Mass Media's Impact on Teens

1924 Words4 Pages

The Mass Media according to the Microsoft Encarta Encyclopaedia 2000 is defined as the primary means by which information and entertainment are delivered to the public. The term is usually used to refer to newspaper, television, radio and Internet sources. The Mass Media is perceived by many to have a great impact on teenagers but it is not always verifiable whether this impact is one that enhances or negates the total development of teenagers. The researcher is specifically narrowing this focus however on the teenagers in Southfield with the hope of seeing the extent to which the Mass Media impacts on these teenagers, the nature of this impact (if it exists), the different media forms which have an effect on them and ways in which these media forms can further facilitate their development. SOURCES AND DESCRIPTION OF INFORMATION GATHERED =============================================== The sources from which information was gathered for this research were the Internet, Encyclopaedia, a survey and an interview. According to the website Student Central: Media Effects on Adolescent Development 2002, for over twodecades, the mass media including television, music, Internet sources and print media has consumed the majorityof adolescents' waking hours. The writer indicates that the direct effects of the mass media are seen to influence teenagers' actions greatly. The idea is that they see some things in the media such as the movies created and it directly influences them to do something like committing crimes. By the time they graduate from high school, the article states that teenagers will have spent more hours watching television, and fewer hours spent in the classroom. It is also stated that a lack of established sexuality education programmes in schools and limited parent-child communications have allowed the media to become one of the nation's leading sexuality educators. According toMicrosoft Encarta Encyclopaedia 2000, violence in the media is of particular concern as it is seen to directly influence people's actions. There have been a large number of studies to see if there is a relationship between television viewing and behaviour.

Open Document