Psychological Effects of Television on Children’s Behavior/Learning

1521 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Language development and cognitive development in children

Does violence on television have a negative effect on children and teenagers? The violence seen on television has had surprising negative effect. Violence shown on television causes children and teenagers to develop behavioral problems and learning disabilities. Such behavioral and learning problems include; language development, school performance / learning, cognitive development and their general behavior to others (Kinnear 27). In a study on the correlation between violence and television done with 1,565 teenage boys over a six-year period in London, William Belson, a British psychologist, found that every time a child saw someone being shot or killed on television they became less caring towards other people. William Belson also discovered that every time a child viewed this violence on television, they lost a fragment of their inhibitions towards others. In addition to William Belson’s study, studies performed by many scientists and doctors’ show that seeing violence on television causes viewers to become less sensitive to the pain of others (Mudore 56).This is why Children’s under the age of 13 should not be allowed to watch any television show related to any kind of sex or violence; to the concern of psychological effect on child’s development.

Language skills are best developed through reading and interacting with others by conversation and playing. Think of it as like a tennis match, where one person serves the ball, and the other returns it. Children learn language when adults or others interact with them, returning their expressions and responding to noises and questions. Excessive television watching can impede this development. The television and computer do not talk back in a genuine way (Selnow 489). Stu...

... middle of paper ...

...9.4 (2010): 95-107. Advanced Placement Source. EBSCO. Web. 3 Apr. 2011.

Dorey, Alexandra. "Effect of a television programme on nutrition cognitions and intended behaviors." Nutrition & Dietetics 67.3 (2010): 47 - 51. Advanced Placement Source. EBSCO. Web. 3 Apr. 2011.

Selnow, Huang. "DOES TELEVISION VIEWING AFFECT CHILDREN'S BEHAVIOUR?." Pacific Economic Review 14.4 (2009): 474 - 489. Advanced Placement Source. EBSCO. Web. 3 Apr. 2011.

James, Anderson. "The Effects of Background Television on the Toy Play Behavior of Very Young Children." Child Development 79.4 (2008): 25 - 30. Advanced Placement Source. EBSCO. Web. 3 Apr. 2011.

Alfred Mathew, and Will Shapiro. "Effects of Television Violence on Children and Teenagers." Quarterly Journal of Economics 123.1 (2008): 48 - 63. Advanced Placement Source. EBSCO. Web. 3 Apr. 2011

Show More
Related

  • Article Application: Television Harms Children by Ann Viorisek White

    606 Words  | 2 Pages

    In “Television Harms Children”, Ann Vorisek White claims that the intellectual and cognitive development of children who frequently watch television is threatened. To support this claim, she points to the findings that “the more television children watch, the weaker their language skills and imaginations” (White, 2006). Before the brain fully matures around age 12, it is in the stage of rapid development. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) “recommends that children under the age of two not watch TV or videos, and that older children watch only one to two hours per day of nonviolent, educational TV” (White, 2006). A study from the AAP (as cited in White, 2006) found that the average American child watches four hours of television every day. Considering "expression and reasoning are not automatic" abilities, young children who routinely watch television eventually become "passive and nonverbal" to stimuli in their environment (White, 2006). Since the normality of curiosity and imaginations of young children are the foundation of how they learn, remaining passive for extended periods of time affects their intellectual and moral development.

    Read More

  • Mad TV: The Impact of Televised Violence on America

    1889 Words  | 4 Pages

    The controversy over whether or not violence portrayed on television actually affects children or not has been playing itself out for nearly three decades. When some of the first results came out in the 60s and 70s that made the first connections between aggressive behavior and viewing televised violence, the TV and movie industries denied that there was a connection. When studies found the same thing in the 80s, the FCC opposed any regulation (Hepburn). A writer for Direct Ma...

    Read More

  • No Clear Link Between TV Violence and Aggression

    2067 Words  | 5 Pages

    Eron, L.D. (1963).  Relationship of television viewing habits and aggressive behavior in children.  Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67, 193-196.

    Read More

  • Social Comparison Theory On Television

    1050 Words  | 3 Pages

    Television has become a big part in children’s day-to-day lives especially in the 20th century. Children in this century rely on television to keep them entertained and educated instead of entertaining and educating themselves by participating in activities, which will teach them a lot more in life then the actual television. There is no doubt that children are most easily influenced by television because of the different content that they watch as well as the amount of time consumed watching TV. The television does have an emotional and intellectual development on children but this all depends on the content that they’re watching and the way that they absorb the information that the show is trying to send out. Different programs will portray

    Read More

  • Pro-social Behavior in Children and Television

    1329 Words  | 3 Pages

    The effect of television on children’s behavior is a topic that has continued to evoke interest in psychologists. In the investigations educators suggest that television has replaced other forms of socialization such as school and family, reason being that children spend more time in watching television as compared to time spent in school.

    Read More

  • Screen Time- Devil in Disguise or Misunderstood?

