Televised Aggression: Effects on Children and Behavior

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Televised Aggression

Effects on Children and Behavior

With television violence more prevalent than ever before, parents and professionals have been concerned about this type of programming adversely affecting behavior in children. While thousands of studies have been completed on this subject, with most of them showing a direct connection between media violence and belligerent behavior, the ensuing information will show the inadequacies of such theories by further scrutinizing these points of interest:

1. Television Violence

2. Media Perception vs. Age

3. Genetic and Environmental Factors

4. Correlation vs. Causation

Television Violence

Through movies, talk shows, cartoons and more, our television screens have plainly become littered with violence. According to The National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center (2008) “61 percent of television programs contain some violence, and only 4 percent of television programs with violent content feature an ‘antiviolence’ theme” (para. 1).

Also, the quality of special effects has improved to the point of extreme realism and can easily be found throughout the networks, even during their prime time viewing slots. Many times, the most gruesome or hateful acts are presented in great detail, without regards to the experience of the youngest viewers. Because the television industry uses of such graphical representations, many adults presume that children have been mentally altered or lead towards aggressive behaviors in real life; however, hard data which indisputably proves this assumption to be true, has not yet been brought forward.

Media Perception vs. Age

“Children [, after preschool,] develop the attention span and cognitive ability to follow continuous plots, to make ...

... middle of paper ...

...tween such material and young people.

Despite the fact that children do become more able to mimic and recall certain actions or experiences, during their road to maturity, these effects are only one part of the puzzle. Genetic tendencies and environmental factors, such as observed behavior and abuse can also be significant factors to consider, and therefore, should be fully explored to report all of the facts.

Lastly, the conventionally accepted understanding of the relationship between correlation and causation dictates caution from rushed judgment in these matters. While there are substantial indications that seemingly show definitive connections between violence on television and aggression in children, these loose connections are only presumptive proof that absolute causation exists; rather, they are only the beginning steps towards a definitive solution.

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