The Effects Of Violent Television Programs On Children

In the United States children watch an average of three to fours hours of television daily (Cantor & Wilson, 1984, p. 28). Television can be a powerful influence in developing value systems and shaping behavior. Unfortunately, much of today's television programming is violent. Studies of the effects of TV violence on children and teenagers have found that children may become insensitive to violence. Consequently, they tend to gradually accept violence as a way to solve problems by imitating the violence they observe on television; and they identify with certain characters, good or bad. Therefore, extensive viewing of television violence by children causes greater

Our world has a variety of problems today, with violence being at the top of the list, you go anywhere and that is all you here about. Unfortunately it’s in front-page headlines of the newspaper and broadcasted on the news as top stories. Violence is a very big topic, although it is categorized into many small groups. There is juvenile violence, domestic violence, hate violence, terrorist violence, and violence displaced through various forms of the media. This research will be on violence in the media and does it affect our society. How we view television, has changed the world, no doubt in that. Turn your television set on and pick a channel at random; the odds are that half of the programs you come across will contain violent material. The statistics are overwhelming as I look on the internet, read articles, and look at the research. One of the things that most interests me in the violence on television, is the effects it has on children. Children learn by repetition while watching educational shows, so is learning violence on television an exception?

Does the violence occurring in media exhibit aggressive and violent behaviors in older children and adolescents? This is a big controversial issue that everyone debates on. However, many researchers have found that violence in television, video games, and media reveals that media violence increases likelihood of aggression and violent behaviors in adolescents. Although, negative experiences in families and peer groups have an important role in the development of violent behavior, children may develop that mentality to view the world full of conflicts and violence. I will be arguing how media violence does exhibit aggressive behavior a adolescents’ life. Therefore, many researchers believe that a violent behavior in adolescents is a learned behavior rather than an innate behavior.

In places where violence in the community is not a threat, children are still bathed with violent images at every turn, simply at the click of a button. Now more than ever the media has been flooded with aggressive acts ranging from the punches and kicks of the newest videogame, to the gruesome murders of the last big-screen thriller. It has also been estimated that by the time a child turns 18, he or she will have viewed at least 200,000 acts of violence on television (1). Even if the child has grown up with a solid, emotional and social background, he is still vulnerable to these overwhelming displays of media violence and is often left with a greater tendency towards aggressive and antisocial behavior (1). For those who do experience violence in the household, watching these powerful acts on television serves to reinforce the cultural values they see modeled in their everyday lifestyles (1).

   In virtually all American households, a television is present. Through this electronic device, the public receives different messages. The main use of the television is for entertainment purposes. The programs on television usually mirror and enhance the different aspects of American culture. People ranging from infants to elderly adults watch television, the subject matter that is appropriate for these different age groups varies. Yet, television is indiscriminate of age presenting any topic to whoever chooses to view it. The television of today contains various aspects of society and enhances it, creating an entertaining program. One of these aspects is violence. Young children learn

In discussions of violent media, one controversial issue is whether violet media, like videogames, or comic books have a negative or positive effect on kids. On the one hand, some people argue that they enjoy expressing built up anger and emotions through reading comic books. On the other hand, violent media can effect young children and have them think it’s okay to be violent in real life. My own view is violent media does cause kids to have a mindset that killing or violent actions are okay to do.

In discussions of violet media on children, one controversial issue has been that violent media effects children in a negative way. On the one hand violet media causes children to build up aggression and are at risk to be more criminally active as adults. My own view, is some people blame violent media for children’s aggression but media provides knowledge of what the content contains, to caution viewers from violent action. Violet media can also be beneficial to children, it causes them to express built up emotion and it is a person’s personality that causes children to reenact violent actions not the media.

