Television is NOT the Sole Cause of Violence in Children

1116 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: How violence television affects children

Violence in Children Is Not Just From TV Most parents expect a four year old to be very active and zealous, but never violent. However, some children exhibit violent behavior, such as running around the playground kicking, karate chopping and biting other children. The following example is based on personal experience. In 1997 this was the case with a family in Georgia who had a son with these behavioral problems. The parents took their child to counseling in order to figure out what the problem was. After a brief counseling session, those parents were perplexed and angry. It was difficult for them to believe that a counselor would blame them or suggest putting their child on drugs. After counseling, the father and child watched the children’s program “The Power Rangers” together, and when the program finished, the child started to chase, kick, karate chop and bite his father. The father felt that he was to blame for not thinking about the consequences of his child watching a program that contained violence. Concerned parents believe that the violence on television causes children to express violent behavior, but they also need to ask themselves “what can I do to prevent this”. Violence on television is a major determining factor in a child’s behavior, this behavior also stems from the parents’ lack of responsibility. Scientific studies have demonstrated that television and violence are linked, but television also has its positive uses. Ron Kaufman, creator of TurnOffYourTV.com argues that “…TV is violent! Guns, Shootings, murders, hitting, punching, slapping, screaming, kicking, stabbing, explosions, car chases, car smashes, disasters, and death are shown daily throughout TV programming” (Kaufman 693). It would seem that... ... middle of paper ... ...heir children that bad behaviors will result in negative consequences, and they should also offer the positive reinforcement of discipline and rules. And if parents really want their children to stop repeating the violent acts seen on television, they should take some responsibility, and turn off the television set more. Works Cited Biederman J, Faraone SV, Keenan K, Knee D, Tsuang MF. “Family-genetic and psychosocial risk factors in DSM-III attention deficit disorder”, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 1990; 29(4): 526-533 Kaufman, Ron. "Filling Their Minds with Death: TB Violence and Children". Elements of Argument. Annette T. Rottenberg and Donna Haisty Winchell. Boston/New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2006. 692-706. Shifrin, Donald. American Academy of Pediatrics, AAP News, August 1998. 1 October, 2008. .

Show More
Related

  • No Clear Link Between TV Violence and Aggression

    2067 Words  | 5 Pages

    Eron, L.D., Huesmann, L.R., Lefkowitz, M.M. & Walder, L.O. (1972).  Does television violence cause aggression?  American Psychologist, 27, 253-263.

    Read More

  • Mad TV: The Impact of Televised Violence on America

    1889 Words  | 4 Pages

    Everyone’s seen the classic cartoons. Wile E. Coyote chasing the Roadrunner around a bend, only the Roadrunner turns, but our comedic--and usually stupid--villain doesn’t. So, he falls from a height of what looks like about 500,000 feet, only to become a small puff of smoke at the bottom of the canyon. After all, if what happens to you when you fall from that height were to have happened to Mr. Coyote, that would have been a very short lived cartoon series. Maybe this example is an exaggeration, but the idea is the same: violence comes streaming into our homes every single day through our TVs not to be viewed, but to be devoured. It’s been proven that sex and violence sell. For those of us who can tell the difference between reality and fantasy, the effect of TV violence is miniscule. But for our children--who think when the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers come to the local shopping mall, that it’s the biggest event since Bert told Ernie he snores too loud--the violence seen on TV seems like a logical reaction to life’s problems. And that’s a problem within itself. The impact of televised violence on children is only a slice of the pie that is the problem with the endless stream of violent acts on TV.

    Read More

  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

    1551 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).” Tish Davidson, AM., Teresa G. Odle., and Laura Jean Cataldo, RN, Ed.D. The Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders. 3rd Edition. 2010.

    Read More

  • Violence on TV

    2095 Words  | 5 Pages

    There is a "general consensus among social scientists that television violence increases the propensity to real-life aggression among some viewers," and yet, paradoxically, "there is presently little evidence indicating that violence enhances program popularity" (Diener & DeFour, 1978). Top government studies insist, "violent material is popular" (Surgeon General's Scientific Advisory Committee on Television and Social Behavior, 1972). Differing conclusions may be viable. One leading social psychologist flatly states, "evidence suggests that violence on television is potentially dangerous, in that it serves as a model for behavior -- especially for children" ...

    Read More

  • Violence Satire Essay

    530 Words  | 2 Pages

    Television plays a big role on violence. Most of us watch television daily. And what do we see daily on television? The news, about our world surrounded by violence? Movies, that only show shootings, death, and more violence? Even cartoons are violent, like the Simpsons, south park, and even Tom and Jerry, shows specially for our young audience. ...

    Read More

  • How Violence in the Media Affects Children

    1615 Words  | 4 Pages

    Have you ever looked at someone and thought, I wonder what made him/her the way she is today?” When you do this, you often have to look back on a person’s childhood. How did certain events affect them? Over time violence has become dramatically evident is children’s lives. Parents do not seem to be careful with their children’s viewing habits. They are beginning to let them watch whatever is on TV. For example: Family guy, all those shows on Adult swim. These violent TV programs could cause so many problems for the children and parents later on in life. Parents should carefully monitor children’s viewing habits so they have limited exposure to violence, increase their physical activity, and decrease aggressive behavior.

