FREE ESSAY ON VIOLENCE AND MEDIA

VIOLENCE AND MEDIA

Television programming today can be a powerful influence in developing value systems and
shaping behavior (Bee, 1998: 261-262). Unfortunately, much of today's television
programming is violent. For instance, the level of violence during Saturday morning
cartoons is higher than the level of violence during prime time. There are about six to
eight violent acts per hour during prime time, versus twenty to thirty violent acts per
hour on Saturday morning cartoons ("Killing Screens," 1994). Also, well before children
finish their grade school, they will witness up to 8,000 murders and 100,000 violent acts
on television (Levine, 1995: 143).
Moreover, children spend more time learning about life through media than in any other
manner. The average child spends approximately twenty-seven hours per week watching
television, which means that children spend most of their time only watching television
and sleeping (Minow & LaMay, 1995: 32-33). Also, it has been proven by many studies that
there is a positive relationship between television violence and behavioral problems in
children. For example, research by Wood, Wong, and Chachere (1991:378) have shown that
"exposure to media violence increase viewers' aggression." 
This paper will discuss that repeated exposure of young children and adolescents can
negatively effect children's behavior. This negative behavior can be acted out by
imitation of violent acts observed on television, by accepting violence as a way to solve
problems, and by desensitization to the amount of violence seen on television. Also, it
will discuss how parents and teachers can prevent excessive viewing of television
violence in children and adolescents.
Children between the ages of one to four cannot always distinguish reality from fantasy.
Television programs for people of all ages is more often than not a fantasy world, yet
young children do not understand that their favorite character does not exists in the
real world. For example, because young children do not understand the line between
fantasy and reality, one may find children "crawling down storm drains looking for them
[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]" (Minow & LaMay, 1995: 33). This example clearly
represents that children do not understand that their favorite characters are only
made-up characters and that they do not exist in reality. However, many children may act
upon their favorite movie or film character in such way, that they will try to imitate
them.
Young children instinctively imitate actions, or rather model human behavior by
observation without always possessing the intellect or maturity to determine if such
actions are appropriate. For example, in Bandura's modeling studies children expressed
more aggressive behavior toward the blow-up doll called Bobo, when they observed an adult
model "verbally and physically attack the doll in real life, on film, or in a cartoon
(Westen, 1996: 206). Therefore, due to the televisions' programs role-model capacity to
promote real world violence, there is a deep concern that watching violent programs on
television will cause children to become more aggressive. As a result of viewing violent
programs on television, children may become more aggressive toward other children, use
violence and aggressiveness in their play, and use violence to solve their problems
(Buckingham, 1997: 33; Abbot, 1997: 112).
Also, it has been suggested that young children will more likely imitate violent acts
seen on television and model themselves to the character they like, if "the perpetrator
of the violence is rewarded or at least not punished and when violence is presented as
justified" (Ledingham et al., 1993:4). A study has shown that children will more likely
"pretend" or "imitate" the aggressor from a violent television program, when the
aggressor is presented as the "good guy," who is often the person in the show that
punishes the "bad guy" (Cantor, 1998: 98). Thus, it may be that children may often
interpret a violent behavior of a character on television as a positive behavior, if the
character was rewarded for his or her aggressive behavior. 
Children may also be more aggressive toward other children or even their parents, in
order to get what they want. In most violent programs, as noted earlier, the aggressor is
often rewarded for his or her violent and aggressive behaviors towards others. Also, in
many television programs "violence…is typically shown as a successful way of
solving problems and…people who are violent get what they want" (Bee, 1998: 262).
Therefore, one may suggest that children will express more aggressive behavior toward
others, if they are denied a specific toy or an activity, such as going to the zoo.
Perhaps the most telling example of children's aggression can be seen after children see
an advertisement on a desirable toy which is, more often than not, seen during children's
programming. Indeed, in one year the advertisers alone will spend over $470 million "on
broadcast sponsorship aimed at children [who are] one of the hottest and fastest-growing
consumer markets" (Minow & LaMay, 1995: 55-56). About $168 billion is spent by parents in
one year on children's merchandise; a merchandise children have seen on television and
would like to have (Minow & LaMay, 1995: 56). 
Children generally do not understand that advertised toys or other products cost money,
and many of which may be well over family budget. However, columnist in Advertising Age
said that "when you sell a kid on a product [and] if he can't get it, he will throw
himself on the floor, stamp his feet and cry" ( as cited in Minow & LaMay, 1995: 45).
Thus, if children learn from violent television programs that aggressive behavior may get
them what they want, most of them will, therefore, try aggression to make their parents
buy them a desirable toy.
As noted earlier, children are exposed to enormous amount of violence before they finish
their grade school, which can have a negative effect on their behavior as children and
also as adults. Leonard Eron, a professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan,
followed children from eight years of age into their adulthood. These boys had been
exposed to a large amount of violence on television during their childhood and later in
their adulthood. As a result of the amount of the exposure to the violent programming on
television, the adults had the potential to commit more serious crimes by the age of 30.
Also, the same adults may "[have] more aggressive behavior when drinking, and [the more
television violence they watched] the harsher the punishment they inflicted on their own
children" (Levine, 1995: 145). Thus, the evidence suggests that there is a positive
relationship between viewing violent television programs and aggressive behavior in
children and adults. 
However, not only do violent programs increase aggression and violence, but also
children, who are already aggressive, will prefer watching violent programs on television
in order to meet their taste. It has been proven that all children are born with
"temperamental qualities [that are] carried in their genes" (Bee, 1998: 145). Also,
children who are "cranky, temperamentally difficult babies continue to show many of the
same temperamental qualities ten years later" (Bee, 1998: 147). Likewise, aggressive
children may prefer violent programs on television because "the fact that aggressive
behavior leads to peer rejection means that aggressive children have fewer options for
alternative activities" (Ledingham et al., 1993: 7).
