Violence in Movies

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Violence in Movies Javier Bryon AIU Online Abstract Human beings are violent by nature, we crave violence and we thrive watching violent acts on the media. We have been exposed to this more and more with the invention of the television and video games. Children are more vulnerable to the insidious effects of violence in the media. Violence in Movies Violence has been around since the beginning of time. It is an increasing problem to today’s society. Just by looking at recent shootings especially in schools and the high rate of adolescents involved it gives an alarming and unsettling pattern. While the causes of violence in children include different variables, it is quite compelling that children exposure to violence through the media plays a key role in violent behavior. The Mimic Effect The first damaging effect of violence in media is the mimic effect. Research have demonstrated that very young children will imitate what they see and hear from the television. At very young age kids are not able to distinguish between what is fact and what is fantasy, and what they see in television is often mimicked in an effort to learn to communicate. It has not been established yet if violence in media is the sole factor, and many other environmental influences could be inducing the behavior. Leland & Murr (1995) stated, "The body of research against media violence, though spongy, grows larger each year. We may never understand fully just how our entertainments shape our behavior." By supervising what children at young ages watch on television, it has been proved that violent behavior can be diminished and mimic behavior can steer towards acceptable conduct. Hero Complex The second harmful effect is the hero effect. Superheroes are often portraying as defenders of good, but with defending they must select violence to impose their will and protect the
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