The Effects of Television Violence on our Children

Jenny HansonFall 2004

The following site contains a trailer of an upcoming movie. It takes some time to load, but it is an excellent example of the violence children are viewing at theaters and on TV. http://sonypictures.com/movies/boogeyman/video/boogeyman_high.asx

Kids' viewing of TV violence

linked to aggression as

adults(AP) -- People who watch violent television as children

behave more aggressively even 15 years later,

according to one of the few TV violence

studies to follow children into adulthood.

Monday, March 10, 2003

While TV violence is not the only cause

of aggressive or violent behavior,

it is clearly a

significant factor.

The study linked violent TV viewing

at ages 6 to 9 to such outcomes as

spouse abuse and criminal convictions

in a person's early 20s.

The effect appeared in both sexes irregardless of how aggressive

a person was as a child.

Televised violence suggests to young children

that aggression is appropriate in some

situations.It also erodes children’s natural aversion to violence.

Children may become less sensitive to

the pain and suffering of others.

Children may be more fearful of the

world around them.

Children may be more likely to behave

in aggressive ways toward others.

The three major effects of seeing

violence on television are:

As parents, we need to provide guidelines

for our children’s television viewing.

The next few slides suggest some ways that we can begin

to overcome poor viewing habits and help our children become

selective consumers of videos and television programs.

It is not enough to say "no" to certain programs. Provide

alternatives, such as games, reading, art projects, playing

outside, or park district classes.

Once your children learn that there are other ways to have

fun, they won't feel deprived by limited TV.

Keep the TV out of your child's bedroom.

Know what programs your children are

watching, rather than allowing the TV to

be a passive baby-sitter.

Watch TV with your children. Provide a

dialogue and discussion, including asking

your children what the people on the show

are feeling to promote empathy.

Give your children a TV allowance. Help them make

decisions on how to spend the hours they are allotted.

Present a good role model by

limiting your own TV viewing.

Rule out TV at certain times, such as

before breakfast or during homework.

Encourage your children to watch programs in which the

characters are helpful and caring toward each other.

Carefully monitor cartoons.

They are often the worst

offenders in terms of violence.

Protect younger children from the

violence on the news. If are exposed to violence, talk to them

about what is happening and how the problem might be solved.

Watching TV violence can be harmful to the mental health of

children.

Remember that children

view life differently than adults.

Scenes that seem Ok to an

eight-year-old child may badly

frighten a four-year-old.

We cannot expect our children to monitor their own TV watching.

We, as adults, must do it for them. Parents need to set

limits on the amount and the kinds of programs

that their children watch.

Plan weekly television schedules with your

children.

By teaching children to make thoughtful

choices about what they watch on television, parents

can encourage children to watch programs that are

educational or at least benign.

Watch at least one episode

of the programs your child regularly

views, and discuss the content with them.

Explain incidents children may

have questions about, and

discuss alternatives to violence

for solving problems.

Encourage your children to watch educational programs.

Talk about what you see on TV.

Limit watching time to no more than 20 hours per week.

Talk to your children about how the characters feel,

and encourage them to create other endings for the programs they watch.

Ask your children if violence is ever funny,

as in cartoons, and point out that real life doesn't work that way.

Parents can protect children from excessive TV violence in the following ways:

- Point out that although the actor

has not actually been hurt or killed,

such violence in real life

results in pain or death.

- Refuse to let the children see

shows known to be violent.

Change the channel or turn off the

TV set when offensive material comes on; then

give an explanation of what is wrong with the program.

Disapprove of violent episodes

and stress that such behavior is not

the best way to resolve a problem.

Build a home video library to ensure that quality

movies are always available for your children

to watch.

Teach children to differentiate

between fiction/fantasy

and real life.

Teach children not to bully others, and what they

should do if they are being bullied by someone.

Encourage your children to watch

programs in which the characters

are helpful and caring toward each other.

Monitoring children’s viewing takes

extra time and dedication.

It is not an easy task; your children

will not thank you for your dictates.

But parenting has never

been for the faint of heart.

Although this presentation

focuses on television violence,

parents also need to be aware of

Video Game violence.

Video games come with warnings to help parents decide which titles are appropriate for their children.

However, the salespeople do notenforce the rating system, nor do the rental sites.

It is up to the parents to stand firm and make the tough, unpopular, but very necessary decisions about which games their children are allowed to play.

The next two slides present Warning Signs parents should watch for that will tell them if their child is spending too much time engaged in questionable activities on the Internet.

In addition to monitoring your child’s TV and video viewing habits, and banning violent Video games, parents must be vigilant when their young ones are surfing the Internet.

The Impact of Violent Computer Games on ChildrenBy Dr. Kimberly Young,Expert Cyberpsychologist

Warning Signs in the School-Aged Child:

•Consistently does not listen to adults.

•Has trouble paying attention and concentrating.

•Has few friends, and is often rejected by other children because of his or her behavior.

•Is not sensitive to the feelings of others.

•Often disrupts classroom activities.

•Does poorly in school.

•Is easily frustrated.

•Frequently gets into fights with other children in school.

•Reacts to disappointments, criticism, or teasing with extreme and intense anger, blame, or revenge.

•Watches many violent television shows and movies or plays a lot of violent video games.

•Makes friends with other children known to be unruly or aggressive.

•Is cruel or violent toward pets or other animals.

Dr. Young, expert Cyberpsychologist and the author of Caught in the Net the first recovery book for Internet Addiction.

Warning Signs in the School-Aged Child

The government won’t limit the violence.

The television networks won’t limit the violence.

Only parents can control their children’s

viewing habits and ensure that

what they watch helps them

grow into decent, caring

individuals.

