The Media Contribute to Violent Behavior in Children - Essay Example

Does Violence In The Media Contribute To Violent Behavior In Children? and number submitted Outline 1. Introduction This section introduces readers to the topic. It also provides a brief background of mass media and its influence in social life. In addition, this section also states the thesis of the paper. 2. Exposure This section contains information regarding the use of mass media among American children. In addition, it also provides statistics regarding the number of hours American children spend on media. 3. Impacts of media violence on behavior of children This section contains analysis of the extent to which media violence contributes to violence among children. It also contains experimental research that has been conducted regarding the impacts of media violence on children. 4. Future research This section covers areas that still need to be researched on with regard to the influence of media violence on children particularly its long-term effects. 5. Conclusion This section provides a succinct conclusion of the paper plus the recommendation as to what need to be done to reduce the negative influence of media violence on children. 6. References This section contains a list of all sources used in conducting this research. Does Violence In The Media Contribute To Violent Behavior In Children? Introduction There has been a tremendous growth of the mass media in the world today. The world particularly began experiencing the growth of the media in the twentieth century following its advent (Hogan, 2005). Today mass media plays a big role in the social environment. Today television, videos, radio, movies, computer networks, and video games have become part and parcel of social life. In fact, almost every household in the world uses at least one form of mass media. However, Huesmann and Taylor (2006) note that the mass media impacts hugely on people’s beliefs, values and behaviors. At the same time, they reveals that as much as the mass media has brought a lot of benefits in people’s social life, one side of its impacts is detrimental to viewers, notes Anderson, Berkowitz, and Donnerstein (2003). This is because a number of researches have shown that over exposure to violent television and video contents increases the risk of violent behaviors among viewers the same way growing up under an environment full of violence increases the risk of violent behaviors according to Hogan (2005). This paper will explore the extent to which violence in the media contributes to violent behavior in children. Exposure Media influence on children is a reality. Research indicates that many American children between the ages of 8 and 18 years spend a significant part of their time on entertainment media. A study conducted by the Council on Communications and Media (2012) found out that the American children between this age group spent at least 6 hours every day on mass media such as video, video games, music, and movies or listening to radio, playing with computers or surfing the internet. The findings also showed that children between 0 to 6 years of age also spend at least 2 hours daily using screen media such as computers, television, or movies. Council on Communications and Media (2012) also noted that many American households have television in bedrooms for children to watch. The fact that these children have television sets on their bedrooms have been found to increase their viewing time as some spend even the whole night watching their favorite programs and movies. Impacts of Media Violence on Behavior of Children Research indicates that a large proportion of media exposure to children contains acts of violence. As a result, it is estimated that by the time a child reaches the age of 18, he or she will have been exposed to over 200,000 acts of violence on television alone (Villani, 2003). A study conducted on television violence between 1995 to 1997 found out that of all the television programming aired, 61% portrayed acts of interpersonal violence. In fact, the highest violent acts were found in children shows. Council on Communications and Media (2012) reveals all animated films produced in the U.S. between 1937 and 1999 contained acts of violence most of which featured the intent to injure. At the same time, findings showed that at least 80% of violence is portrayed in American music videos. Additionally, research has shown that many of teens videos games and music such as rap are full of violent behaviors. However, Huesmann and Taylor (2006) found that such prolonged exposure of children to violent behaviors portrayed in the media such as television, movies, videos and video games among others increases the chances of these children behaving violently afterwards. This evidence has been demonstrated through several researches that have been conducted on children who high exposure to violent media and those who are not according to Anderson, Berkowitz, and Donnerstein (2003). After the experiment, it was found that children who are exposed to violent videos and television programs behave in a violent and aggressive manner immediately after watching the clips than those watching nonviolent films (Huesmann and Taylor, 2006). This was found to be attributable to the fact that children tend to imitate what they see. As a result, those who view a lot of violent films try to imitate watch they see in the media believing that violence acts they see are the norm Jack Ass television show is an example of programs portraying several accidents associated with young men trying to stunt (Child Development Institute, 2003). As a result, children who view this program may attempt to imitate the violent acts they see thereby causing injuries to themselves and people around them. The same has also been demonstrated in children who are wrestling and boxing fanatics. Wrestling and boxing mainly portray violent acts of people fighting on the stage. However, since children are not able to differentiate between fantasy and reality, they believe that fighting is a right thing to do since it makes one be seen as a hero. As a result, they also tend to imitate the same by fighting and hitting their children with objects the same way they see wrestling men doing (Child Development Institute, 2003). As a result, it is not very good to expose a child to such actions since they will tend to imitate such actions thereby causing injuries to themselves or to others around them. In fact, producers of wrestling films appears to understand the influence that wrestling may have on children and as such do advise children not to practice whatever the wrestling men does at home. Tompkins (2003) also noted that a large exposure to media violence increases the risk of violent behaviors because they are desensitized by the violence, which makes them believe that the world is scarier place as portrayed by the film. Findings show that if teens believe that such types of violence portrayed by the media are normal behaviors it becomes exceedingly hard for them to change later on in life (Huesmann and Taylor, 2006). This finding is similar to domestic violence study that have showed that children exposed to violence tend to become victims or offenders later on in life since they believe that what they are exposed to is the norm in society according to Murray (2008). Columbine accident is a classical example that has also supported the studies showing that exposure to media violence can contribute to violent behaviors among