The Impact of Exposure to Violent Content on TikTok Social Media on Adolescent Aggressive Behavior

Abstract

As the dominant media platform for adolescents, TikTok's algorithm-driven, short-form video ecosystem presents a new and complex context for examining the long-standing issue of media violence and aggression. The unique nature of content exposure on this platform necessitates a deeper understanding beyond traditional media effects models. This study explores the lived experience of adolescents' exposure to violent content on TikTok and its perceived impact on their aggressive cognitions and behaviors. Employing a qualitative phenomenological methodology, grounded in extensive literature and library research, this study gathered rich narrative data. In-depth interviews and digital diaries were utilized to understand the subjective meanings and processes from the perspective of teenage participants. The findings reveal a complex psychological process. The analysis shows that the algorithm facilitates a gradual normalization of and desensitization to violence. Participants reported experiencing emotional ambivalence, oscillating between entertainment and disturbance. A key finding is the adoption of aggressive verbal and physical 'scripts' learned from the platform. Crucially, this process is accompanied by a strong mechanism of rationalization and denial, where adolescents actively minimize the content's influence to resolve their cognitive dissonance. This research concludes that the impact of TikTok's violent content is a subtle, permeating process, amplified by its unique technological structure and shielded by users' psychological defenses. The study suggests that effective media literacy interventions must address not only content awareness but also the cognitive biases that prevent adolescents from recognizing their own vulnerability.