"The evidence is overwhelming. To argue against it, the link between media violence and teen violence is like arguing against gravity," said Jeffrey McIntyre, legislative and federal affairs officer for the American Psychological Association. As children are exposed to acts of violence in the media through television, video games, music, movies, etc. alarming results are occurring. The main negative effect being an increase in aggression among youth who are regularly exposed to the media and an increase in violent patterns as they mature into adulthood. If not resolved this problem of violence in the media will continue to push children, youth and adults to acts of aggression such as verbal and physical abuse and other more serious …show more content…
A study that supports the personal example above was conducted by Craig A. Anderson PhD, a professor and director at the Department of Psychology at Iowa State University. They examined Japanese and American youth’s behavior after consistently playing violent video games throughout a school year and they found that tendencies toward physical aggression, such as fights, pushing, etc., increased after 3 months into the school year and continued to increase by 6 months into the school year. This study showed that no matter the culture violent video games have the same negative effect and they strongly suggested that the exposure youth have to violent video games be greatly reduced (Anderson).
Probably the most stunning statements and articles I came across were when researching gang violence. In an interview with Readers Digest in 2005 an anonymous gang member from Oakland California made the statement “We played the game by day and lived the game by night,” speaking of the game Grand Theft Auto which is based on gang violence, murder, stealing and sex. Ernest L. Cuthbertson, a police detective in Greensboro, N.C. said “I don’t care what any criminologist or psychologist says, but repeated exposure to any level of violence does alter the psyche of a person.”
What are the solutions to overcoming this negative effect of media violence on the young people?
From infancy onward, parents and teachers have drilled into the young generation that violence should be avoided at all costs. They have preached cooperation, tolerance, and “using one’s words” as tactics to combat difficult situations. Although those lessons are valid, Gerald Jones claims there is an alternative way. In his essay, “Violent Media is Good for Kids,” Jones argues that “creative violence- bonking cartoons, bloody videogames, toy guns-gives children a tool to master their rage” (Jones). In other words, media violence, used correctly, can serve as an alternative method for powering through adolescence. By reading and writing violent stories, children are able to express
In the writing of Gerard Jones “Violent Media is Good for Kids” is very interesting essay in which he describes how violent media can help kids to overcome obstacles, but whether it is convincing or not, I am not truly sure because the way the essay is written is biased. Jones as writer is making this controversial topic to gain more audience to read his writings, in addition, this essay fails in detail, it needs more statistics to support the examples that Jones addresses in his essay. Also, we need more information about what is the opinion of parents of these kids that believed violet media is good so, we need the statistics of the studies of the psychologist that support the idea of good
According to Huesmann Rowell L., "One of the notable changes in our social environment in the 20th and 21st centuries has been the saturation of our culture and daily lives by the mass media. In this new environment radio, television, movies, videos, video games, cell phones, and computer networks have assumed central roles in our children’s daily lives. For better or worse the mass media are having an enormous impact on our children’s values, beliefs, and behaviors. Unfortunately, the consequences of one particular common element of the electronic mass media has a particularly detrimental effect on children’s well being. Research evidence has accumulated over the past half-century that exposure to violence on television, movies, and most recently in video games increases the risk of violent behavior on the viewer’s part just as growing up in an environment filled with real violence increases the risk of
In Brad Bushman’s and Rowell Huesmann’s Article Short-term and Long-term Effects of Violent Media on Aggression in Children and Adults from the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine journal, they believe the violent media in video games, tv shows, music, and movies, are affecting behavior in children and adults. Bushman and Huesmann believe that all the violence that has made a more popular appearance in today’s culture is causing for adults and children to be more prone to aggression. They hypothesized that the long-term effects would be greater in children and the short-term effects would be greater in adults, and discovered their hypotheses to be correct. Other articles, such as Beth Stein’s If Violent Video Games are Harmless Fun,
This leads to lack of sympathy for victims of violence, notably in children. The surgeon general, National Health Institute and other professional medical organizations such as the American Medical Association and American Psychological Association have linked exposure to media violence to societal violence. The author argues that these studies may not be of considerable importance to claim that media violence is a public health risk. There other factors that are of more concern for societal violence such as being male or female, socioeconomic status, and intelligence. More research needs to be done before arguing media violence has a role in societal violence. I chose this article because it associates societal violence with the film industry. We see how different members of the film industry respond after a violent school shooting committed by an adolescent male. It shows opposing views of whether or not media violence affects behaviour, stating that the general public doesn’t believe it plays a role in
So then the question becomes, why and how do these adverse effects occur? My argument is quite simple—children and adolescents are an age group that can be easily influenced because they are progressing through an early stage of development in their lives. It is a time in their existence where their views, opinions, and ideas of the world surrounding them are being formed. Therefore, when impressionable young people view media drenched in violence, their minds begin to be badly affected by the actions, behaviors and attitudes they witness.
