Effect of Watching Violent Programs on Children - Research Paper Example

? Do children between the ages of 7 and 12 reenact violently after watching violent television programs? Introduction Thisis a research paper to assess the effect of watching violent programs on children age 7 and 12. This is an active age for a child development and they tend to react to what they hear or see. To help me analyze whether children between the ages of 7 and 12 reenact violently after watching violent television programs, an empirical article and internet research work relating to children would be used. The objective of the research paper is to clear analyze the available research papers and make a conclusion. The reason I chose this topic is because television has been a part of children upbringing and they have access to programs that may not suitable for their viewing. However, parents or older people may not be available to monitor what children do while alone. Assessment of child behavior can be associated with what they encounter, thus violent ones can be associated with violent programs they watch. Empirical article: Television and Video Game Violence: Age Differences and the Combined Effects of Passive and Interactive Violent Media by Meyers The background of this research paper is that there is a link between aggressive behavior in children between age 7 and 12 and viewing televised violence. The events illustrated in this research reveals that exposure to violent programs in the television is associated to aggressive behaviors and thoughts on the part of the viewer (in this case, children). Specific researches that demonstrate the function of television violence in violent behavior are analyzed in this article (Meyers, 2002). The article also analyzes the video games and concludes that given the strong association between exposure to violent television programs and violent behavior. It is evident that violent video games would have same aggressive effects on children such as those TV programs. The purpose of this empirical article was to contribute to literature world regarding video games or television and aggression in four ways. First to approve that exposure to violent video games or television programs leads to violent behaviors as compared to non-violent one. The research was to differentiate the difference between the exposure effect from television and video games. Thirdly, analyzes the Bandura’s Social education theory and Huesmann’s social developmental theory (Meyers, 2002). Finally, analyzed how the violent in these media affects children of different ages including 7 to 12 age period. The research hypothesis: Participants that engaged in violent media such as a violent television program, a violent video game, or both were anticipated to score considerably higher on all dependent criteria than contestants exposed to passive media programs. Exclusively, those exposed to a brutal video performance and/or an aggressive video game material were expected to: (1) behave more violently toward a Bobo doll, (2) be more probable to support aggression on the NOBAGS items, and (3) create a greater quantity of aggressive characters on the word-stem end task than participants their counterparts (Meyers, 2002). Participants: The research had a total of 144 3rd and 6th grade boys comprising of 72 from each grade, from 5 public learning institutions in the larger Denham Springs and Baton Rouge regions participated in this research. Whereas it was not feasible to get a totally homogenous sample because of the unique conditions of the Baton Rouge communal school structure, attempts were mostly successful; 82% of the participants in the study came from learning institutions with similar socio-economic outline as considered by participation in decreased rate lunch procedures (Meyers, 2002). 60% of the samples came from institutions with identical ethnic distributions. Finally, the little figure of participants, not over 15, coming from schools unlike to the remaining of the sample was evenly distributed in accordance to grades and circumstances. Measures: The research utilized one Nintendo 64 game structure, as well as the suitable game cartridges, involving one violent video play specifically wrestling and another passive video game, basketball. Three measures of violence were utilized, one conduct and two cognitive. For the conduct measure, as formerly described, participant’s connections with a Bobo doll were experiential. With a view to the cognitive procedures, one tool measured primed violence in children and one deliberate children’s normative attitude regarding aggression (Meyers, 2002). The main measure was a statement completion duty in which the contestant provided an omitted character to form an absolute word. Results: The outcomes of the research were broad and categorized into different segments. However, aggressive media content segment revealed that exposure of students to violent games made them more aggressive (Meyers, 2002). Second Source: Violence on TV and How It Can Affect Your Children by Dr. Gail Gross This website discussed about the violence on TV and its effect on children. This is line with the research paper that seeks to obtain the effects of television violence on children between 7 and 12 ages. The article confirms that violence on TV does have an unfavorable effect on children and the manner they act and think (Gross, 2013). It further acknowledges that for the most part, children discover from both familiarity and social knowledge or role modeling. Therefore, once children, principally young children of the age group mentioned here, witness violence on media such as television, they get a difficult moment distinguishing between what is genuine or what is created, and be inclined to copy or emulate what they are viewing. The article confirms that if enough violence is watched, the mind reacts as if the individual watching has really been ill-treated. This is mainly true if the aggression is biased, as in the scenario of aggressive violence (Gross, 2013). The website continues to compare these aggression events with children development. The article urges readers to assess the fact that children who observe violence on TV have brains that are in progress of development, and one can acknowledge how really unsafe TV watching can be. It is a fact, for instance, that youngsters especially of 7 to 12 age are psychologically impacted by having less compassion, a feature witnessed in bullies; that these children are more probable to employ aggressive approaches to resolve their tribulations rather than to seek more nonviolent approaches of conflict resolution (Gross, 2013); that children tend to be extra hasty rather then proactive and