How Does Violence in TV Effects on Children and Increases Crime in US - Research Paper Example

? How does television violence affect children and increase crime in the United s? BY YOU YOUR SCHOOL INFO HERE HERE How does television violence affect children and increase crime in the United States? Introduction Children in the United States watch between three and four hours of television daily (AACAP, 2011). Nearly every household in the country maintains a television set, giving children substantial access to the influence of this media source. Saturday morning television programs geared toward children contain five times as much violence as shows that are developed for adult audiences (Murray, 1995). Children are easily influenced by media images and research has shown that children who are exposed to television violence are more apt to behave in an aggressive manner (Murray). The research question is to uncover how television violence affects children and serve to increase crime in the United States. Violent television programming is a commonplace media activity in today’s society and, theoretically, the influence of violence through this media source could be contributing to higher crime rates. With so many households in America maintaining a television set, it could be contributing to increased criminal behavior in youths. This research project hypothesizes that television is a leading source of aggressive and criminal behavior in children and contributes to childhood aggression. Because children are easily influenced by reference groups, it is relatively simple to deduce that aspirational programs containing violence will have significant impact on child behaviors and increase the likelihood of engaging in criminal actions. Literature Review As children seek identity formation to justify their social relevance, youths look toward reference groups to assist in building a sense of self (Henslin, 2009). Television programming that is geared toward children often contains youths that maintain desirable habits and characteristics, thus becoming aspirational groups by which children mold their attitudes, actions and behaviors. Children can identify with these television characters and, in most instances, observed violent behavior is not punished, thereby making violence and aggression attractive. From a sociological perspective, this is referred to as operant conditioning, a theory stating that behavior is modified based on the consequences (punishment or reinforcement) of that behavior (Domjan, 2003). Characters that openly display violent behavior and do not receive chastisement for these actions set the foundation for children attempting to emulate the behavior based on the theory of operant conditioning. Normal responses to aggressive behavior, however, can be restrained and is usually repressed due to fear of ostracism from society (Ferguson, 2009). This is the foundation of why television media appears to provide more hostility and aggression in youths: the fear of reprise from social actors is missing when aspirational television characters get away with their behaviors. This creates an inherent desire in children to imitate the actions they observe since there is no apprehension or concern about potential consequences. When outcomes of certain violent behaviors become inconsequential, the reproduction of these behaviors becomes more commonplace. Cullen & Agnew (2002) indicate that criminal behavior is developed as a result of relationship and association. There are many television shows that are developed for children viewers in which criminal behaviors are repeated, creating an imaginary criminal subculture. When children feel that the actors in these television shows have desirable characteristics, it builds an associative environment in which the youth desires to emulate these behaviors. Therefore, when they view positive reinforcement for criminal behaviors, they are likely to be repeated and could lead to chronic social maladjustment (Cullen & Agnew, 2002). This phenomenon is linked with social learning theory, which states that the motivation to commit crimes is directly connected to the people that children associate with (Weiten & Lloyd 2005). Other researchers see the matter from a different perspective. Murray (1995) believes that television maintains the ability to desensitize children, stripping them of empathy for others. This is an important concept since factors associated with personality and character are developed during childhood, meaning that lack of empathy could have lingering and long-lasting consequences well into adulthood. Television images that illustrate actors performing callous or inconsiderate actions against others inform the child that unsympathetic behaviors are acceptable in the real world. Though this might appear to be a delusional set of beliefs and attitudes, the child learns that aggressive or hostile attitudes can be rewarded socially, making these behaviors more inviting and fascinating. It is important that children in today’s society maintain a sense of compassion and sympathy for others if they are to be positive contributors to society as adults. Repeated exposure to violence theoretically removes consideration for other members of society, creating a type of coldness and indifference for the needs of others. Desensitization as a result of violent television programming maintains significant implications to society and could be the cause of increases in criminal activity. A study conducted by Huesmann & Eron (1986) found that individuals who watch television most frequently were more likely to be convicted of felonies involving violent actions. A sample group consisting of 100 convicted criminals provided research results that 22 percent of respondents confessed to having imitated various criminal behaviors they observed on television (Huesmann & Eron 1986). Therefore, television could be a significant motivator and influencer on child behaviors that endure into adulthood. When violence on television becomes interesting and attractive to the youth, they will attempt to follow the behavioral models of those actors displaying violent and aggressive behavior. Television then becomes the model by which criminal behavior is born, leading to higher crime rates in the United States. Bryant & Zillman (2002) refer to a phenomenon known as Mean World Syndrome, a theory stating that television media causes viewers to believe the real world is much more perilous than it actually is. Individuals who watch very large amounts of television programming think of the world as being intimidating and dangerous. Mean World Syndrome, though a fantasy and misunderstanding, is influenced by television and provides the foundation for children to become fearful and anxious about the world around them. As a response, the child will begin developing violent or aggressive behaviors as a form of self-protectionism. Believing that the world around them is unforgiving and unsafe, they will develop personality characteristics that include cruelty, brutality or general unfriendliness. These types of behaviors are attributed to criminal activities or antisocial characteristics. Antisocial behavior involves a lack of consideration for other members of society or the desire to cause harm against others (Berger 2003). Antisocial behaviors can lead to social bullying or even murder as a result of maintaining negative views about the world around them, which could contribute to higher crime rates that occurred as a result of the influence of television programming. Alcohol abuse is also common when an individual