The Impact of Media Violence Exposure on Bullying Perpetration: The Parallel Mediation of Moral Emotions and Callous-Unemotional Traits and the Moderating Roleof Peer Norms

Background: With the widespread adoption of digital media, the use of media among children and adolescents has become commonplace. At the same time, their exposure to media violence has significantly increased, exerting negative effects on their physical and mental well-being, among which heightened aggression is particularly well-documented. Such aggression often manifests in school settings as bullying – a critical social issue, with its rates in China reaching approximately 20%. Although studies have established the media violence-bullying link, the psychological mechanisms of this relationship remain unclear. In particular, the roles of moral emotions, callous-unemotional traits and peer norms in this context have yet to be thoroughly validated.Thus, this study aimed to examine the relationship between media violence exposure and bullying perpetration, as well as the underlying mechanisms involving moral emotions, callous-unemotional traits and peer norms.

Methods: Participants were recruited from grades 4–6 in three primary schools and grades 7–8 in two middle schools across Beijing and Changsha. Valid data were collected from 2,762 students using the Media Violence Exposure Questionnaire, Multidimensional Bullying Perpetration Scale, The Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits, Callous-Unemotional Traits Scale, and Peer Norms Scale.

Results: (1) Media violence exposure positively predicted bullying perpetration (β = 0.183, p < 0.05) and callous-unemotional traits (β = 0.134, p < 0.001), while negatively predicted moral emotions (β = -0.044, p < 0.001); (2) Moral emotions negatively predicted bullying perpetration (β = -0.071, p < 0.001), while callous-unemotional traits positively predicted bullying perpetration (β = 0.104, p < 0.001) , thus moral emotions and callous-unemotional traits served as parallel mediators between media violence exposure and bullying perpetration. The indirect effects were 0.014 (p < 0.001) and 0.006 (p < 0.001), respectively; (3) Peer norms exerted a protective moderating effect in the latter half of the pathway from media violence exposure to bullying perpetration via moral emotions (β= -0.062, p < 0.001). Specifically, the impact of media violence exposure on bullying perpetration was reduced when peer norms werestronger.

Conclusions and Implications: The study revealed that media violence exposure was a significant predictor of bullying perpetration, with moral emotions and callous-unemotional traits functioning as parallel mediators in the relationship, and peer norms moderated the link between moral emotions and bullying perpetration. The findings showed the negative impact of media violence exposure and offered empirical evidence to inform the development of prevention and intervention strategies in combating school bullying. To effectively reduce bullying perpetration, comprehensive measures should be implemented, including limiting access to violent media content for children and adolescents while simultaneously cultivating moral emotions,enhancing empathy and compassion and promoting positive peer norms through school-based and family-based education.