Television And Violence In The United States
The United States has become the most violent nation in the industrial world. The latest, a bloodbath in Littleton, Colo., once again has us asking why, and how, and the questioning of our society. These revenge fantasies portrayed in Littleton are showing themselves in movies and on TV. This shows that violence in the media is contributing to the violence in our nation and causes people to act more aggressively in society. Each generation has been exposed to more and more media. That means every generation is more vulnerable to the psychological impact of television violence. The National Television Violence Study indicates:
For the third year in a row violent TV shows account for 60% of TV programming and that the amount of violence has steadily increased each year. Since 1994 violent programming on the major broadcast networks has increased 14% in primetime (Stern 24).
Television violence is a serious problem and there has to be something done to keep the violence at a respectable level.
There are strong statistics about the amount of television watched by the public and the amount of violence that is shown on television. Such statistics highlight the potentially strong influence TV can have on those who watch it. It is believed that people learn by imitating what they see, and children are particularly receptive to such learning (Freedman 96). Based on the research I've done I feel children model things they see and learn their aggressions from family merabers and from television. Therefore TV violence is a cause of aggressive behavior.
Television and movie violence refers to the act of rape, abuse, assault, injury and murder depicted on television and in movies. Some people are against television violence, suggesting that TV violence cause aggressive behavior. Other people suggest that television violence does not cause people to act aggressively. They say it is all based on the way they were raised and how they where thought to handle their aggression, and how they interpret violence. They feel the viewers should be critical thinkers they have to be taught how to interpret what they see.
It is believed that people learn by imitating what they see, and children learn by what they see, and are vulnerable to such behavior. Almost without explanation, research has found that viewing violence makes children more aggressive, more restless, more fearful, less creative, and less sensitive (Levine 68). In addition no study has ever found any benefit to children form watching violence. Albert Bundura found that children learn to be aggressive by observing and imaiting other people who are acting aggressively; "if these individuals, or 'models' as Bundura call them, are reward for their violent behavior, children are even more likely to imitate them" (Levine 68). A recent study showing how children learn by what they see found that, "when children are put into a group exposed to a televised 'Power Rangers' episode committed seven times more aggressive acts in a subsequent two minute play period then did the control group" (Boyatzis). It is important to note that children who are not particularly aggressive to begin with becoming more aggressive as a result of television violence.
These studies show that television does influence children and it causes them to act aggressively. Again people should realize that no study has ever found any benefit to children form watching violence. Children learn from what the see and since what they watch most of the time is television, it will play a part in how there minRAB develop.
Another example of how television influences children was in Linnord California when three local teens with their obsession with the hit movie Scream turned deadly. Mario Pidea and his two accomplices created a plan to reenact the film on frienRAB, family and classmates. Each was planned perfectly just as in the movie (Dateline movie). The viewing of violent movies can sometimes have a trigger effect, making the person do things they normally not do. When serial rapist and murderer Nathaniel White confessed to authorities in New York State, he claimed got his ideas from his criminal mentor Kane from the film series Robocop. White states " I seen him cut somebody's through and take the knife and slit it down their chest and stomach. I look at a violent movie and what ever I see on the movie is what I imitate" (Dateline movie). A nuraber of reports in the popular media and professional journals are about the relative effects that television and movies have on the behavior of children and adults. Daven, O'Connor, and Briggs reported a nuraber of cases in which children where injured trying to fly like Superman or perform like Evel Knivel. (Primavera 1) They do this because they are imitating what they have seen on television.
Television also causes people to imitate very dangerous things that look cool and fun. The film the Deer Hunter did just that, by the portal of Russian roulette, which inspired twenty-six self inflicted deaths (Primavera 1). People imitate films when the can imagine themselves in the film, playing the role of person they think is cool. The Washington Post reported on a wave of violence in several cities following the opening of Boys N' The Hood. Likewise, the same paper reported that the movies Juice, New Jack City and Colors where all followed by the same incidents after their openings (Primavera 1). These films portray the respect and greed of the lifestyle being imitated by the viewers. They too want to achieve that life style, and they try to act like the actors. In another senseless crime connected with the exposure to the media:
Nine-year old Olivia Niemi was sexually assaulted with a discarded beer bottle on a deserted beach in San Francisco. The four girls who took part in the attack said they were imitating a scene form Born Innocent, an NBC television movie they watched three days they committed the crime. The movie, which takes place in a girl's reform school, shows a new inmate cornered by four girls and graphically raped with the handle of a pluraber's helper (Levine 12).