On the contrary, children may often not watch the violent television programs for the
violence itself, but will more likely watch it for the action that is portrayed in most
violent programs. For example, in a 1986 study researchers found that children would
still be interested in watching television programs even with the absence of violence,
and "eliminating violent content reduces the likelihood of stimulating aggressive
behavior" (Cantor, 1998: 92). However, not many studies have been conducted in this
manner, therefore "it would be premature to draw any conclusions about the effects of
violence on children's enjoyment" (Cantor, 1998: 92).
Earlier in this essay we have seen that the more children watch violent television
programs, the more aggressive they may become. However, in many cases children, who are
exposed to frequent viewing of violence on television, may become emotionally
"desensitized" or less sensitive toward real life violence. For instance, children, who
were exposed frequently to violence on television may accept and tolerate aggressive
behavior in others more, than children who were not exposed to violent programs on
television. This may, however, have a negative impact on the children's life because "the
child may behave in a manner which is inappropriate in real life settings" (Ledingham et
al., 1993: 8).
Most violent television programs show us that "violence is a social relationship"
("Killing Screens," 1994). Violence often tells us who can get away with it and who
deserves to be the victim. For instance, for every twelve women involved in a violent act
there are ten male aggressors and women are half the time more likely to be the victim
than the aggressor in many violent television programs. Also, minority women are twice as
likely to become the victims than to become the aggressors ("Killing Screens," 1994).
Also, violent television programs often portray "members of racial minorities as less
powerful and poorer than the majority" (Greenfield, 1984: 43). Thus, children from
various minority groups, such as female children, black children, or Hispanic children,
may grow-up feeling more controllable by the majority of people in the society (often
white men). They also may grow-up more cultivated to accept their second place in
society, as it has been portrayed on violent television programs ("Killing Screens,"
1994). This portrayal of minorities as powerless and poor may also affect the children
and adults of minority groups as becoming the victims of racism, which may often result
in violence, inability to have a job, or other negative aspects racism may bring upon
people (Greenfield, 1984: 43).
Other evidence suggests that repeated viewing of violent television programs can lead to
"a mean world syndrome" ("Killing Screens," 1994); a belief for many children and adults
that the "world [is] a more dangerous place than it actually is because violence is more
salient and frequent on television than it is in most life experiences" (Ledingham et
al., 1993: 9). Thus, children and adults with fewer opportunities in society due to
poverty, lack of education, health problems or other social aspects may end-up watching
more television (Rosengren et al., 1994: 146). As a result, these people may feel more
likely to become the victims of violence, to feel more in danger, to feel more insecure
in the real world. Thus, they will demand protection from people who tell them they will
protect them, and whom they will trust ("Killing Screens," 1994).
Although there are many behavioral problems with children who watch excessive amounts of
violence, television programs can also have a positive effect on children of all ages.
For example, children who watched the television program called Sesame Street "gained in
cultural pride, self-confidence, and interpersonal cooperation [and] white
children…developed more positive views toward children of other races" (Greenfield,
1984:43). This positive attitude in children towards each other, without the barriers of
aggression or racism, was due to the fact that Sesame Street often "portrays characters
from various minority groups in a positive, nonstereotyped way"(Greenfield, 1984: 42),
and violence is often absent in such children's programs.
As noted earlier, children often learn how to behave from what they see on television,
and the impact of television violence may be evident immediately in the children's
behavior or it may surface later in life. However, parents can protect their children
from excessive television violence in many ways. First, parents should pay attention to
the programs their children are watching and they should also watch with them. This would
give the parents a chance to spend some time with their children and a chance to explain
that what they see on television is not real. Especially, a chance to point out that
although the actor has not been actually hurt or killed such violence in real life will
result in pain or even death ("Killing Screens," 1994; Minow & LaMay, 1995: 161).
Second, parents should set limits on the amount of time they spend watching television
and also parents should challenge television's power with other alternatives, such as
reading or playing with friends. Reading would enable the children to use their own
imagination, which is often oppressed by television. Also, playing with friends may
enable the child to practice his or her verbal communication, which is also oppressed by
viewing excessive amount of television (Greenfield, 1984: 85-89).
Third, parents should often disapprove of a violent program in front of their children,
stressing the belief that such behavior is not the best way to solve a problem. Also,
parents should refuse to let their children watch television programs known to be violent
by changing the channel or turning the television set off, with the explanation of what
is wrong with the program (Ledingham et al., 1993: 10-13). 
Fourth, parents should remember that they also are citizens, and together with other
parents should demand the installation of a device called the v-chip into every
television set. This v-chip is "a programmable computer chip that would allow parents
lock out programs they deemed unsuitable for their children" (Minow & LaMay, 1995:
109-110). Therefore, a v-chip in a television set will enable the parents to watch their
own program without the fear of exposing their own children.
Last, parents should demand critical thinking be taught in all schools. Children should
be able to discuss with their teachers in school and parents at home what they see on
television and in what manner the children perceive it. This type of education should be
enhanced in every school in order to "encourage the children to watch critically and
thoughtfully (Greenfield, 1984: 93-94).
In conclusion, extensive viewing of violent television by children has the potential to
cause greater aggressiveness. Children who view programs in which violence is very
realistic, frequently repeated, and unpunished are more likely to imitate what they see.
It is due to their inability to distinguish reality form fantasy and their inability to
understand right behavior from wrong. Parents and teachers should take measures to
prevent harmful effects their children are susceptible from television violence, such as
aggression, racial and sexual stereotyping. The amount of time children spend watching
television and what they watch should be moderated, because television prevents children
from other more useful activities, such as playing outside, reading a book, or just
spending time with their parents.
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