children according to Ivory (2001). Immediately after the accident, investigations were immediately carried out on the cause of the accident. However, the result took many people by surprise after it was discovered that the two young men who committed the act were found to have played several violent games prior to the accident. The final report revealed that their large exposure to violent video games was to blame for the accident as the two young men who committed the act were found to have hailed from a humble family background (Ivory, 2001). A similar impact of media violence on children was witnessed in 1997 when Michael Carneal shot and killed three of his colleagues (OToole, 2000). Findings showed that Carneal was influenced to engage in such violent acts by the video games that he had been fond of paying. The jury who handled the Michael Carneal murder case stated that Michael Carneal was still very young and hard no knowledge of guns according to OToole (2000). However, he was very much obsessed with the shootings he does on the video games, which turned him to an expert shooter. This practical evidence indeed confirms that watching violent behaviors on the media contribute greatly to violent behaviors among children. Apart from watching media violence, researchers have also found that participating in actual performance of violent acts such as video games also contribute to violent behaviors among children (Rideout and Hamel 2006). In fact, findings reveal that performing violent video games contribute to violent behaviors than just watching violent acts on movies or televisions. This view holds that the more a child performs violent acts, the more the possibility of them performing violent acts later on in their life (Child Development Institute, 2003). Study shows that a majority of video games portray women as naive and individuals who are acted upon instead of initiating the action. In fact, they are sometime portrayed as victims in the society. Such video games have been found to encourage males to act out such behaviors as portrayed in the game as noted by Anderson, Berkowitz, and Donnerstein (2003). For example, the Matrix movie has been cited for having promoted violent behaviors among high school students. In this regard, some high school students were arrested for attempting to play out their responsibilities as “The One.” This explains why parents are discouraged from exposing their children to video games. This is because they will tend to imitate what they do in video game not knowing that it might results into injuries either to themselves or to the people around them (Federman, 1998). For example, Michael Carneal shot his classmates with a gun because he was probably trying to imitate watch he had been doing on the video games. Internet access by children has also been found to influence the behavior of children. In this regard, findings have shown that the internet provides children with information on dangerous and explosive devices and to the extreme reveals how these weapons can be acquired (Tompkins, 2003). This kind of exposure has been linked to the high incidences of violent acts by children in the world today. This is because they can easily get information on how to get and use dangerous weapons in case of a problem. Some children even use the information on the internet to try to make the weapons, which they believe are good for defensive purposes as demonstrated on the internet as noted by Huesmann and Taylor (2006). Therefore, it is very important for parents to know the contents that their children surf on the internet because such contents can contribute to violent acts later on in their lives. Future Research It is certain that media violence contributes to violent behaviors among children. However, most research has only concentrated on the short-turn influences while ignoring long-term effects of media violence (Tompkins, 2003). Therefore, it is very important for researchers to conduct more research on where the media violence impacts on the behaviors of children in the long run. This is because it is through these findings that proper remedial action can be taken to avoid such consequences. Similarly, no extensive research has been conducted pertaining to the impacts of the internet and video game violence on the behaviors of children. This is probably due to the fact that the internet and video games are new developments. Therefore, it will also be very important for current and future researchers to conduct more research on their impacts on the violent behaviors of children. Conclusion It became quite evident that none of the research has been conducted on the long-term effects of violent media on children. Nonetheless, parents need to be on the watch over their children, however, busy they may be as they attend to other issues in life. In this regard, parents must acts as good role models to their children by discouraging watching media contents that portray violent acts. Therefore, parents should always ensure that they are conversant with the media contents that their children watch and discourage them from watching contents that they believe can influence their behaviors negatively. Some Pediatricians have advised that parents should not allow their children to spend too much time watching Television, movies, videos and video games. In addition, parents also need to spend some time watching videos and television with their children so as to be able to advise them not to be watching and imitating violent acts being portrayed in the media. References Anderson, C.A., Berkowitz, L., & Donnerstein E. (2003). The influence of media violence on youth. Psychol Sci Public Interest. 4 (3):81– 110. Cesarone, B. (1994). “Video games and children ERIC Digest.” Retrieved from http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/video.games.html. Child Development Institute (2003). “Video games and children.” Retrieved from http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/healthsafety/videogamesandchildrens.html. Council on Communications and Media (2012). From the American academy of pediatrics: media violence. 108 (5): 1222. Federman, J. (1998). National television violence study. Vol. 3. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Hogan, M.J. (2005). Adolescents and media violence: six crucial issues for practitioners. Adolesc Med Clin. 16 (2):249– 268. Huesmann, L.R. & Taylor, L.D. (2006). The role of media violence in Violent behavior. Annual. Rev. Public Health. 27:393–415. Ivory, J. D. (2001). Video games and the elusive search for their effects on children: An assessment of twenty years of research. Retrieved from http://www.unc.edu/~jivory/video.html. Murray, J.P. (2008). Media violence: the effects are both real and strong. Am Behav Sci. 51 (8):1212– 1230. OToole, M.E. (2000). The school shooter: a threat assessment perspective. Quantico, VA: Federal Bureau of Investigation, US Department of Justice. Rideout, V., & Hamel E. (2006). The media family: electronic media in the lives of infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents. Menlo Park, CA: Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Tompkins, A. (2003). The Psychological Effects of Violent Media on Children: AllPsych Journal. Retrieved from http://allpsych.com/journal/violentmedia.html. Villani, S. (2003). “Media violence: More than just child’s play?” Facts of Life: Issue Briefings for Health Reporters vol. 8, no. 10. Retrieved from http://www.cfah.org/factsoflife/vol8no10.cfm. Read More