Psychological Effects of Television on Children’s Behavior/Learning

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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...

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...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

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