Parents,

Band together with the parents of your children’s friends to limit the amount of time your children can watch TV and the programs you will allow them to watch.

Stand firm about when and what your children can watch.

You can make the difference.

True of False1. The government is attempting to ban violence on all networks that feed intohomes with children.

2. Children who watch violent shows are more likely to choose violence as a means to solve problems.

3. Children who view violent programs are more likely to avoid violence as an adult

4. Prime time commercials are often the worst offenders in terms of violence.

5. Cartoons are monitored by the Networks and those that are deemed too violent are removed from the Saturday morning lineup.

6. If your eight year old child tells you a show is not scary,you can safely assume that your four year old canwatch it with the family.

7. Children should always be encouraged to watch the news as it is relevant to their lives.

Try the “Protect the Children” Quiz on Television Violence

Answers

• False 5. False

• True 6. False

• True 7. False

• False

Credits

Kids' viewing of TV violence linked to aggression as adults. CNN News. Monday, March 10, 2003 http://edition.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/03/10/tv.violence.ap/

Children and TV Violence. American Academy of Child and Adolescent, Psychiatry, April 1999, http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/violence.htm

Children and television violence,1999 http://www.abelard.org/tv/tv.htm

Kids and TV Violence, DuPage County Health Department. May 24, 2004 http://www.dupagehealth.org/health_ed/parent_kids.html

Video Games/TV/Internet. Talking About Kids, http://primetimetv.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.whyy.org%2F91FM%2FTAKtips0212.html Kalin, C.,Television, Violence, and Children, Media Literacy Review, June, 1997 http://interact.uoregon.edu/MediaLit/mlr/readings/articles/kalin.html

Senate report: Media violence affects kids, The Associated Press, August 1999, http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=10853

Dr. Young, Kids and Computers - Addiction and Media Violence http://www.netaddiction.com/television_violence.htm

BloodRayne 2, PC Gameshttp://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/bloodrayne2/

Sources by Slide Number: Images and Sounds

1. http://www.vredesopvoeding.be/violence-tv.gif Kid watching TV2. http://teacher.scholastic.com/kidusasu/violence/img/violent1.gif Picture of TV and words TvKid.gif3. http://www.uni-koeln.de/phil-fak/paedsem/psych/medien/medpsy/tv_konsu/grafik5.gif Kid stabs dad Two girls watching TV http://www.christianity.com/CC/Images/141285/141285.JPG 4. http://www.topics-mag.com/edition02/images/tv_kidsyuki.jpeg5. http://www.pbs.org/parents/issuesadvice/talkingwithkids/war/images/tv.gif6. Senate Report: Media Violence Affects Kids http://www.freedomforum.org/graphics/illos/violence.tv.jpg7. Country School Graphics and Clip Art Collection http://www.countryclipart.com/school.htm8. Country School Graphics and Clip Art Collection http://www.countryclipart.com/school.htm9. Country School Graphics and Clip Art Collection http://www.countryclipart.com/school.htm10. Country School Graphics and Clip Art Collection http://www.countryclipart.com/school.htm11. Country School Graphics and Clip Art Collection http://www.countryclipart.com/school.htm12. Country School Graphics and Clip Art Collection http://www.countryclipart.com/school.htm13. Country School Graphics and Clip Art Collection http://www.countryclipart.com/school.htm

14. http://www.cssd11.k12.co.us/bristol/images/cartoon/boyglobelt.gif Boy with Globe15. http://www.gov.ns.ca/nsaf/foodsafety/factsht/boyappl.jpg Boy with Apple16. http://www.fema.gov/kids/twins/flood/kids_tv3.gif Kids watching TV picture17. http://www.doe.state.la.us/lde/icons/instructional%20resources.jpg Boy using computer18. http://www.safety-council.org/images/bully.jpg Boy bullying girl.19. Antanae kids.gif20. http://www.nintendo.com/gamemini?gameid=m-Game-0000-1422 Warning label http://www.nintendo.com/gamemini?gameid=m-Game-0000-1422 Fighting game21. http://www.netaddiction.com/products/New_Video_Cover_XL.jpg. Book Cover22. http://disabilities.temple.edu/presentations/Built/Image3.jpg Baby on computer23. http://www.air.org/tapartnership/images/computer.GIF Boy and computer picture24. Country School Graphics and Clip Art Collection http://www.countryclipart.com/school.htm25. Country School Graphics and Clip Art Collection http://www.countryclipart.com/school.htm26. None27. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020113/spectrum/1stress.jpg28. http://www.copta.org/images/kids%20with%20tv.gif Dad with children

Sources

Kids' viewing of TV violence linked to aggression as adults. CNN News. Monday, March 10, 2003 http://edition.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/03/10/tv.violence.ap/

Children and TV Violence. American Academy of Child and Adolescent, Psychiatry, April 1999, http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/violence.htm

Children and television violence,1999 http://www.abelard.org/tv/tv.htm

Kids and TV Violence, DuPage County Health Department. May 24, 2004 http://www.dupagehealth.org/health_ed/parent_kids.html

Video Games/TV/Internet. Talking About Kids, http://primetimetv.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.whyy.org%2F91FM%2FTAKtips0212.html Kalin, C.,Television, Violence, and Children, Media Literacy Review, June, 1997 http://interact.uoregon.edu/MediaLit/mlr/readings/articles/kalin.html

Senate report: Media violence affects kids, The Associated Press, August 1999, http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=10853

Dr. Young, Kids and Computers - Addiction and Media Violence http://www.netaddiction.com/television_violence.htm

BloodRayne 2, PC Gameshttp://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/bloodrayne2/

CreditsMicrosoft PowerPoint