Television And Violence Essay

The Link Between Television and Violence When the television was first introduced to the average home in the 1940’s, only about 10% of the homes in America had one and by 1960, that percentage grew to about 90%. Today, however, 99% of American homes own at least one or more televisions. In 1972, the surgeon general stated that, “televised violence, indeed, does have an adverse effect on certain members of our society.” Since then, there have been many debates on how television violence affects our society. Over the last four decades, psychological studies have indicated that there is a connection between violence on television and aggression. This violence in our media is also linked, but not limited, to child obesity, increased tobacco and alcohol use, and sexual activities beginning at a younger age throughout today’s youth. Statistics show that the children and adolescents of today spend more time watching television …show more content…
With this being said, it is evident that something needs to happen in order to help save the innocence of our young society. One of the biggest issues that psychological researchers have with television today is the aggression that it instills in the youth and adolescents of our society. According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, “children who view shows in which violence is very realistic, frequently repeated or unpunished, are more likely to imitate what they see.” Some children who have learning disabilities or emotional and behavioral problems may also be more easily influenced by such violence on television. Psychologists L. Rowell Huesmann, Leonard Eron and others began researching this issue in the 1980’s. They found