The Effects Of Violent Media On Children

When it comes to the topic of violent media, some of us would readily agree it’s a controversial subject as to whether kids should or shouldn’t be exposed to it. This is because many children who view violent media react negatively rather than not being affected at all. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of what effects does it have on children. Whereas some are convinced that it is a healthy alternative for kids to express themselves, others maintain that it causes kids to become more aggressive and contributes to juvenile crimes.

According to Gerard Jones’s “ Violent Media Is Good For Kids,” violent media indeed has a remarkable influence upon the minds and general growth patterns of children. Jones argues that violent media can actually have positive effects on young people.

Violent media; a strikingly relevant phenomenon millions are becoming captivated by. It’s everywhere you go, on your phone, the TV or on the computer. As much as people try to avoid it, they soon realize it’s ineluctable. Gerard Jones, a comic-book author, released a brief report, “Violent Media Is Good for Kids” that argued violent media is not only beneficial to children but also inspiring. He goes on to support his claim by sampling his own personal experiences. However, not all forms of violent media are necessarily helpful. Some are more preferable while others can harm them. To an extent, violent media can help children by helping them release built up emotions, learn lessons regarding the real world, as well as create something for themselves.

Karen Wright's article "Does violent TV breed violence? Do video games breed more of it?" addresses a pressing contemporary issue the effects that violent video games and TV have on young individuals and on society as a whole. Although the article seems to be directed at the masses, it is very likely that the writer intends to raise awareness in parents reading this article. Wright used information coming from a series of scholars, both with the purpose of supporting the fact that violent games and TV have a negative influence on individuals and in order to refute these claims. In spite of the fact that one can feel confused upon reading particular segments from the article, it is overall likely to influence readers in believing that video game and TV violence are actually very harmful for people.

“In terms of exposure, the average U.S. child between the ages of 8 and 18 spends 6½ hours a day using media” (Strasburger, V., & Wilson, B. 2009). Children are the most vulnerable target, not only do they manipulate their parents as consumers, but they are also susceptible to being misled by what they see. Many children lack discernment between actual acts of violence and mock violence exhibited in pop culture. The authors of Children, Adolescents, and the Media assert, “… Youth today are confronted with a media environment that is rapidly changing. Technologies are proliferating, merging, and becoming more interactive. And the content featured in these technologies is increasingly graphic, realistic, and commercial in nature” (Strasburger, V., & Wilson, B. 2009). Television programs often mislead gullible children because of positive attitudes toward violence. Cartoons like Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner follow the laws of animation physics and often display exaggerated cycles of violence. Thus, certain levels of violent acts were accepted and became the norm. The good guy beats the bad guy and over time children may become desensitized. Jacoby (1995) asks the question, “What impact does it have on a generation growing up amid dysfunctional families, broken-down schools, and a culture of values-free secularism?” (p

One of the many observed effects of social media is the violent tendencies that seem to become more common in the upcoming generations. Many video games and movies show a lot of violence and these things can sometimes make an impression on the children. Even though there are many studies on media violence on children, there are really no clear answers. But different television, film, video games, etc. have definitely raised the level of violence in children and it continues to rise. Murray, a developmental psychologist, says even though that television and film are just as violent but video games are more worrisome in that it requires the player to be heavily involved in the game, and through repetition

A ponderous medium of media is video games in co-relation to violence. Video games encourage violent behavior in children as they are at a crucial stage of adaptation.

No truer words have even been spoken, parents may feel that the government may need to step in and take act to prevent such television programming or censor other media’s. But that is not the answer either; children will always find a way to view these violent acts. Parents should not abandon their responsibilities for the education of their children to the government; they need to step up to the plate and be the primary guidance counselors for their children (Reed, 2006). Furthermore that is the purpose of this paper, it to educate the parents of the dangers of too much bombardment of violent television, movies, and video games. Take your children out and show them the good in life; that life does not evolve around the television or video games. Education is essential, when dealing with issues such as these. Getting your children involved in community events is also a good way to educate them, either planting trees, picking up litter at a local park, or even donating your time for a charitable event. Whatever, you come up with will work against the desensitization that is happening to our children today.

In 1999 a study was done stating that fifty-two percent of children who watched horror movies/TV shows, would wake up in the middle of the night with night terrors. Another study was conducted in 2003, this time it was based off of psychology. AllPhsych Online, is an online classroom mostly focused on psychology, states that “children who view media violence are more likely to have increased feelings of hostility, decreased emotional response to the portrayal of violence and injury that lead to violent behavior through imitation.” (Scribner) The affects of violence in media are still being discussed today. Some people believe this claim to true others take the opposite approach. By limiting what children can and cannot view, we are restricting their creative freedom and views.

In the book Critique of Violence ,author Walter describes Violence as "The intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, which either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, male development, or deprivation .The violence that is portrayed in the media has been debated for decades ,and it has rose a question about how does it influence the youth?. From movies to video games society has been accustom to seeing violence in their everyday entertainment. Since children are easy to be influence by their environment, it is safe to say that violence in the media can and will contribute to violent behavior.

Television is the mainstream of our culture. Violence on television has been a topic of conflict since before 1950. There have been repeated debates on how to protect children from the harmful effects of violence on television. Television is one form of modern media that influences the everyday lives of people. Televised violence has a major effect on how children perceive the world and how they behave. "American television has become the most violent in the world. It is for this reason why researchers have focused their attention toward television violence" (Cantor & Hoffner 424-4-25). Children enjoy watching television and now with the increased technology of cable and movie

With violent lyrics in music, video games with violent themes, hyper-violent horror and action movies and more, entertainment media has been under the microscope as a primary factor in causing violent behavior in youths for years. Ever since the Columbine shootings in 1999 and the subsequent blame being placed on the video game DOOM and heavy metal artist Marilyn Manson, the news media delights in finding new violent entertainment to link to youth violence, especially if a massacre is involved.

There is overwhelmingly more research concerned with potential negative consequences of violent media than potential positive ones. Despite this, no definitive causal link has been established between simulated violence and actual violence. However, there is some evidence supporting the view that violent media is linked to negative psychological traits. One such example is a widely peer reviewed, 2003 study that evaluated college age adults for aggression and hostility prior to and after exposure to music with graphic lyrics (Anderson et

Technological advancements have given rise to unprecedented access to television shows, movies, and video games. Scientists have dedicated much of their attention on how media, particularly violent media, influences viewers, and players. It is important to keep a child’s innocence while still allowing them to explore the world around them, and acts of violence are one thing they don’t need to witness. By avoiding media that contains graphic violence children will, in turn, be less

The second source of violence is in the form of video games. This has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the United States for our children. They depict horrific acts of violence, whether it is from blowing the head off of an enemy with an automatic rifle to running over people with a car. In a recent study, researchers examined 357 seventh and eighth graders. They were asked what type of game they like to play. “The two most preferred categories were games that involved fantasy violence, preferred by almost 32% of subjects; and sports games, some of which contained violent subthemes, which were preferred by more than 29%. Nearly 20% of the students expressed a preference for games with a general entertainment theme, while another 17% favored games that involved human violence. Fewer than 2% of the adolescents preferred games with educational content.” These statistics gained from the study show that most children enjoy the games with violent content. The exposure that our children are facing from playing these violent video games is bound to have negative results on the way the interact both with others and their environment. When they are playing these games, they are seeing graphic scenes with blood,