline surveys and data collected from educational institutions and companies to analyse the impact of media violence on youth who chose to play violent video games and watch violent movies during the pandemic. At the same time, the qualitative thematic analysis presents recommendations for preventing the adverse effects of violent video games and films on young people's behaviour. The research ends with suggestions on supporting young people and ways to protect them from falling into the vicious cycle of violence, which triggers aggression in their behaviour.