The Effect Of Media Violence On Children

Studies show that children between the ages of 2 and 18 spend an average of 40 hours per week in direct contact to various forms of media. Out of this period of time, about one third is spent viewing television. The main concern with this issue is the fact that most TV programming (over 60 %) contains high levels of violence, which includes violent images, rapes, killings, and other forms of violence. Numerous findings have shown that those children who are exposed to media violence on a regular basis tend to have an increase in the possibilities of aggressive behavior of their own. Moreover, a reduction on the use of media with violent content has provided proof for a decrease in troubled conduct and aggressive behavior in children and young adults. The reason behind this association of aggressive behavior with media violence relates to the imitation of behavior by children. Repetitive exposure to antisocial conduct or violent imagery …show more content…
While children sometimes tend to chase one another or may get involved in games or sports of a slightly violent nature, it is important to understand that aggression itself is the intent of harm or injure another, and should not be confounded with brusque or forceful interactions. Since children tend to imitate those who they find in their immediate surroundings, any accessibility to violent behavior, especially through unregulated media, can be the source of troubled conduct in the future. Many children will associate themselves to specific characters and scenarios, mainly those in which the behavior shown is being rewarded somehow, rather than punished. In addition, any behavior where no direct consequences take place becomes another example of a reward scenario, simply because of the lack of