In discussions of violent media on children, one controversial issue has been that violent media effects children in a negative way. On the one hand violent media causes children to build up aggression, and are at risk to be more criminally active as adults. My own view, is some people blame violent media for children’s aggression, but media provides knowledge of what the content contains, to caution viewers from violent action. Violet media can also be beneficial to children, it causes them to express built up emotion and there is no direct connection between violent media and children being violent.

The researchers noticed real differences between the kids who watched the violent shows and those who watched nonviolent ones. According to Aletha Huston, Ph.D., ?children who watch the violent shows, even 'just funny' cartoons, were more likely to hit out at their playmates, argue, disobey class rules, leave tasks unfinished, and were less willing to wait for things than those who watched the nonviolent programs.? Findings from the laboratory are further supported by field studies, which have shown the long-range effects of televised violence. Leonard Eron, Ph.D., and his associates at the University of Illinois, found that children who watched many hours of TV violence when they were in elementary school tended to also show a ?higher level of aggressive behavior? when they became teenagers. By observing these youngsters until they were 30 years old, Dr. Eron found that the ones who ?had watched a lot of TV when they were eight years old were more likely to be arrested and prosecuted for criminal acts as adults?.

Television is a powerful tool, shaping and influencing the lives of the world’s youth. More recently, violent shows are on the rise. Most programs are increasing the number of violent acts per hour. These violent television shows are causing an aggressive spike among young people. Violent television shows are desensitizing children to violence, leading children to imitating the actions of those they see.  This problem can be reduced or prevented in numerous ways.

45-52). To television Programmers, violence is depicted as a normal, justified response to conflict and threat. They will encourage identification with the aggressor; domination and submission, to them, are often equated with pleasure and worth. Yet numerous researchers have put much time into discovering why children are so attached by the television and the action that takes place within it. They prove that it is definitely a major source of violent behavior in children. Their research proves time and time again that aggression and television viewing do go hand in hand. The truth about television violence and children has been shown. Many people and critics try to ignore it and hope that it will go away. Others do not even seem to care and try to attack these ideas. However, the facts are undeniable and all the results point to one conclusion: Television violence causes children to be violent and the effects can be life-long. The effects of the television are first visible even at the most basic level of life, children and adolescents. The modern-day extent of viewing by humans, especially Americans, is astronomical. Children begin to watch television at very early ages, often when they are newborns. At this time they are obviously not able to follow along or be influenced by it, but they are subjected to it nevertheless. This early start will lead most childhood viewers

Violence is one of the most primary and controversial issues in today’s society. And true that violence is on the rise. A major concern for many parents is the violence within television shows and movies, and the effect on children’s aggression. I particularly do not believe that violence in television affects children’s aggression, but who am I to say such a thing, for I am not a qualified psychologist. But I have many reasons for my accusation and references to back it up. Now television plays a major role in today’s society, and it occupies almost every home in the United States. Parents have such a big concern for the children watching television, but children throughout the U.S watch an average of twenty

WWF were also found to be more violent in school as DuRant observed violence being

Most of the world can be viewed through the television. Educational programs are aired. News from all over the world is broadcasted. Anything from sports to music is displayed on the television. While there are many positive aspects of mass media, to the contrary, there are also violent programs portrayed. Violence in all aspects of the media has drawn public attention with practically every novel type of media entertainment (Slotsve et al., 2008). With children being the main audience, this is a topic that has become highly debatable. Over the years more and more cases have come to light alleging television is the culprit to violence. Beginning in 1994, a three year study was conducted. This utmost recognized study of violence in television, the National Television Study, evaluated violence on the television (Slotsve et al., 2008). Through this study, a trend between violent and belligerent antisocial behavior was documented (Slotsve et al., 2008). The violence portrayed on the television can create footprints in the child’s mind. The paths become a link to abnormal behavior patterns. In addition, the Surgeon General’s Program of Research also identified a contributory linking between televised violence and antisocial behavior with children being more affected (Slotsve et al., 2008). The question still remains, is television a root for violent behavior?

that children imitate televised words and actions from an early age. We are all familiar with