Violence in the media negatively affects society by promoting violent behavior, and leaving long lasting impacts in adulthood and children such as desensitization and aggression and should be regulated by the United States to be prevented. These effects are caused by viewing an excessive amount of violent media throughout childhood. Typically, the long lasting effects are most noticeable early into adulthood but can be present in children and teens. To prevent these negative impacts that violence in the media is having on American society, the United States should regulate the amount of violence that can be put into the media.
Popular culture impacts our everyday lives. It influences us into falling for advertisements that makes us want to buy a product or change our way of thinking. For instance, television, a vital key in popular culture, promotes topics that mold our minds for better or for worse especially in children. In the article, “APA Congressional Testimony on Media Violence and Children”, Jeff J. McIntyre claims that the substantial exposure of violence in the media is affecting the minds of younger children in a negative way. This essay will explore how popular culture creates complications towards a younger generation, as explained by Jeff J. McIntyre, in order to explore the different ways in which violent media is being promoted and affecting
Screen violence clearly appeals to popular concerns and is never far from the headlines. Serious news reports become entwined with more speculative accusations about the influence of screen media on children. Children are less developed in establishing right from wrong and their ability to control their emotion. The best way to
Today the media is more influential than ever. Movies, books, podcasts, tv shows, and other various media outlets have influenced the nation tremendously. Violence has also been a hot topic these past few years. Gun shootings, homicides, and overall crimes are consistently being committed and shared on the news. The topic of violence and the discussion of media influencing that violence is extremely intriguing. In 2008, John Murray, a psychologist, wrote in his published book, “Fifty years of research on the effect of TV violence on children leads to the inescapable conclusion that viewing media violence is related to increases in aggressive attitudes, values, and behaviors” (Murray, 2008, p. 1212). This research shows that there is a correlation
In the world one is currently living in, there has been an increase in the acts of violence occurring. Violent media has become a greatly discussed topic where there is always two sides to this argument, one side says they are just games and the other can agree that they have a greater impact. Parents usually chose a side and stick to it but the reality is that they don't look carefully what both sides have to say. Gerald Jones states that violent media is good for kids because it helps them develop their personality but the truth is that children should not be exposed to violent media since it affect their emotional stability, creates a hostile attitude, and affects their health.
In the article "Media Violence" by the The American Academy of Pediatrics, they state and recognizes that exposure to violent media, such as TV, games, comics, movies, and music, can pose a health risk to young teens and children. There has been some research that shows these risks can include, aggressive behavior, desensitization to violence, nightmares, and fear of being harmed. The American of Pediatrics also provide a way to counteract such effect such as advocating for media literacy, more thoughtful and proactive use of media by children and their parents, more responsible portrayal of violence by media producers, and more useful and effective media ratings.
In recent times, the news media has cried out against violent media, painting it as the leading cause for youth violence. Following events such as the Columbine massacre, news sources have vilified violent media, claiming that it is a primary cause of violent behavior in youths. This analysis provides firm research on the subject from the opposing and supporting sources, giving a thorough definition to the term “violent media” and brings forth evidence that other psychological effects and environmental factors are more significant causes of increased youth aggression than violent media.
with teens from the ages of twelve to eighteen. It is a controversial subject that is an
In the book Critique of Violence ,author Walter describes Violence as "The intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, which either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, male development, or deprivation .The violence that is portrayed in the media has been debated for decades ,and it has rose a question about how does it influence the youth?. From movies to video games society has been accustom to seeing violence in their everyday entertainment. Since children are easy to be influence by their environment, it is safe to say that violence in the media can and will contribute to violent behavior.