Violence in Films and Children Aggressive Behavior - Research Proposal Example

? ASSESSMENT OF HOW VIOLENCE AND AGGRESSION IN CHINESE FILMS INFLUENCE AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR AMONG CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGE OF 4 AND 12 YEARS IN TUCSONAZ Name: Class: Presented to: Date: 1.0 Introduction Researchers have argued that people tend to imitate whatever they observe in media and thereby shaping their personalities (Ernest, 2008). In terms of influence, the content that the media has is more pronounced on children than adults especially in terms of violence. Young children have been found to easily incorporate whatever they watch in their movies. In terms of violent content, many Chinese movies have been found to possess more violence as compared to American or movies from any other part of the world. People who are directly exposed to these films are children particularly those between of 4 to 12 years of age and are therefore likely to be affected. The level of aggression that is reported in most parts of Chinese schools is that involving children between the stated ages above (Berry, 2003). The main aim of this research proposal is to explore the impact that violence and aggression has especially on antisocial behaviors and aggression that is observed in children who fall between the age of 4 and 12 years in Tucson AZ. The high level of violence and aggression influences the aggressive behavior that is observed in children of the age between 3 and 12 years in Tucson AZ. Research has shown that most Chinese films contain many violent and aggressive activities. Children between the age of 4 and 12 form a broad audience that is directly exposed to the content of these movies (Kail, 2007). As a result of too much exposure, these children tend to cognitively translate the same to their real life situations and therefore leading to a rise in aggressive behavior especially among school going children. The Chinese movie industry is one of the fastest growing industries in terms of complexity of the content that it delivers to the viewer. However, most viewers of these films are children who are aged between 4 and 12 years. With or without knowledge of many people, the industry might be the source of all aggressive behaviors that are reported in most schools in china. This research is therefore important in creating an understanding the relationship between violence in Chinese and aggressive behavior that is reported especially in most schools. 1.1 Research Question This will be a qualitative research project and the main research questions that will be sought after in the project will be: 1. how does violence and aggression contained in most Chinese movies affects the behavior of children? 2. Which is the most affected age group among school going children? 1.2 Objective statement As a result of the problem stated above, this research proposal seeks to develop a research project that will: 1. Explore the impact that violence and aggressive behavior contained in most Chinese movies has on the way children between the age of 4 and 12 years behave towards others in Tucson AZ. 2.0 Methodology It is important to note that this will be a qualitative research that will explore the impact of exposure on one variable to the other. The method used for the research will therefore be aimed at finding the causal relationship between the variables stated. 2.1 Research Design The research will be carried out in both a longitudinal and cross sectional approach. Children within a certain age will be studied in correlation to those at a higher level. A range of children within the age bracket stated will therefore be the main point of focus. The research will involve exposing the children who are exposed to the variable stated in a controlled setting and their behavior keenly observed. 2.2 Theoretical framework The basis of this research is both the cognitive theories of Jean Piaget and Craig Kennedy’s work on how brain processes aggression as a reward. Jean Piaget proposes a model through which human develops from a sensorimotor stage, preoperational, concrete all the way to formal operational stage (Eleanor, 2008). The research will apply the knowledge on how human beings think and how this affects the way children perceive aggression in films that they watch. On the other hand, research by Craig Kennedy and his argument that the brain processes aggression as a reward to it just like food and the need for sex is also crucial in explaining the phenomena that will be under investigation in the research. He argues that aggression occurs in almost all vertebrates and is seen as part of cognitive processes that are aimed at ensuring human body maintains homeostasis 2.3 Hypothesis The main hypothesis in this research project is: H: Increased exposure of children in China to films with aggressive and violent scenes contributes to an increase in aggressive behavior among them. 2,4 Operationalization of variables Variable I: Increased exposure of children to films with violent and aggressive scenes. This will be measured in terms of hours that these children may be exposed to these films and the nature of violence and aggression that they are exposed to. Variable II: Increased aggression in children This will be directly observed and reported in descriptive words of how the children tend to behave after watching such films. 2.5 Participant sampling To ensure that the research is effective, children between the age of 4 and 12 years will be selected randomly from a given group of children who are in school within the region of Tucson AZ. Special consideration will be given on personal interests of these children so as to ensure that the research is balanced. Participants will cut across the age bracket and the main purpose of this is to ensure that they at least fall under the four categories of cognitive development that were proposed by Jean Piaget. Each group of participants will contain five children and they will be divided according to their age as follows: Between 4 to 6 years Between 7 to 9 years Between 10 to 12 years 2.6 Ethical considerations Special consideration will be given especially in terms of participation in the research. For all children who will take part in the research, there will be a need to ensure that there is a written consent from their parents allowing researchers to involve them in the research. In addition to that, the levels at which children who are taking part in the research are exposed to violence and aggression will be regulated to ensure that they are not exposed to what is unsuitable to them. In the observation phase of the research, children will be carefully handled to ensure that they don’t injure themselves in the process. To ensure that there is proper control in the experiment, there will be caretakers within to ensure that the needs of children are taken care of at any given time during the experiment. The objects that children will be given to play with will be purposeful be checked to ensure that they cannot injure them in the process. 2.7 Instruments The main instruments that will be required for this research will include a video player, films showing aggressive and violent behavior in them but to some extent. Children’s toys that will be used in the second phase during observation and a camera that can be able to record children as they play. Books to record and pens to be used in the process of research will also be useful in the research project. 2.8 Data collection This research project will involve two phases whereby the first phase will involve exposing children to Chinese movies that contain scenes of aggression and violence. Their reaction to the events as they unfold throughout the films will be noted down carefully. Children will be exposed to these films for a period of one week and thereafter proceed to the next phase whereby they will be provided with playing material and then recorded on camera as they play. Their video clips will be keenly observed and their behavior towards the object of play keenly noted down. 2.9 Data analysis Data from the research will be keenly analyzed and arranged in a systematic manner. Descriptive words will be used to assign each behavior on the scale of how each child got influenced by whatever that was being shown the films. Microsoft excel software will be used to analyse dat that will be collected 3.0 Limitations of the research This research requires a lot of time and therefore time consuming. In addition to that, the research is prone to being biased and as a result of haste generalization in cases whereby findings might not imply the case throughout the entire system. References Ernest, R., (2008), Developmental origins of aggression, Mumbai: Tiffany. Berry, C., (2003), Chinese films in focus, Hong Kong: Xu hung Publishers. Kail, R., (2007), Human Development: A lifespan Approach, New York: CRV. Eleanor, E., (2008), Patterns of Child rearing, Denver: McGraw Hill. Society for research and development, Child Development: Volume 48, Retrieved from http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=1Es5AAAAMAAJ&q=child+aggression&dq=child+aggression&hl=en&ei=grHXTpLRPIWphAeg69jBDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CGYQ6AEwCQ Appendix 1: Survey Instrument Kindly complete the following questions to facilitate completion of an academic assignment. Information provided will be kept personal and only used for the intended academic purpose. Q1. How many hours does the child spend watching violent films? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Q2. What is the age bracket of the child under consideration? Between 4 to 6 years Between 7 to 9 years Between 10 to 12 years Q3. How does your behavior change after watching violent films? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Q4. How is the behavior of other children who do not watch violent movie different from those who do not? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Read More