maintains antisocial behaviors, a powerful and potent stimulus for exhibiting violent and aggressive actions. Discussion There is ample evidence supporting the hypothesis that because children can be easily influenced by reference groups, aspirational programs containing violence maintains significant impact on child behaviors. The literature review provided considerable support that the desirable reference group characteristics of actors on television programming influence replication of criminal or aggressive behaviors. Henslin (2009) as well as Cullen & Agnew (2002) provided the foundation for understanding why children seek reference group reinforcement as a means of justifying their identities and behaviors. The social environment is highly critical to how children view themselves and their role within a social context. It is not surprising, therefore, that television maintains the ability to expose children to actors and situations that become desirable and attractive. Reference group opinion provides guidance to children about what actions and social situations are acceptable, therefore when they witness these television reference groups laughing or otherwise pleased with their violence or other criminal behaviors it is more likely they will try to mimic these actions. Society must, however, accept that children are easily swayed and lack the cognitive skills to be more careful about their attitudes and behaviors in order to accept that television reference groups provide meaning and positive reinforcement for cruel or sadistic actions. Bryant & Zillman (2002) provided support that television programming can lead to higher instances of criminal behavior. The ability of television to inform youths that the world is aggressive and hostile leads to antisocial behaviors, in an attempt to protect the self from a variety of perceived dangers associated with the real world. The concept of Mean World Syndrome is created through exposure to violent television programming in which the child begins to develop negative attitudes about other members of society. This increases, theoretically, the likelihood to commit crimes against others due to this maladjusted sentiment about the dangers of real world society. Television often portrays unrealistic situations in an effort to entertain, but do not represent the genuine aspects of the social environment. Seeing that children are easily influenced by a variety of sources and social actors, it is not unrealistic to assume that criminal behavior would be a final result of excessive television viewing. Many programs involve scandalous, unlawful or otherwise outrageous behaviors that would be considered illicit to members of society. In the aforementioned study involving 100 convicted criminals that illustrated 22 percent of respondents actually mimicked observed behaviors with television actors, it would be difficult to dispute that television serves as a powerful motivator to conduct criminal activity. Hence, seeing that there is no research evidence supporting that violent television programming does not influence children, there is significant support for the study’s hypothesis. Disturbing violence and its consistency in television imagery provides the foundation for children to develop unstable and confused perceptions about their role in society. Coupled with socio-psychological characteristics inherent in all children, ranging from desire to be accepted by reference groups to the struggle for identity formation, television provides a powerful influence that guides child behaviors. Conclusion The research study provides substantial support that violence on television creates the motivation to act violently and engage in criminal behaviors. All of the aforementioned research findings maintain many implications for today’s society. First, parents should be more involved in serving as an educator when children are exposed to violence. They should limit the child’s exposure to violent programming while also explaining to children that the aggressive images they are viewing is fiction and not appropriate if emulated in broader society. Parents need to serve as the guiding force that explains concepts such as social empathy, maintaining appropriate social behaviors, and illustrate to the child that the fictional elements on television are not what constitutes behaviors and attitudes in the real world. This will reduce the maladjustment that comes from Mean World Syndrome and ensure that the child is equipped with the positive social skills and attitudes to be productive members of society. The research study would have been better supported with primary research data involving larger samples of children and criminals in order to get to the proverbial root of television’s influence in antisocial and criminal behaviors. Future research would be more beneficial to identifying violent television programming’s persuasive characteristics that involves observation and interviews with children and criminals, providing opportunities for qualitative evaluation on the phenomenon. Witnessing children in their real world environments who are exposed to routine violent programming would allow a competent sociological or psychological researcher to make appropriate evaluations about the mental state of children during these exposures. Post-observational interviews with the sample group would give meaningful insight into the cognitive and emotional processes that occur when viewing violent television programming that cannot always be measured with statistics. The study’s hypothesis was well supported, that the aspirational aspects of violent programming leads to maladjusted thinking and more willingness to conduct criminal actions against others in society. Violence on television not only desensitizes youths, but creates a false impression about the reality of the external social environment. With antisocial behaviors being a research-supported outcome of violent television viewing, society should be more aware and concerned about the impact of this programming on the health and well-being of children today. References AACAP. (2011). Facts for Families: Children and TV Violence, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Retrieved December 18, 2013 from http://www.aacap.org/App_Themes/AACAP/docs/facts_for_families/13_children_and_tv _violence.pdf Berger, K.S. (2003). The Developing Person through Childhood and Adolescence, 6th ed. Worth Publishers. Bryant, J. & Zillman, D. (2002). Media Effects: Advances in Theory and Research, 2nd ed. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Cullen, F.T. & Agnew, R. (2002). Criminological Theory: Past to Present. Los Angeles: Roxbury. Domjan, Micheal. (2003). The Principles of Learning and Behavior, 5th ed. Belmont: Thompson Wadsworth. Ferguson, Christopher J. (2009). Media Violence Effects and Violent Crime: Good Science or Moral Panic?. Retrieved December 18, 2013 from http://www.sagepub.com/upm- data/26263_3sc.pdf Henslin, James M. (2009). Sociology: A Down to Earth Approach, 10th ed. A&B Publishers. Huesmann, L.R. & Eron, L.D. (1986). The development of aggression in American children as a consequence of television violence viewing, in L. Huesmann (ed.), Television and the Aggressive Child: A Cross-National Comparison. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Murray, John P. (1995). Television violence and its impact on children. Retrieved December 19, 2013 from http://www.ocd.pitt.edu/Files/PDF/sr1995-12.pdf Weiten, W. and Lloyd, M. (2005). Psychology Applied to Modern Life: Adjustment in the 21st Century, 7th ed. Thompson Wadsworth. Read More