Unfortunately, many of today’s television programs are violent. So does TV influence kids that violence, drugs, alcohol and sex are ok? How much violence, drug references, alcohol usage, and sex references does the average American child come across? How much of this do they take in? Hundreds of studies have found that children and teenagers that watch television may: • Become “immune” or numb to the horror of violence • Gradually accept violence as a way to solve problems • Imitate the violence they observe on television; and • Identify with certain characters, victims and/or victimizers Also, Extensive viewing of television violence by children causes greater aggressiveness.
Games about war and games about crime life, even games about fantasy violence are all over the market. It is thought that Children are affected the most by the violence they are exposed to. I tend to agree that violent media affects children the most. Children are less likely to separate right from wrong like most adults can. It is easy for me to see something on TV and know that it wouldn’t be right to replicate it.
The youth are then influenced by observing these behaviours and mimicking the actions of these so-called heroes. Eventually, this will cause one to be obsessed with the violent actions. The national association for the education of young children (NAEYC) reports that violence in the media has increased since 1980 and continues to increase. The majority of these studies conclude that children who watch significant amounts of television and movies are more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior
Everyone deals with stress and frustrations differently. However when action is taken upon the frustrations and stress, and the action is taken out in anger and aggression. The results may be very harmful to both the aggressor and the person being aggressed against, mentally, emotionally, and even physically. Young children are more likely to confuse fantasy violent with real world violence, and without a framework for ethical decision making, they may mimic the actions they see in violent video games. Playing violent video games increases aggressive behavior and arousal.
By limiting the amount of time children watch television it is less aggression they may be viewing. Also a parent needs to be more involved in what shows are appropriate for their children to watch (163). Secondly, in a Diane Swanbrow article a study done by Psychological Science reports that, “People who play violent video games and watch violent movies are numb to the pain and suffering of other” (165). There was an article by Jon Bardin a writer for, Los Angeles Times that states, “Kids who play games like “Manhunt” and “Grand Theft Auto” are more likely to drive recklessly, according to a new study published in the academic journal Psychology of Popular Media Culture. On the other note, well-known author Gerard Jones states, “I am going to argue that it’s (violent entertainment) helped hundreds of people for everyone its hurt, and that it can help far more if we learn to use it well” (184).
At a young age, children's minds are sponge-like, absorbing everything that surrounds them, which makes them easy targets in terms of manipulation and victimized by violent video games. Violent games might seem like harmless fun, but what if the violence attracts and addicts young players, affecting their behavior and their view of reality? Problem: Should Violent Video Games Be Monitored Some say that violent video games have minimal impact on young teenagers, pointing out that most video-game player’s live completely normal lives. The weaknesses in that argument are almost too obvious: first of all just because a player does not immediately imitate specific violent acts found in video games does not mean the games will not have any long-term negative effect on that player’s views and behavior. Because of this possibility, parents should assume responsibility for evaluating video games and should prohibit young teenagers from purchasing those that are especially violent.
Are video games causing violence amongst today’s children? Nowadays, video games have caught the attention of both the Media and parents. Increasingly, the media tends to remind people how much violence these games contain, thus blaming them for the violent behavior a child may be imitating. In addition, video games seem to be the scapegoat for a quick point of blame and is a much easier answer rather than finding what truly may lie behind the motives for violence in a child. With RPG (role playing games) becoming ever more so popular, so does the demand for realistic violence in them.
In the movie, they gather to fight not out of spite or hatred for each other but because fighting is a common medium of release for them. Various studies conducted state a direct correlation between the aggregate of time spent watching violence portrayed in media, the television in specific, to aggressive behaviour in adulthood. Aggressive behaviours in children are also observed to increase when they are exposed to violent media because they seem to take it as an encouragement of sorts, because new forms of aggression are brought to their notice. The Tasmanian Devil in Looney Toons and Baby Looney Toons is an example of a violence in children’s entertainment.Berkowitz says that a number of different aversive stimuli, frustration for example, may initiate aggressive responses but aversive stimuli alone do not by themselves orchestrate aggressive behaviour; they simply bring about a readiness for aggressive action. Only if appropriate aggressive cues are present as environmental stimuli, will such conduct surface.
Running head: DOES VIOLENCE IN MEDIA AFFECT CHILDREN’S BEHAVIOR? 1 DOES VIOLENCE IN MEDIA AFFECT CHILDREN’S BEHAVIOR? Analytical Report Marjorie Gaines April 8th 2012 DOES VIOLENCE IN MEDIA AFFECT CHILDREN’S BEHAVIOR 2 ABSTRACT Decades of research have demonstrated that exposure to violence on television can cause increases in aggression. The recent emergence of violent video games has raised new questions regarding the effects of violent media. Recent research has shown that connections between children playing violent video games can cause later aggressive behavioral problems.
First, Violence portrayed in video games and on television also contains sexually suggestive programs. These things are inappropriate for children. Even the cartoons now have things that are inappropriate for children, whether it’s language, violence or sexual innuendos. All these things subject children to content that is way above them at much too young an age. Cynthia Wagner states that, “The violent content of those games, particularly those favored by males, is of growing concern to families, schools, and policy makers.