    Read More

  • Television's Responsibility in Violent Children

    1115 Words  | 3 Pages

    When we think of violence, we automatically picture guns and knives being used to kill people. Although this is a part of violence, it’s not the only way a violent situation can arise. Violence can be any harm done to a person through physical contact. Along with guns and knives, this can include one’s own bare hands or any object within proximity. On television, we see every type of violence carried out, whether it be a simple punch or a serial killer who finds pleasure in the violence he causes. Any form of a violent situation that you can think of has most likely been acted out on a television series or movie. TV is written to blow scenarios out of proportion and create unrealistic versions of different scenarios. Instead of a decent conversation to solve a problem, a punch is thrown or a gun is pulled. By portraying these types of solutions, television is promoting violent behavior. The characters in the action, crime or horror shows are actively encouraging these types of behavior. Although these scenes are needed to produce a captivating plot, there needs to be awareness as to the fact that these scenes are being idolized to the wrong audience.

    Read More

  • Media Violence

    1852 Words  | 4 Pages

    Television with its far reaching influence spreads across the globe. Its most important role is that of reporting the news and maintaining communication between people around the world. Television's most influential, yet most serious aspect is its shows for entertainment. Violent children's shows like Mighty Morphing Power Rangers and adult shows like NYPD Blue and Homicide almost always fail to show human beings being able to resolve their differences in a non-violent manner; instead they show a reckless attitude that promotes violent action first with reflection on the consequences later. Contemporary television creates a seemingly insatiable appetite for amusement of all kinds without regard for social or moral benefits (Schultze 41). Findings over the past twenty years by three Surgeon Generals, the Attorney General's Task Force on Family Violence, the American Medical Association, the National Institute of Mental Health, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and other medical authorities indicate that televised violence is harmful to all of us, but particularly to the mental health of children (Medved 70-71).

    Read More

  • The Negative Effects of Television

    1445 Words  | 3 Pages

    Even though violence is apart of our lives, I think society can limit the amount of violent programs that they watch. If people limit watching violence on television maybe the world wouldn’t be as involved with violence as it is now. Based on this data, I have concluded that Marie Winn is correct about television being a serious addiction.

    Read More

  • Government Censorship

    426 Words  | 1 Pages

    In a book about child psychology titled Infants, Children, and Adolescents, fifth edition, written by Laura E. Berk, several strategies are stated to regulate children’s television viewing and computer use that would fair beneficial in turning children away from committing violent acts depicted by the media. They are limit television viewing and computer use, refrain from using television or computer time to reward or punish children, encourage child-appropriate television and computer experiences, view television with children, helping them understand what they see, link televised content to everyday learning experiences, model good television and computer practices, and use a warm, rational approach to child rearing. These approaches should help children be able to understand the differences between what is right and wrong in regards to what they are viewing.

    Read More

  • Impact of Cartoons on Children's Behavior

    1505 Words  | 4 Pages

    Teperman, Jean. "Toxic Lessons What Do Children Learn from Media Violence?" Children's Advocate newsmagazine. Online. www.4chilren.org/news/1-97toxl.htm. Accessed October 23, 2001.

    Read More

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

    1037 Words  | 3 Pages

    Society has been bombarded with violence from the beginning of time. These concerns about violence in the media have been around way before television was even introduced. Nevertheless, there have been numerous studies, research, and conferences done over the years on television, but the issue still remains. Researchers do acknowledge that violence portrayed on television is a potential danger. One issue is clear though, our focus on television violence should not take attention away from other significant causes of violence in our country such as: drugs, inadequate parenting, availability of weapons, unemployment, etc. It is hard to report on how violent television effects society, since television affects different people in different ways. There is a significant problem with violence on television that we as a society are going to have to acknowledge and face.

    Read More

  • Protecting Children from Television Violence

    1390 Words  | 3 Pages

    No one type of violence is more effective on aggression than another type. There is no evidence showi... ... middle of paper ... ... visoryboard.org/ratings/index.html>. Fisher, Deborah A. "Television Violence Contributes to Aggressive Behavior in Young People."

    Read More

  • Effects of Television Violence on Children and Teenagers

    661 Words  | 2 Pages

    Does violence on television have a negative effect on children and teenagers? The violence shown on television has a surprisingly negative effect. Television violence causes children and teenagers to become less caring, to lose their inhibitions, to become less sensitive, and also may cause violent and aggressive behavior.

    Read More

  • The Effects of Television Violence on Children's Behavior

    1155 Words  | 3 Pages

    Television violence causes destructive behavior in children, however; television can be a powerful influence to young viewers in our society. Unfortunately, much of today's television programming are very violent. Many researchers like scientists, pediatricians, and child researchers in many countries have studied to find out what it is about television violence that makes it such a big affect on the way kids act and behave. Sometimes, children think that is a normal thing in our real life, by watching only a single violent program, which can increase aggressiveness on children and become violent, aggressive, and vicious.

    Read More

More about Television is NOT the Sole Cause of Violence in Children

Open Document