Effects of Violence on Media
Most American children between the ages of three to fifteen years spend an average of three hours on the media daily. Almost 100% of children’s programs on the television feature films which portray interpersonal violence in a glamorized manner. Violent media can have both negative and positive impacts on kids.
On the positive side, violent media can be a source of entertainment for kids. Children are thrilled and magnetically pulled by videos or stories of heroes defeating their villains. Violent films can also be inspirational to kids. There are moral codes in some movies which are displayed through the characters. The majority of children’s films involve a hero using some violence or tricks to deal with the bad guys in society. The films reinforce the idea that crime does not pay and that the consequences are costly (Gentile, 2014). The violent films, therefore, act as a tool for deterring crime in the younger generation.
Fantasy violence displayed in the movies and films can encourage young people to have confidence in their emotions, build stronger selves, and stand up to bullies and pressures imposed on them by the world. Some films may also encourage children to fight against crime in the future by inspiring them to be vigilantes or good cops who help fight against evils in the society. The films also encourage kids to protect their people as well as themselves and also teach them how to respond to crime when it occurs.
Playing video games involving violence and aggression can also act as a safe avenue for children to let out their frustrations. Video games allow children to feel powerful and in control. The feeling of being powerful boosts confidence in kids and gives them some sense of security. Playing scary video games can also help kids understand their emotions and come into terms with them, thus reducing depression and stress.
Exposing children to violence in the media can help them draw boundaries between what is right or wrong. Observing criminals and the evil being punished in the films teach them that crime is evil and dangerous. The exposure makes children grow up to be law-abiding citizens since the consequences of crime have been embedded in their minds. Children are therefore likely to choose peace over violence.
However, several pieces of research, including research from the American Psychiatric Association and the National Health Institute, indicate that prolonged exposure to violent media can be harmful to children. The studies show that exposing children to media violence can make them more violent and aggressive towards others.
The prolonged period of exposure to violence in the media embeds the mentality that violence is an acceptable method of conflict resolutions. Films feature heroes resolving conflicts and societal issues violently. Violence is glorified and portrayed as the ideal way of dominating others, acquiring power, and liberating people from societal issues (Bushman et al. 2015). Children exposed to this kind of film imitate what they see from the television, and the culture of violence and aggression is cultivated.
Exposure to violent content on the media can also create the perception of a dangerous and mean world in children. Many children believe that films display a real picture of the world. With most of the films being filled with violence and aggression, children grow up thinking that the world is a hostile place, and the culture of hostility is created in their minds (Ferguson, 2014). That kind of mentality is harmful to the kids’ well-being since they grow up having a different perception of the world.
The portrayal of violence in the media can also create fear in children, which manifests itself in recurring nightmares, sleep disturbances or disorders, and anxiety. Most kids are likely to have nightmares and sleep disturbances after they watch violent content on the media, especially if they watch the content at night. The fear cultivated in the children’s minds can have a negative consequence on their psychological development.
Some films portraying violence also teach children how to commit some crimes. Films showing incidences of murder, homicides, juvenile delinquency, or truancy in youths can be a motivating factor for children to commit a crime. Children will often imitate what they observe on the television and other media displaying violence. Their actions could cause physical or psychological injury to others or even themselves.
Exposing children to violent content on the media can also reduce the child’s sensitivity to the pain and suffering of others. The violent scenes are displayed in the media as being normal and bearable. Watching violent content in the media reduces the anxious reaction expected from witnessing a violent scene (Wiedeman et al. 2015). Viewers get used to seeing graphic scenes, and therefore, when the incidences happen in real life, they are unable to show concern or sympathize with the victims.
Interactive video games portraying violence may also play a significant role in increasing aggressive thinking, anti-social behaviors, and aggression and violence. Video games give children an opportunity to observe violent behaviour, and also engage in them interactively. The kids get an ideal site to memorize behavior scripts, practice what they learn, and respond violently to situations. Tee video games award players with points for some actions like killing their opponents or hurting them physically. Playing video games encourages kids to engage in violence and crime.
When children are exposed to pornographic films displaying films of sexual violence and aggression against women, they are likely to be violent towards their female counterparts. The films often display women as sex objects and vulnerable creatures to men. Such perceptions portrayed in the films may arouse feelings of aggression towards women or even encourage some crimes like rape and sexual assault in later stages of growth.
The portrayal of violence on media that crime is everywhere and that weapons are needed for protection against victimization. Guns are over-glorified in movies and films and are displayed as a source of power and superiority over others. The glorification of guns and other weapons can create curiosity among young viewers of violent content, which could lead them to commit crimes in the process of quenching their curiosity.
Playing video games involving violence is also associated with increases in blood pressure when one is playing, an increase in negative emotions and thoughts. This exposure increases the risk of psychological health implications of violence. Children who play violent video games or watch films involving violence are likely to be more permissive and tolerant towards crime and deviance (Greenfield, 2014). The disregard for the law and conventional conflict resolution methods could be a risk factor for criminality.
Watching violent media or playing a violent video game can also influence children to process social information in a hostile way. Prolonged exposures to violent content can influence children to treat any information they encounter in a hostile. Violence in the media is portrayed as being painless and not traumatizing.
Modern media display both visual images and verbal presentations of a situation. Children are, therefore, not allowed to produce self-generated imaging in the brain, which is essential for brain development. Unlike the traditional way of verbal storytelling, television does not give the brain adequate stimulation to make new connections to the situation. Children who watch TV for a long time are more prone to using violence, which can be partly attributed to a poorly developed imagining of creative ways to resolve their issues.
Repeated exposure to violent imagery can influence children’s sense of self. Some stereotypical content in the media can have a substantial effect on how children perceive themselves, others, and the whole society. Some films may present blacks as being violent and aggressive. Children may grow up having a wrong perception about various phenomena in their society.
Various studies conducted to determine the effect of the portrayal of violence in the media suggest that exposure to violence can be harmful to a child. The American \psychological Association (2005) claimed that prolonged exposure to violent media content in children is associated with increased acts of violence and aggression among children.
From the above observations and explanations, it can be concluded that the threats posed by exposure of children to violent media outweigh the benefits. Empirical data indicate that when children are exposed to violent content for a long time, they are likely to develop violent and aggressive behaviors. Children also get the wrong perception about the world and other people, develop fear and anxiety, and increase the risk of being criminality in later stages of development.
To alleviate these adverse consequences of exposure to violence in the media, parents should monitor and control what children watch, encourage more reading and less television watching, and provide guidance to the children on the reality and fantasy displayed.
References
Greenfield, P. M. (2014). Mind and media: The effects of television, video games, and computers. Psychology Press
Wiedeman, A. M., Black, J. A., Dolle, A. L., Finney, E. J., & Coker, K. L. (2015). Factors influencing the impact of aggressive and violent media on children and adolescents. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 25, 191-198.
Bushman, B. J., Gollwitzer, M., & Cruz, C. (2015). There is broad consensus: Media researchers agree that violent media increases aggression in children, and pediatricians and parents concur. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 4(3), 200
Gentile, D. A. (2014). Media Violence and Children: A Complete Guide for Parents and Professionals: A Complete Guide for Parents and Professionals. ABC-CLIO.
Ferguson, C. J. (2014). Does media violence predict societal violence? It depends on what you look at and when — Journal of Communication, 65(1), E1-E22.