Each time a child turns on the TV, they will see or hear something that will effect their lives them in some way. It would be wise for parents to limit childrens' exposure to influential media such as the news, violent video games, and the like. Over 60% of television shows during prime time contain some form of violence as well as some form of adverse sexual imagery. Unfortunately, the media is the most popular form of entertainment and because it is so enjoyable, children become accustomed to using violence as a means of solving their problems.
This poses the question: How does the media actually effect children? The answer to this will be explored by illustrating how the media increases violence amongst children, distorts the image children have of themselves, and spreads the words of sex and substance abuse as normal elements of life. To prove that these three points are valid, this essay will gather information from books; however, information will also be collected from the internet and journals.
It is proven that violence in the media has a negative effects on the way children behave. In 1973, the invention of the television brought with it many atrocities that are corrupting the minds of helpless children. During that year alone, there was a 160% increase in shoving, pushing, biting and hitting amongst children. In observed communities that had not yet been introduced to television, there were no such changes. Now with the ever-growing technological sector, children have access to violent video games that, according to Gloria DeGaetano, "condition children to become violent without teaching them the consequences."
The release of the notorious video game Grand Theft Auto III, where prostitutes can be run over and beaten for their money, led to a 45% rise in violence amongst youth in the United States. This is directly related to the reasoning behind why children under the age of 10 committed more than 1000 acts of aggravated assault and 81 cases of forcible rape in 2003. These are just a couple of the numerous acts of violence expressed by today's youth.
Tags: Television, video games, adverse sexual imagery,the media, Grand Theft Auto III, violence
[...] We see this through the way violence has increased significantly from the times before media influence, we see this through the way children are putting their health at risk from staggeringly young ages in order to attain by media standards, a “beautiful” body, and finally we see this when children are having sex and doing drugs because they saw it in a movie that portrayed this as being normal behaviour at any age. In conclusion, this essay has shown the negative effects that the media has on children, and children will continue to be effected by this same media unless things change quickly. Already we see the passing down of such behavioural traits to younger siblings, which in turn will cause catastrophic events in the future. [...]
[...] Television Violence: A Review of the Effects on Children of Different Ages July 1995. Katherine Ramsland. Does Television Have an Effect? Nov Ledingham, Dr. Jane. The Effects of Media Violence on Children December 1993. National Campaign To Prevent Teen Pregnancy, The. Sex and Drugs Jan < http: asp> Petersik, Timothy. Media Violence and Media Influence May 1999. Rader Programs. Media and Eating Disorders June 2003. < http:> Sizemore, Frazier. The Swan April 2004. < http:> Smith, Patrick. [...]
[...] Mass Media and Violence: A Report to the National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence. United States: U.S. Government Printing 1969. Buckingham, David and Sara Bragg. Young People, Sex and the Media. New York: Palgrave Macmillan Glucksmann, André. Violence on the screen; a report on research into the effects on young people of scenes of violence in films and television. London: BFI Ltd Greenfield, Patricia. Mind and Media. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press James D. Torr, ed. Violence in the Media. [...]
[...] 45% rise in violence amongst youth in the United States.[3] This is directly related to the reasoning behind why children under the age of 10 committed more than 1000 acts of aggravated assault and 81 cases of forcible rape in 2003.[4] These are just a couple of the numerous acts of violence expressed by today's youth. Video games desensitize children to the literal point of no return. Children who are constantly exposed to meaningless brutality like that of Grand Theft Auto III are more likely to develop aggravated behavioural problems. [...]
[...] “Adolescent Self-Esteem and Gender: Exploring Relations to Sexual Harassment, Body Image, Media Influence, and Emotional Expression.” Journal of Youth and Adolescence Apr. 2001: 23-36 Newspaper/Magazine Articles American Academy of Paediatrics. “Media Violence.” Paediatrics November 2001: p. 1222-1227 Colorosa, Barbara. lives: what are movies teaching our Globe & Mail 22 March 2003: A18 Editorial. watched what?.” Globe & Mail 21 Nov. 2003: A5 Frazier, Jeffery. “It's a Mean World, Stay Tuned.” Background 17 Aug. 1998: 1 Electronic Resources Borba, Dr. Sadina. Facts About Media Violence and Effects on the American Family September 1994. Canadian Broadcast Standards Council. [...]
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