the impact of violent media on children

8/3/2019 The Impact of Violent Media on ChilDREN

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The impact of violent media on children and adolescents has been the subject of debate

since the advent of mass media, and has involved a complex interplay of policies,

politics, research, commercial interest, and public advocacy. The U.S. Congress andfederal agencies, prodded by professional organizations and child advocacy groups, have

claimed that violence in the entertainment media negatively affects children and have

called for more self-regulation and social responsibility by the media industries. Theindustries, especially television, have responded by criticizing a number of studies on

which the claims were based, disputing findings or their interpretations, and pointing to

their First Amendment rights.

While the overall U.S. rate of individual homicide has been fairly consistent over the pastdecades, the rates of homicidal behavior in school-age children have risen sharply. Gun-

related homicide among fifteen- to nineteen-year-olds has tripled since 1980. Several

highly publicized murders in schools have alarmed the public and politicians.

Youth violence is a complex problem caused by the interaction of many factors, among

them ineffective parenting (including inadequate or inappropriate patterns ofcommunication, domestic violence, poor monitoring), drug use, poverty, racism, peer

pressure, peer rejection, and violence in the culture. It is difficult to determine the impactof each of these factors because parents have been considered the most potent and

prominent force in children's emotional and social development; the role of the media in

this process has been under-estimated.

The telecommunications media have become a pervasive feature of American family lifeand thus a powerful force in the child's socialization and cultural upbringing. As a result,

symbolic violence is now recognized as a pressing social issue. TheFifth Annual Surveyof Media in the Home (2000) shows that nearly all families have a television set and a

VCR, and the majority have a computer and video game equipment. More than half ofthe children in the survey had a television set in their bedrooms. Children spend an

average of four and a half hours per day looking at some form of video screen, half of

this time being television.

Such extensive exposure underscores the question of the media's power to shape

perceptions and attitudes. Death is not a topic parents like to discuss with their children.

Because personal encounters with natural death are less frequent in the early twenty-firstcentury than in previous eras, there are fewer counterbalances to media's violent death

themes. In younger children, the distinctions between fantasy and reality are less clear,

making them more susceptible to misunderstandings of death. Thus, what is at issue is the

media's potential to adversely affect children's perceptions of reality. The high level ofviolence in entertainment media provides a model for understanding death and grief that

is a gross distortion of the demographic facts, and a failure to portray adequately at least

part of the pain and suffering a death causes surviving family members and friends. Forthe entertainment industry, whether in action drama or homicide/detective programs,

violent death is a tool to drive tension and propel dramatic action. Pain, suffering, and

funeral rituals do not contribute to this kind of plot.


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Violence in Television Programming

Scholars have made extensive studies of both the extent of violence and the contexts in

which it occurs. Since the 1967 television season, George Gerbner and his associateshave analyzed prime-time programming and children's Saturday morning cartoons by

network and number of violent acts per hour and have derived the "violence index" andwhat Gerbner calls the "cultivation effect."

In 1998 Barbara Wilson and her team sampled the entire television landscape (individualprograms throughout the day and evening, including sitcoms, sports, and talk shows).

They also performed content analyses of violent portrayals, building on factors identified

in previous work by George Comstock, who proposed that identifying the contexts inwhich violent acts occur may help to reveal the potential impact of depicted violence on

the child viewer. The analysis of violent content is guided by questions such as:

Is the aggressive behavior on the screen rewarded or punished?

Is the violence gratuitous or justified? Does it have consequences? Does the child identify with the aggressor or the victim?

Does the child see television violence as realistic?

Two key findings emerged: First, the amount of television violence has been consistently

high over the years and has been rising. Nearly twothirds of the programs containviolence, which is most prominent in action dramas and homicide/ detective series. A

third of violent programming contains at least nine violent interactions. Nearly one-half

of the theatrical films shown on television depict acts of extreme violence (e.g., The

Gladiator(Fox), Marked for Death (CBS), and The Rookie (ABC)), some of them

containing more than forty scenes of violence.

The amount of violence in prime-time "familyoriented" programs has increased steadily

over the years in violation of an agreement reached between network broadcasters andthe Federal Communications Commission in the 1970s. Children are frequent viewers of

prime-time and other programs designed for adults.

Violent incidents are highest in children's programming, with an average of twenty to

twenty-five acts per hour. What mainly distinguishes children's cartoons from adultprograms is that animated characters are repeatedly smashed, stabbed, run over, and

pushed off high cliffs, but they do not stay dead for long. The portrayal of death as

temporary and the characters as indestructible reinforces young viewers' immature

understanding of death.

The second key finding is that the contexts in which most violence is presented also

poses risks for the child viewers. Most violent incidents involve acts of aggression rather

than threats: Perpetrators are frequently portrayed as attractive characters and heroesrather than as villains; perpetrators and victims are predominantly male; most violence is

committed for personal gain or out of anger; and most violent acts do not have

consequencesthat is, they portray little or no pain and suffering by victims or survivors.


