Abstract:
Violence in the media has commonly been noted to be increasing in recent years. Children now have greatly increased access to violence over previous generations. In this paper, we will argue in favor of restriction of violence in the media among children. We will explore how exposure to violent images and depictions can lead to violent behavior among youth. We will look at research done by a variety of institutions, congressional testimony, and other sources to show that exposure to violence on television can be harmful to children and society in general.
Should violence on television or in the movies be restricted? Violence plays a very dangerous role in our life today. It is one of the most critical issues facing our society today. It is a fatal danger that threatens the safety of any society. It is the poison that spreads quickly and may be the killer of its users anywhere. Violence has progressively become a common problem worldwide, affecting not only children and youth, but also all the communities that surround them, and consequently presenting a real potential threat to everyone. I am in favor of banning or restricting violence on television and in movies entirely, because television has become a major influence in forming value systems and shaping behavior among children. Unfortunately, much of today's television programmes are violent. Violence affects behaviour negatively in children and teenagers (American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2011). Some of the major effects of seeing violence on television include television violence increasing aggressive behaviour in children and in people of all ages. It can lead to imitation, and excessive exposure to televised violence can be harmful to mental health and make children more fearful of the world around them.
Undoubtedly, television violence increases aggressive behaviour in children and people of all ages. Today's children are exposed to too much violence on television. For example, video games like Call of Duty contain a large amount of violence. Children who watch and play these games can be aggressively impacted by them. Video games, especially popular ones, frequently promote immoral values, and sometimes elicit a very unethical reaction. According to the American Psychological Association, media violence increases aggression in the short run. The exposure of children to violent programmes and dangerous games for more than four hours a day make children deal with each other violently. The large number of punches, kicks, and many other violent acts that our children are soaking up daily are the main reason for children's violence in their daily life. In other words, watching people striking and hitting each other on television increases aggression and violence among children (Huesmann & Miller, 1994). Also, watching cartoons, say, programmes about Kung Fu, can encourage children to fight each other recreationally. After following the viewing habits of a group of children for decades, it has been proven that watching violence on television is the cause of or is closely associated with aggressive behaviour- more than poverty, race, or parental behavior (Eron & Husemann, 1986). There is a link between television violence and viewer aggression. It has also been shown that violence on television affects all ages, not only children; in their testimony before congress in 1992, Eron and Huesmann testified that television violence had an affect that went beyond age and socioeconomic factors (Stewart, 2007). John Murray notes that the effect is not limited to children who are already disposed to being aggressive and is not restricted to this country." (Murray 1994). These words refer to the countless violence effects that can impact the whole society and everyone all over the world.
Television violence can lead to imitation. As we all know that imitation is a high human element, especially among the youngsters. It has been proven that children's behaviour changes dramatically after watching violent programmes on television. If they compared to children who watched nonviolent episodes, they were more disobedient and more aggressive toward their peers.
Televised violence can be harmful to mental health and make children more fearful of the world around them. Watching TV violence can be harmful to the mental health of people, especially children. Children often cannot differentiate clearly between fiction and real-life. What they see on television can cause them to become desensitized to violence and can cause them to hurt others. Moreover, they can become exposed to violence at home or school from other peers who have seen this programming. There is little doubt that violence damages the quality of life and the mental and public health of any society considered. Furthermore, according to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychchiatry, hundreds of studies have been done on the effects of violence portrayed in the media on children and teenagers, and they have mostly found that children can gradually become "immune" to violence and violent behavior (AACAP 2011). Children may think that violence is acceptable behavior. Most children blend what they perceive as reality and what they see on the screen. For instance, in violent games which are created by the media, the objective is for children to virtually kill a lot of people and destroy property. Although children know it is only a game, they still become desensitized by such activity (Hatch 1994). The excessive exposure to violence also makes people, especially children, more fearful of the world around them. Watching violence on TV disturbs children and affects their behavior (AACAP 2011). It can also have a negative influence on their interaction with each other socially. Moreover, they can feel anxious and frightened of thunder, snakes and all the fearful scenes they have seen on TV. Also, violent video games and horrible scenes make children more fearful. Furthermore, much violence in the movies gives children a false idea that violence or abusive action is found everywhere and there is no good in this world. It has been discovered that scary themes, horrible films and violent images can have a lasting effect on people, especially children (Hatch, 1994). Studies have shown that 26 percent of adults still have "residual anxiety" decades after having been exposed to horror movies as children (Wilson, 2008).
In conclusion, it is clear from the many sources we have explored here that violence on television or other media affects peoples’ lives negatively. It has dangerous influences on society at large as we raise the coming generation. Children, by nature, are programmed to imitate what they are exposed to in terms of media. Violence can be harmful to the mental health of people in all ages. Children may be more fearful of the world around them. People may become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others. Something must be done to curb children’s exposure to violence; it has already spun out of control.
References:
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