depending more on knee-jerk responses to resolve aggravations; and finally, that these youngsters appear to be extra apprehensive of social associations which make them gnaw before they can be gnawed. Children watching too much aggression on TV are more probable to be quarrelsome, as they have parted with the deliberate carefulness of inhibitors. These youngsters act out in a learning environment and are more probable to be the group bully. Since they appear to be less tolerant than their counterparts, research reveals that children who view excessive violence on TV emerge to be more reluctant to collaborate, and delay enjoyment. Therefore, they appear to express a strong sense of prerogative. The information accessed from this internet source is recent as evident in date of publication 2013. The other reason why the internet source is taken as recent is the reference of many philosophies that are associated with television violence (Gross, 2013). The work is posted recently and it acknowledges that some recent researches indicate that viewing violence on TV can also affect adults. This is recent since most empirical literature findings mainly concentrate of TV effects on children. The information is current since it relates to current issues researchers are studying. It is evident effect of violence television has affected many children. The article suggests ways in which parents can minimize children exposure to violence television programs. Compare and Contrast The contrast that can be associated with the two sources applied in this research paper is the mode they collected and presented findings. The first source, empirical article, used a primary data collection method which is much detail as compared to the second source. While both sources talk about the same topic, effects of violence television on children between 7 and 12, the first source has validity and reliability. This is so because it has articulated process of tackling the research problem and gives outcomes to justify the answer of research hypothesis. The second source uses secondary collection method that is good though not reliable and efficient as the first source. It is considered to be biased since the research depends on other researchers findings that are biased to their perspectives. In the first resource source; background of the study, purpose of the study, hypothesis, participants and results are provided to assess the research objectives. Second source is a generation of other empirical literature findings. The topic of the research is about the effect of violence television on children; resource one has provided account of effects in different perspectives and given respective results that is very resourceful; however, second resource is equally resourceful in clinical perspective though does not provide very reach and conclusive results. Source two provides recommendation on how parents can try to avert the negative effects of violence television while source one does not provide such recommendations. The similarity that is outstanding between the two source is that both agree violence television has adverse effects of children age 7 and 12. According to source one, aggressive media content segment revealed that exposure of students to violent games made them more aggressive. Source two also asserts that violence on TV does have an unfavorable effect on children and the manner they act and think. In both sources, empirical literature review of recently done an assessment on the topic is provided. Resource one acknowledges that specific researches that demonstrate the function of television violence in violent behavior are available. Likewise source two concentrates on clinical findings about effects of television violence on children. It is necessary to conclude at this point that the two resources would have the some findings if they were to use one methodology for data collection. My Thoughts Having read the two resources I reaffirms my thinking that violence television is harmful to children especially age 7 and 12. This is because at this stage children are developing and their behaviors are tailored by them surrounding. Their surrounding influences their thoughts and behaviors so if exposed to media violence they get aggressive. As indicated in source two child minds is developing at this stage and any materials they come across is registered in their memory and since they cannot differentiate real and acting, they copy what they see in totality. It is evident that current young generations are more violent compared to the earlier generations and this can be attributed exposure to violence programs. In the past, before television was widely used children could engage in much recreation activities thus enabling them to relate socially and communally. However, the era of television and video games has change that since children nowadays spend much time watching TVs as oppose to playing with their age mates in the field. I believe the cases of violence and aggressiveness of children will continue as long as they are exposed to violence television. The age of 7 and 12 are active children who are quick to experiment whatever they see and if violence is what they get the same they will give. I think they should not be blamed for being violent after absorbing the violence depicted in the world. Most of the programs in television are violent oriented and until a regulation exclusively controlling broadcasting channels then we cannot say children will be safe. Conclusion In conclusion, I can say that children between the ages of 7 and 12 reenact violently after watching violent television program. This is supported by the two resources discussed in this research paper. Both resources agree that children who are exposed to violent programs behave aggressively since they cannot differentiate acting and real world scenarios. In schools, the effects of violence exposure can be seen in affected children’s behaviors. The empirical literature and clinical perspectives agree that violent television programs make children act violently. Parents can monitor programs their children watch to assist in curbing the trend or else crime rate would increase more than reported currently. References Gross, G., (2013). Violence on TV and How It Can Affect Your Children. Human Behavior and Education Expert, Speaker, Author. Ph.D. Ed.D. Retrieved on 15th November 2013 from file:///G:/Violence%20on%20TV%20and%20How%20It%20Can%20Affect%20Your%2 0Children%20_%20Dr.%20Gail%20Gross.htm Meyers, S. K., (2002). Television and Video Game Violence: Age Differences and the Combined Effects of Passive and Interactive Violent Media. B.A., University of Nevada, Reno, M.A., University of the Pacific, Read More