Introduction:
Technology is progressing every day. Technology has also impacted on the daily lives of the people. Not only it saves time in doing different things, but in many ways it shapes out attitudes and behaviors too. In particular, electronic Media, TV has been affecting the life, culture, values, practices and attitudes of all the generations. So the impact of TV has been one such technology that has impacted lives of many people.
Children are seen as the future of any nation or country. They are always quite innocent and get influenced quite easily. They are facing the real threats because of the media and the technology in the field of mass communication. Children’s behavior and the change in their attitudes is actually the main reason behind the study of the TV and its role in the character building of the new generation (Rapaczynski et.al, 1982). So, there is a need to understand the fact that media is a source of awareness as well as a medium to bring changes in the behaviors accordingly.
Further, there are many people who think that the TV and other electronic media have negative impacts. Therefore, they make some stereotypical views about TV with which children have to suffer. Stereotype thoughts are defined as fake ideas that appear in minds of the people. Fake here implies that it is interpreted by the people in some specific matter. Moreover, Lustig and Koester and stated in “Culture Stereotypes in Media” (2011), stereotype effect is the simplified form of the information that human achieve from the environment. These forms are achieved by the identification of the characteristics belonging to certain categories of persons and events. Furthermore, some traits, characteristics and attitudes once experienced through the media are assumed to be present in all events and individuals. Current information that may disregard the stereotypical views based on past events is not considered and only the past experiences are preferred. Hence the images about a certain event and persons are typically considered from the past as the final for making a stereotypical view (Culture Stereotypes in Media, 2011).
Hence in the paper, we will talk about the children and the impacts of stereotypes that affect the children in the modern times. Further, we will talk about the cultural effects that are due to the television and the modern means of the mass communication.
Review:
Role of media is very significant in shaping the modern world. TV is one of the mediums that is playing a key role in making the children sharper than the generations that grew without the technology. In the analysis of a report, it is shown that the intellectuality of the children increases due to the modern means of communication i.e. such means through which atmosphere of learning can be provided to the children (Buckingham, 1993).
No doubt, modern world is due to the modern technology. But every modern technology has some specific impact that it carries on the people. Many people all over the world experience such modern technological methods. There are not many studies that deal with understanding the impact of TV stereotypes on the lives of innocent children (Adler, 1975, p.18). TV and other media is one of the modern technologies which work in stereotypical way and hence, people get impacted and often suffer the consequences.
First of all, TV has different kinds of advertisements. There are many ads that are being made for conveying the messages to the people about some specific products. Further, there are many products that involve the kids showing the sharp minds in their studies and in their activities after drinking some energy drinks or powdered products that are to be drunk with the milk. Now in such products, although there is a clear temptation based message i.e. they want people to buy their product for their children which will make the minds of their children shaper. (Browne 2013)
Above figure is taken as the example to quote in the paper. Milo is a brand for children to drink. It works on the slogan that it sharpens people’s minds. But, such ads on the TV are presented with some stereotypes. The stereotypes in Milo commercials usually show boys drinking Milo and having sharper and smarter brains. Hence this stereotype idea will make the contradiction between the thoughts of the children. This gender differentiation will move to the proceeding years and hence cultural aspect will be made through such stereotype ideas. Hence a culture will be made throughout that boys are sharper than girls (Browne, 2013).
Furthermore, the patriarchy based stereotypes are also often promoted through television and leave a strong impact on the lives of children. Patriarchy is a system in which men dominate the women and especially fathers run the house and their views and orders are considered final. Many of the TV ads carry the idea that boys are dominant or superior to the girls and have more power and authority (Browne, 2013). This cultural stereotype aspect as a result makes the discrimination in the gender and hence the gender racism is promoted in the minds of the children.
Moving on, there is another cultural stereotype thought that runs on TV and impacts the minds of the children. There is large number of advertisements that are related with the fulfilling of the wishes regarding occupation. These ads however are telecasted to motivate the youth so that they come to get their dreams. But there are many other aspects that let the minds of the people get shaped and evolved in their stereotype ideas and especially impact the thoughts of the children (Bryant, 2004). For example, corporate jobs are shown as the classy and top jobs. It creates the idea that only such jobs are worth and no other profession is worth because it endorses the idea of valuing money more than anything else. These and many other stereotypes continue through these jobs related TV ads and shape the minds of children accordingly.
Further, Bryant (1978) argued that ads related with the occupation changed the minds of the youth specially females. In an argument, there are ads, in which most of the girls are shown as doctors and engineers. It creates a lack of interest in the other fields and hence girls make themselves limited to the field of the engineering or medical. Although there are many other fields that are for them but the cultural impact due to the stereotype thoughts of the people that they get from the advertisement shape the minds of the children in a particular way. Hence all other occupational options become impossible and go off the list for them (Bryant 1978).
Further, there are other issues that arise due to the typecast ideas in the minds of the people. Bryant (1978) argued about this that there are ads in which females are shown doing modeling and involvement in other occupations like acting. Although, there are dreams and wishes of everyone, however children in the early age usually make their minds according the culture of the present times (Bryant, 1978). Hence they wish for the occupation that they see in the ads portrayed by different females. Thus, stereotypes based TV ads shape the lives of children but making them choose or prefer particular professions and ignore the others. Such stereotype thoughts are although made by the people but children become the victim of the cultural stereotype thoughts.
