Glenn G. Sparks and Cheri W. Sparks

Glenn G. Sparks is a professor of communication at Purdue University, and Cheri W. Sparks is a doctoral candidate in the department of psychology at Purdue University. In an excerpt from their article "Violence, Mayhem, and Horror," the two authors discuss psychological theories that have tried to explain the enduring popularity of violent entertainment. Some of these theories rely on the premise that media depictions of violence are simply enjoyable. Other theories hold that violence itself is not appealing, but that violent movies and television shows also tend to be suspenseful, feature sexually explicit scenes, or offer some other feature besides violence that makes them appealing. Finally, a third group of explanations focuses on the post—viewing effects that violent media may have on audiences. For example, horror movies may offer...