*Mohammad Fawwaz Eneizat, Haslina Halim and Syarizan Dalib

Abstract:

Violence is a source of great concern for many researchers. Previous studies have suggested that cases of violent behaviour (VB) in developing countries have been increasing, including Jordan. Nonetheless, studies on VB among adolescents are still scarce in these countries. Many studies conducted in the Jordanian context focus on adults and violence against women; however, there is scarcity of research to examine adolescent violence due to exposure to violent media. As the number of violent cases in Jordan are on the rise, it is crucial that more studies are conducted to advance the issue of violence in the country, especially on the factors that contribute towards the involvement of Jordanian adolescents. Taking this into consideration, this conceptual paper discusses the factors influencing adolescents’ VB, namely media exposure, cultural values, peer pressure and family communication, and consequently, examines the relationships between these variables.

Keywords: Violent behaviour, media exposure, cultural values, peer pressure, family communication