In addition, there are other cultural stereotype ideas that are affecting the lives of the children. Talking about the view that fast media is responsible for making the youth adult. There are many views regarding this stereotype thought. However, Durkin (1985) argued that people had views about the TV and the media that sex roles are promoting the adultery in the youth and making aware of the adult life before the time. However, in the analysis done by Durkin (1985), he stated that according to the literature and analysis of the different journals it was reviewed that there was no such relation between the sex roles and viewing of the television (p.194).
Furthermore, there is another impact that is from the stereotype idea conveyed through the television i.e. it makes the children more afraid of their physique especially young girls become victim of such stereotype ideas. In an argument, there are many ads, in which female models or actresses wear some unique and new design dresses. Although that was also available for the women who are little bit fat but in almost all the ads, models that appear are slim. However, it is not shown that such dresses are only for the women who are slim but there are some cultural stereotype ideas that make the minds of the women to become slim and hence dieting becomes the culture and tradition and every second women will start to diet for wearing the dress (“What Is a Stereotype?”, n.d).
Furthermore, another major issue that is due to the stereotype TV ads is the racism on the basis of color. In the ads, most of the TV actors and actresses are white American. Observing the ads make the minds of the children in such a way that many white children make the racist comments on the American African children (Ford, 1997). Moreover, there is another observation as discussed by Ford (1997) that black people are made for the racist comments and white people are preferred on the black, hence they comment on the black people.
In addition, in the analysis, due to the racism promoted through the media and TV, many white children make fun of the American African students in the college or school places but there are fewer ratios that made the jokes on the white American students. Hence this is the stereotype typical thought that develop in the minds of the children which will show the negative results in the future times.
Furthermore, another typical thought that affects the children mentally is the exposure of the children to the TV in the early age. Many children are exposed to the child programs that are supposed to be beneficial for them. In addition, there are many programs telecasted that are healthier for the minds of the children. On the other hand, there are many cartoons and children’s programs that promote the maturity in the children. There are messages conveyed through the cartoons and other children’s program but if the children pick the point conveyed in the program in some negative way, it will impact the children’s thoughts and hence they will suffer with some stereotype ideas.
Moreover, in the discussion of the argument, there are many programs that are telecasted specifically for the children and children are exposed to such programs so that they might learn something useful from such programs. Instead teaching the children useful by the instructions of the parents, exposing the children to the TV in the early can be the cause of the stereotype ideas that will be fitted into the mind of the children made by them which as a result cause the children to suffer.
Here the figure shown below is taken as the reference image which shows that the small child is allowed to see TV cartoons but it might be possible that this small child with some stereotype thoughts which cause the child to suffer.
Figure from (“telegraph.co.uk”)
Results and conclusion:
In a nutshell there are various aspects of the exposure to the media such as TV and others sources. In the paper, we have discussed some of the cultural stereotype impacts that can be the reason behind the impacts of the TV.
First we talked briefly about the technology and its importance in the daily life. Later we talked about the impacts of the TV and how such impacts are becoming the stereotype and how they are affecting the children. Later we talked about the impact of the ads that are meant to by the manufacturers for attracting the children by showing them that how much useful their product is in making the mind of the children sharper. On the hand, ad has the stereotype impact which causes the gender difference and male discrimination in the minds of the children.
Moving on, there is another cultural stereotype that relates the children with the TV is the change of minds regarding occupation. Many children make their minds according to the occupational ads shown in the TV which is discussed in the paper with discussion. Moreover, there is another stereotype made by the children by watching different TV ads. The costumes wear by the models that are slim makes a stereotype in the minds of the children that such dresses are only for the people who are slim which affects their health. Further, in the last we talked about the promotion of the racism through the stereotype perception made by the children by watching TV. Hence there is need to teach the children about the real perspectives so that children can be saved from the stereotype ideas that appear in their minds.
References:
Adler, R. P. (1975). Research on the effects of Television Advertising on Children . ERIC.
Browne, B. A. (1998). Gender stereotypes in advertising on children's television in the 1990s: A cross-national analysis. Journal of advertising, 27(1), 83-96.
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Durkin, K. (1985). Television and sex‐role acquisition. 2: Effects. British journal of Social psychology, 24(3), 191-210.
Ford, T. E. (1997). Effects of stereotypical television portrayals of African-Americans on person perception. Social psychology quarterly, 266-275.
O'Bryant, S. L., & Corder-Bolz, C. R. (1978). The effects of television on children's stereotyping of women's work roles. Journal of Vocational Behavior,12(2), 233-244.
Rapaczynski, W., Singer, D. G., & Singer, J. L. (1982). Teaching television: A curriculum for young children. Journal of Communication, 32(2), 46-55.
The Telegraph. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/children/4928154/Children-who-watch-two-hours-television-a-day-twice-as-likely-to-develop-asthma.html
What Is a Stereotype? (n.d.). Retrieved from About News: http://racerelations.about.com/od/understandingrac1/g/WhatIsaStereotype.htm