    1659 Words  | 4 Pages

    Thomas, Paul. " Effects of Television On Young Children (Interview With Top Voted Pediatrician)." YouTube. YouTube, 10 Apr. 2013. Web. 18 April. 2014.

    Read More

  • Impact of Cartoons on Children's Behavior

    1505 Words  | 4 Pages

    American Psychological Association. "Violence on Television. What Do Children Learn? What Can Parents Do?" APA Online. www.apa.org/publicinfo/violence.html. Accessed October 23, 2001.

    Read More

  • The Effects of Television on Child Development

    2026 Words  | 5 Pages

    'Television also conditions a child to dual stimui: sound and images.';(Neural Activity and the Growth of the Brain) The constant and rapidly changing sound and images can condition a child to expect the level of televisions in other situations. The problem with this is that in school children are called upon to speak, to listen, to work some problems, or read, and none of these tasks contain the 'dual stimula'; that children expect from television. Dr. Hinto...

    Read More

  • Television and Media Essay - TV, Violence, and Censorship

    1037 Words  | 3 Pages

    As early as 1958 investigations were being conducted of the effects of television on children. During this time, the researchers found that most of the television content was extremely violent. In almost half of the television hours monitored, the programs main focus contained violence. The common theme that was seen throughout the programs were crime, shooting, fighting, and murder. The universal definition of violence used was, "Any overt depiction of the use of physical force, or the credible threat of such force, to intend to physically harm an animated being or group of beings." In this investigation, Wilbur Schramm concluded that under some conditions, some violent television could effect some children. For the most part, most television is neither helpful or harmful to most kids under most circumstances. As you can see this conclusion is quiet vague, and does not give a lot of crucial information for us to correct and improve. Schramm and his colleagues came up with a solution for parents to provide a warm, loving, secure family environment for their children, and they would have little to worry about.

    Read More

  • Violence

    1033 Words  | 3 Pages

    Media Violence & nbsp ; & nbsp ; & nbsp ; & nbsp ; & nbs Psychological research has shown three major effects of seeing violence on television. The three major effects that many parents worldwide fear are that children may become more aggressive and behave harmful or hazardous to others. Be less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others, and children may be more fearful of the world around them. Violent programs on television lead to aggressive behavior by children and teenagers who watch those programs. Children begin watching television at an early age, sometimes as early as six months, and are ardent viewers by the time they are two or three years old.

    Read More

  • Protecting Children from Television Violence

    1390 Words  | 3 Pages

    Fisher, Deborah A. "Television Violence Contributes to Aggressive Behavior in Young People." 2007. Opposing Viewpoints. .

    Read More

  • Positive Effects of Television Upon Children

    1631 Words  | 4 Pages

    Without a doubt, television is the central and principal form of communication in many people’s lives. This form is most often exposed to a child who instantly becomes accustomed to its presence. Children are televisions largest audience, as Morris shows, “Children aged two to five look at the TV tube on an average of 28.4 hours a week; those between the ages of six and eleven average 23.6 hours a week”. Television has played an important role in many children’s lives and its viewing has been a favorite activity for many of them. The effects of television on children have been disputed. Some people have said that viewing time has a negative impact on children. Other people, however, feel that the early educational television productions for children help tehm learn.

    Read More

  • The Negative Effects of Television

    1445 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... for children. Children are exposed to 20,000 advertisements a year. The average child watches 8,000 televised murders and 100,000 acts of violence before finishing elementary school. By the time children graduate from high school, those numbers more than doubles. Furthermore, television is shown to influence attitudes about race and gender. Pro-social and anti-social behaviors are influenced by television.

    Read More

  • Effects of Television Violence on Children and Teenagers

    661 Words  | 2 Pages

    Television violence causes children and teenagers to be less caring, to lose their inhibitions, and to be less sensitive. In a study on the connection between violence and television done with 1,565 teenage boys over a six-year period in London, William Belson, a British psychologist, found that every time a child saw someone being shot or killed on television they became less caring towards other people (Kinnear 26). William Belson also discovered that every time a child viewed this violence on television, they lost a fragment of their inhibitions towards others (Kinnear 26). In addition to William Belson’s study, studies done by many scientists and doctors show that seeing violence on television causes viewers to become less sensitive to the pain of others (Mudore 1).

    Read More

  • advantages and disadvantages of television for children.

    1326 Words  | 3 Pages

    Benefits of watching television at the young age would be that children’s social skill, emotional skill and creativity can be improved by watching the talk shows; it is proved by a study. For example, Children can learn how to communicate with other people and how to react properly when they are asked to response. In addition, TV shows such as C.S.I Miami, Criminal Minds and Bones can teach children how to think logically and stragically. Although books can transfer the knowledge to the young generations, but it has limitations that certain facial expressions and body languages cannot be transferred by few words. Furthermore, the beautiful images of the nature on the tv screen can let the children to take a long travel from their home to the deep in the ocean, top of Mt.Everest or middle of Sahara the dessert.

    Read More

More about Psychological Effects of Television on Children’s Behavior/Learning

Open Document