The Effect of Media on Children - Essay Example

?` The Effect of Media on Children The Effect of Media on Children Introduction The topic of focus in this essay is the impact of media on children in the 21st century. In this case, the media refers to all the forms of communication viewed collectively. The most common forms of media used by children include television, movies, the internet, social media and video games. Television is the most popular form of media that affects a child’s life in different growth stages and impacts on how they perceive and act in different situations. Violence, fast food commercials and drug abuse messages have been on the rise in the media over the years but we most certainly do not see children backing away from the various forms of media (Gotz et al., 2005). It can be concluded that children have become accustomed to witnessing acts of violence and negative themes of sex and drug abuse. The media is likely to affect children the academic performance of children, morality and personality. Prolonged exposure to the media adversely affects the children’s lives and can result into violent behavior in future, health problems and even cause declined academic performance and cognitive abilities. This paper will delve into the violence associated with the media, health problems and poor academic performance. It will conclude by giving some of the measures that can be adopted to keep this state of affairs under control. Background of the Study Matters relating to the harmful effects of the media on children and teenagers are always present in international headlines (Browne and Hamilton, 2005). In the recent times, there have been numerous stories in relation to the detrimental effects of the media. For instance, an international study conducted in Britain and the US revealed that the decline in performance despite the increased government spending in literacy programs can be attributed to the increased popularity of computer games (Buckingham, 2007). Secondly, a teenage girl in the state of Missouri befriended a ‘boy’ who turned out to be a mother of a former friend who lived in the neighborhood. The mother could not be charge legally in a court of law though she was constantly a victim of virtual vigilantism (Buckingham, 2007). Lastly, the increased rate of drug and alcohol consumption among teenagers can be attributed to some television programs and commercials. Previous studies have revealed that there are numerous harmful impacts resulting from the various forms of media (Buckingham, 2007). In the contemporary world, children and teenagers spend most of their free time watching television or movies, playing computer games or watching videos on the internet. This leaves them with limited time to concentrate on school work, play as well as spending quality time with their parents (Buckingham, 2007). Regrettably, most of the content on these forms of media is based on the themes of violence, sex and crime as well as drug abuse (Browne and Hamilton, 2005). Prolonged exposure to such content changes the children’s mindset and affects their behavior and attitudes negatively. The section below discusses some of the some of the profound harmful impacts of the media on children. Violence As far as violence is concerned, it can be noted that children who are more exposed to the media are likely to exhibit violent behavior. Movies have been known to contain a great deal of violence and this has a profound impact on their behavior (Millwood, 2003). However, the main source of violence in the media is the television. TV broadcasts contain a considerable amount of violence that places children in a vulnerable position since they are easily affected by these scenes (Cumberbatch, 2004). Past research has shown that children who spend so much time watching TV or playing video games are more likely to exhibit antisocial behavior. This is because such children are not used to relating with other people and tend to introverted (Buckingham, 2007). Additionally, they demonstrate high levels of aggression and are likely to engage in fights at school (Gotz et al., 2005). On the other hand, the rising level of bullying in schools can be associated to the violent scenes in various media platforms (Buckingham, 2007). Health Problems Young children who spend most of their time watching TV and playing computer games are more likely to suffer from eating disorders (Livingstone, 2005). This is because they spend most of their time while sitting and are likely to feed on a lot of junk food which is unhealthy and results to obesity. In addition to, children are engaged in minimal physical activity resulting to unfitness (Buckingham, 2007). On the other hand, the media propagate negative messages with regards to body shape and weight concerning young girls (Buckingham, 2007). The media insinuates that one has to be slim in order to be regarded as beautiful. Young girls in turn themselves to conform to this stereotype and may end up suffering from disorders including bulimia and anorexia (Gotz et al., 2005). With regards to alcohol consumption and smoking, it can be undeniably concluded that children are affected by some movies, television programs and commercials (Buckingham, 2007). Alcohol consumption and smoking are depicted as being trendy and children grow up with this attitude. They are likely to engage in these practices in early teenage years and later in life. Concerning increased fast food consumption, most of the commercials about these foods glamorize them making them highly appealing. As a result, teenagers are tempted to feed on these foods that are overly addictive (Livingstone, 2005). Additionally, increased consumption of fast foods leads to a healthy lifestyle among children. Decline in Academic Performance This is the most negative impact of