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In nearly three-fourths of the violent scenes, there is no punishment of the aggressor, no

remorse or condemnation; some acts are even rewarded. In children's cartoons, humor is

a predominant contextual feature.

There is a striking contrast in the depiction of death in the entertainment media: In prime-

time action drama death is often glamorized, and in children's cartoons it is trivialized;depictions in both types of programs are a misrepresentation of real life and death.

Effects on Children

Most studies are based on social learning theory, pioneered by psychologist Albert

Bandura, particularly the principle of observational learning called "modeling." Models

can be physical, involving real people, or symbolic, involving verbal, audio, or visual

representations, or combinations of these. Modeling is recognized as one of the mostpowerful means of transmitting values, attitudes, and patterns of thought and behavior.

According to modeling theory, television violence has negative effects on children,

particularly when the perpetrators are attractive characters and are not punished, andwhen there is little pain and suffering by the victims.

Two distinct methodological approaches, correlational and experimental, have been

employed. Correlational studies seek to determine whether exposure to television

violence is indeed related to young viewers' behavior and attitudes and also tries tomeasure the strength of such relationships. However, a correlation between the two

variables does not establish a cause-effect relationship. Violence in the media may lead a

child viewer to aggressive behavior, but also an aggressive child may like to watchviolent media.

The experimental method involves the manipulation of filmed or televised aggressionshown to children. Most experimental studies are carried out in the laboratory. Children

are randomly assigned to an experimental group that is shown aggressive videos and to acontrol group that is shown nonviolent programming, and then children are observed on

the playground or in similar social settings to find out whether there are differences in the

behavior between the two groups. The strength of experimental studies lies in their abilityto attribute direct causality. Experimental studies can also be longitudinal, carried out in

natural contexts or "the field." A widely known field experiment reported by Leslie Joy,

Ann Kimball, and Merle Zabrack in 1986 involved children in three rural Canadiancommunities before and after the introduction of television in towns receiving either the

government-owned channel (CBC), U.S. networks, or a combination. Children were

studied in first and second grades and re-evaluated two years later.

The extensive research literature was reviewed in 1972 by the Surgeon General'sAdvisory Commission, in 1982 by the National Institute of Mental Health, and in 1993

by the American Psychological Association's Commission on Violence and Youth. Their

reports and those of more recent investigations are consistent across time, methods, child

populations, and funding sources. Key findings show the following:


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1. There is a causal link between the viewing of televised violence and the

subsequent aggressive behavior and attitudes in children who are frequent viewers

of violent episodes, ranging from preschool to late adolescence. These childrenare more likely to model their behavior after aggressors in the programs than

those who watch infrequently, particularly when the aggressors are depicted as

attractive and get away without punishment, and when there is no apparent painand suffering on the part of the victims. Children who have few positive role

models in their lives are more vulnerable than those who do.

2. Aggressive behavior and attitudes are learned at young ages and can result inlifelong violence unless there are interventions.

3. Violent behavior is a preventable problem. There is a wide availability of broad-

based programs. Reduction in media violence and access to media violence are a

component of these programs.4. Frequent viewing of television violence leads to the belief that such violence is an

accurate portrayal of real life, resulting in an exaggerated fear of violence from

others. Fear stemming from watching scary media may be immediate and short-

term but can also be enduring.5. Prolonged viewing of filmed and televised violence can lead to emotional

desensitization toward actual violence. Because young viewers tend to identifywith the perpetrator and violent episodes seldom depict pain and suffering, there

is a blunting of viewers' empathy for the victims and a reduced willingness and

readiness to help.

Considering the finite amount of time in a child's day, frequent exposure to violent mediacontent affects children's behaviors, attitudes, and perceptions while depriving them of

opportunities for viewing equivalent amounts of prosocial behaviors as viable solutions

to interpersonal problems.

Government Policies to Benefit Child Viewers

Major policy battles over programming for children date back to the Communications

Act of 1934 and to policies adopted in 1974 and 1990. Health professionals and private

advocacy groups led the U.S. Congress to enact the Telecommunications Act of 1996,which mandates that parental guidelines and procedures be established by the industries

for rating upcoming video programming; that parents be provided technological tools that

allow them to block violent content ("V-chip"); and that regularly scheduled

programming designed for children be developed. To gain license renewal, everybroadcast station in the country is required to air a minimum of three hours per week of

children's programmingthis is known as the "three-hour rule."

Studies evaluating industry compliance with the Telecommunications Act show the

following:

1. The broadcasting, cable, and program production industries have developed a

rating system for children's and general programming, the "TV Parental

Guidelines." It was found to be adequate for general classification but lacking in


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specific content categories that would guide parents. In addition, the "TV Parental

Guidelines" are inadequately publicized.

2. V-chips have been installed in new televisions since 2000.3. Commercial broadcasters appear to be complying with the three-hour rule.

