The impact of TV violence

Essay “The impact of TV violence”

Nowadays, there are too much violence on TV with encourages violent behavior and crime.

You can find a huge number of articles, books and gear scientifically proving this fact. The effect of TV violence on children is the most studied of the issues in this section. As children afterwards make society I want to discuss this exact theme.

There is no doubt that television has changed the world and how we view it. With just the point and click of a button, the viewing possibilities are endless. There are hundreds of channels to choose from. Cartoons, news, cooking shows, and music videos fill the airwaves. With so many viewing options, determining what we should be watching has become a great concern, especially when it comes to children.

Children are great imitators. Imaginary play and modeling their favorite characters are commonplace among the young. Children can and readily do imitate what they see. Just ask any parent if his child play a hero of one of his favorite film or cartoon. His act alone reinforces the idea, that through imitation and repeated exposure children can learn. Learning violence is no exception. It can be imitated and learned in the same manner as how the alphabet was committed to memory. The only difference is when children watch negative behavior, it is that negativity that they learn and mimic. It is not something harmless. Authorities on child behavior agree that what a child watches does indeed affect their behavior. According to The American Academy of Child and Adolescence Psychiatry, "Extensive viewing of television violence by children causes greater aggressiveness".

Some people will argue that children actually learn morals and life lesson from some violence on television. In shows such as Power Rangers, Xmen and other film about surerman, the good guys always win and the bad guys are always punished. This idea helps children realize that bad acts are punishable. They will more often identify with the heroes in the story, and they themselves will aspire to be one of the good guys. There is no question that children can learn bad acts are punishable by watching the so-called good guys win. The problem is it also teaches the children how to handle the wrong doings by the bad guys. More often or not there is a huge battle between good and evil being portrayed on the screen. Those that are identified as being the good guys often use violence to subdue the evil wrong doers. This can include fighting, punching, kicking and other acts of aggression. The fact of the matter is, children are being taught violence solves problems. This fact is evident. It is also evident in the way children portray their favorite super hero. It is not hard to imagine a child who is pretending to be a super hero. The majority of them will draw their fist, pull out a pretend sword, or take a karate stance as if readying themselves to fight a battle. The reality is that even super heroes teach children violence is acceptable. This in turn can cause children to act aggressively, even when their intention is to do good.

Cartoons actually contain some of the most violent acts found in television programming. They portray acts that in the real world would fatally harm an individual. The majority of people will remember their favorite cartoons as children. Famous Tom and Jerry are perpetrators of violence. Who does not recall the falling anvil that crashes atop the poor unsuspecting, cartoon character's head? Elmer Fudd is forever chasing Bugs Bunny with a rifle, ready to shoot him on site. Even Tom and Jerry readily makes use of situations that cut off tails, and smash their characters beyond recognition. Children often laugh at the violence being portrayed in cartoons such as these. In reality they are laughing at a character perpetrating violence and aggression toward another. When hostility is presented in a comical fashion such as this, young children may make the connection of violence and humor. This can cause a child to believe that pain and hurting someone is humorous. They do not realize aggressive acts can cause real harm. In a book called Violent Cartoons, the author points out that children less than five years old need help processing what they are viewing. Young children do not understand that cartoon violence is animation. They do not understand that cartoon violence does not reflect what happens in the real world. When a parent is watching what cartoons their children are viewing, it is always a good for parents to ask themselves if their child is old enough to distinguish between animation and reality. Unfortunately, many parents resist the conclusions for other reasons. "I watched Tom & Jerry and I turned out all right" is the most common reasoning. The studies suggest that we have all become more aggressive, view the world as a more dangerous place, are less connected to others in society, and are less patient in situations of stress than we otherwise might be. So while violent TV may not be the sole cause, it is probably a contributing factor. In many cases, the various factors do not produce external violence toward others, but depression, self-abuse, and eating disorders.

 Television does have a negative effect on children and teens nationwide. But, children don’t have to end up violent and aggressive. By monitoring parents child’s programs, surround them with physical activities, and teaching them the negative effects of violence, these things can be avoided.