the media since it adversely affects the education system as a whole (Buckingham, 2007). What has been observed over the years is that children spend most of their time watching TV, movies and playing video games which leaves them no time at all to read a book or even do their home work. This has a direct negative impact on their grades and academic achievement (Buckingham, 2007). In the past, children had ample time to play, interact with their peers and talk to their parents (Gotz et al., 2005). This helped to improve their creativity and overall cognitive capabilities. However, in the present times all children do is watch TV and play video games which do not develop their cognitive abilities or creativity in any way (Buckingham, 2007). This also impacts negatively on their academic performance and their emotional intelligence. Long exposure to the media impedes proper development of the brain and may lead to attention deficit (Buckingham, 2007). A common habit has emerged amongst young children in the contemporary world whereby they watch TV or play video games till dawn (Buckingham, 2007). This denies them enough sleep since they have to wake up early in the morning and go to school. Furthermore, lack of enough sleep denies them enough rest leading to poor academic performance (Buckingham, 2007). The above discussion is by no means exhaustive; moreover, at this juncture it is important to note that some of these impacts have been more researched than others (Buckingham, 2007). While some of these effects are general, others are more specific. It can be noted that research on the new forms of media is limited as these forms of media are raising increasingly complex issues such as sexual or commercial exploitation of children which was absent in the older forms of media (Buckingham, 2007). It can also be noted that these effects vary from each other. There are those that pay attention to social concerns including stereotyping and consumerism. There are those that reflect on specific areas of media content including violence, sex and advertising (Buckingham, 2007). Finally, others relate to the ‘opportunity cost’ associated with media use including school work and physical exercise. There is the possibility on generating a never-ending list of the negative impacts of the media therefore it is important to identify potential effects that can be commonly confused or duplicated. The list below shows a summary of major native impacts of the media on children. Imitation: Children are likely to identify eye catching role models that they encounter on the media and learn specific behavior patterns from them (Buckingham, 2007). Arousal: They are physiological and emotionally aroused by some forms of media and this may affect their behavior (Buckingham, 2007). Indifference: Repeated exposure to negative media content affect how people respond to real life situations and may accept acts of violence or stereotyping as tolerable. Catharsis: Constant exposure to the negative content in the media can purge negative tendencies that people did not know they possess (Buckingham, 2007). Cultivation: The media depicts violence in steadily distorted ways which makes children grow up with distorted beliefs about the real world (Buckingham, 2007). The above discussion gives an in depth analysis on the negative impacts of the media. However, the widely accepted summary can be divided into three major categories that include: behavioral, attitudinal and emotional (Buckingham, 2007). Concerning behavioral impacts, children will seek situations whereby they can imitate what they are exposed to through the media (Buckingham, 2007). With regards to attitudinal impacts, increased exposure to negative media content may cause children to adopt various beliefs at a tender age (Browne and Hamilton, 2005). Such beliefs may lead to immoral behavior. For example, they may view drug abuse, violence and sex to be widely acceptable in society (Millwood, 2003). Conclusion In a nutshell, the debate on the negative impacts of the media on children has been in existence for a long. More research should be done on this topic to establish the extent to which the different forms media influence children. Parents are advised to control the content that their children are being exposed to by the different forms of media. The debate on the negative impacts of the media on children rages on as there are those who believe that the influence of the media on children is minimal. References Browne, K. D., & Hamilton-Giachritsis, C. (2005). The influence of violent media on children and adolescents: A public-health approach. Lancet, 365(9460), 702. Buckingham, D. (2007). The impact of the media on children and young people with a particular focus on computer games and the internet: Prepared for the Byron Review on children and new technology. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/2748146/The_impact_of_the_media_on_children_and_young_people_with_a_particular_focus_on_computer_games_and_the_internet_prepared_for_the_Byron_Review_on_children_and_new_technology Cumberbatch, G. (2004). Video violence: Villain or victim? London: Video Standards Council. Retrieved from www.videostandards.org.uk/video_violence.htm Gotz, M., Lemish, D., Aidman, A., & Moon, H. (2005). Media and the make-believe worlds of children: When Harry Potter meets Pokemon in Disneyland. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Livingstone, S. (2005). Assessing the research base for the policy debate over the effects of food advertising to children. International Journal of Advertising, 24(3), 273-296 Millwood, H. A. (2003). How children interpret screen violence. London, UK: BritishBroadcasting Corporation, British Board of Film Classification, Broadcasting Standards Commission, Independent Television Commission. Read More