However, a fourth of the programs were found to be of questionable educational

value, with most of them clustered around Saturday and weekday mornings; lessthan a tenth were during after-school hours and none during prime time, when

children are most likely to watch television.

4. Children's programs sampled in this study contained less violence than those airedin the past.

Feature Films, Home Videos, and Electronic Games

Experts agree the violence level found in feature films exceeds that on television. For

years violent films have been among the top box-office draws in movie theaters acrossthe country. Although the film industry rates films by age groups, local movie theaters

often fail to adequately check ticket buyers' ages. Community standards for what is anacceptable level of violence have changed over the years. Many parents are more lenient

or less concerned about possible negative influences. Parents can also be observed takingtheir preadolescent children and even young children to see feature films deemed

unsuitable for children by the film industry's own ratings system. Home videos remain

largely unrated. Studies have shown that parents are only slightly concerned that theirchildren seek out extremely violent home videos.

Public health and advocacy groups are alarmed at the extent of violence in video games

(among them Mortal Kombat, Lethal Enforcers, and Ground Zero Texas). Interactive

media may have an even greater impact on children than the more passive media forms.

According to a 2000 Federal Trade Commission Report, "Marketing ViolentEntertainment to Children," the graphics in video games are approaching motion-picture

quality, making them more realistic and exciting. Many parents are unfamiliar with thecontent of the video games that their children play in arcades or purchase and play at

home.

Television News

Television news has become a major source of information for children as well as adults;most children rank it as a more reliable source than teachers, parents, and peers. There is

news coverage throughout the day and evening, with frequent repetitions and "breaking

news." Because of the


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Sixty percent of the audience for interactive games, like this video hockey game, are

children. The electronic gaming industry has voluntarily begun to rate its products,although rating labels and advisories are widely ignored by distributors and retailers.

CORBIScapability for instant communication across the globe, an enormous number of events are

potentially "newsworthy." Because most news programs are owned by the major

conglomerates in the entertainment industry, an attendant blurring of news andentertainment values exists.

The major networks and cable companies are highly competitive. In all news programs

there is a bias toward over-reporting dramatic events. Improved technologies for visualreconstruction or recreation of events make the portrayals more graphic. Depictions ofviolent actions and events are not balanced with representations of others that are positive

and constructive. The merging of news and entertainment (e.g., the "docu-drama") may

blur the distinction between fantasy and reality. Learning to distinguish between fantasyand reality is an important developmental task for the young child.

Media coverage of violent behavior in children seems particularly high, causing fears and

alarm and unwittingly contributing to distorted perceptions in parents, children, and the

public about the rates and incidence of youthful homicidal behaviors. Extensive attentionto such behavior in the news tends to lead other young people to copy such acts.

Suggestions for Parents

While most scientists conclude that children learn aggressive attitudes and behavior from

violent media content, they also agree that parents can be a powerful force in moderating,mediating, and reducing such influence.


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Talking about real deaths. Parents can help their children deal with death as a natural and

normal process by permitting them to share their thoughts and fears about death,

answering questions honestly, and allowing children to participate in the care of ill anddying family members, in funerals and memorial services, and during the grieving

process.

Being informed. Parents need to know the major risk factors associated with media

violence. They should become familiar with the programs and video games that theirchildren favor and with existing parental guidelines, ratings, and advisories. The Federal

Communications Commission (FCC) publishes the "TV Parental Guidelines" on its web

site at www.fcc.gov/vchip/#guidelines . Information on activating and programming theV-chip is available through the V-Chip Education web site at

www.vchipeducation.org/pages/using.html . The National Institute on Media and the

Family, an independent nonprofit organization, has developed a universal rating systemthat applies to video games, TV programs, and films, and can be found at

www.mediaandthefamily.com .

Setting limits. A 2001 study by Thomas Robinson and colleagues shows that reducing

children's television and video game use reduces aggressive behavior. The V-chip can beused to block out content that parents deem potentially harmful. In family discussion,

parents may set up rules for extent, times, and types of media interaction by children.

Mediation and intervention. Mediation and intervention may be the most effective

antidotes to media violence. Parents who watch television with their children can discerntheir children's preferences and level of understanding. This coparticipation provides an

opportunity for parents to counteract violent messages in drama programs by pointing to

their fictional nature. Watching the news with children enables parents to provide

perspective and comfort, convey their values, and encourage their children to watchprograms that demonstrate prosocial behavior. Family oriented activities away from the

mass media can provide a healthy alternative to the violence-saturated airwaves and

video games that increasingly dominate the consciousness of the youth of the UnitedStates.
http://www.fcc.gov/vchip/#guidelineshttp://www.vchipeducation.org/pages/using.htmlhttp://www.vchipeducation.org/pages/using.htmlhttp://www.mediaandthefamily.com/http://www.mediaandthefamily.com/http://www.fcc.gov/vchip/#guidelineshttp://www.vchipeducation.org/pages/using.htmlhttp://www.mediaandthefamily.com/

the impact of violent media on children

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