It is time to move past the debate of whether or not the entertainment industry is responsible for these crimes. Even thought they do make the movies they still don't cause the crimes, but something has to be done to stop these senseless crimes.
People who feel there is no relationship between violence and aggression feel that way because of the following reasons stated above. These people go along with what Fraud suggests. They also feel that violence can be prevented. These opposing people feel through the right teaching and the proper parental supervision, children can be thought the right way to interpret violence.
The opposing side suggests that television violence does not cause people to act aggressively, it is all in the way they where thought to treat their aggression, and how that person interprets violence. They state, "There is no evidence to say there is casual relationship between viewing television violence and aggression and it there is no relation ship. It does mean we have not yet been able to demonstrate a casual relationship."(Primavera) Aggression is an innate instinctual impulse that may give rise to a need for aggressive behavior. Fraud and other early pioneers of psychoanalytical theory believe that aggression is a basis instinctual force that causes one to perform aggressive behavior. "According to Freud, aggressive behavior arises from either the 'death instinct' or the 'lirabo' or some confluence of these forces" (Kauffman 181). For those reasons people feel that people are not influenced by television. The real reason is based on the way they where brought up by their parents, and also because it is just a natural human response.
The viewers should be critical thinkers. They have to be taught how to interpret what they see. Aggression is a pervasive and unalterable aspect in every child's personality (Kauffman 185). The teacher or parent must control what they view to help the child express aggression in a constructive way. There are two fundamental ways in which a teacher can help an aggressive child according to psychodynamic tenets: first, by accepting the child's behavior and feelings; and second, by provoking the child with opportunities for "catharsis" (Kauffman 185). Therefor the development of critical viewing skills should be part of every elementary school curriculum. Teaching children how to watch television more productively is extremely important because the use of educational television and other media appears to be growing throughout all educational levels. (Primavera 8) Parents also play a very important role in the development of their child's aggression. Therefore parents have to monitor their children and watch television with them. Parents also need to engage in conversation about what they see on television and help their child in understanding what they see. Parents can't be neglectful to their child and they should not use television as a babysitter or a way of avoiding contact with their child.
Each generation has been exposed to more media, and each generation is more vulnerable to the physiological impact of and engaged into imitating what they see on television (Leberman "copy cat crimes"). Television has always been enjoyed by people of all ages, but our generation is mesmerized by it and in hand television has become more and more violent. Children spend approximately 25 hours per week watching television; they may see more that 12,000 acts of violence per year (Dietz 1). People and especially children have to determine what is fake and real. In the make-believe world of television, violence is a commonplace and accepted part of life. In the real world, violence should not be an accepted part of life; in the real word, people-not actors-are involved and real people get killed. Violent acts, are defined as acts intended to injure or harm others, appear approximately 8 to 12 times an hour on prime time television and about 20 times an hour on children's programming. (Sege 1) Cartoons are a part of many children's morning and weekend routines and these cartoons are especially laden with violence. Children learn from what they see on these shows, and it should surprise no one that the violence on television clearly provokes violent or aggressive behavior in children. (Sege 2) It seems that these shows the children see the rewarRAB that the heroes receive for their violent behavior. The children see this violence as a means of solving problems of things that make them feel hostile.
Filmmakers should not be held liable for people who imitate the films. People have to remeraber that they just make the movies, they don't sell the guns. It is the parent's job to teach their children how to control their aggression. Instead of advocating the banning of violence on television, we need to advocate the understanding of the personal, family and societal issues, which cause violence and determine what role television can play in reaching the understanding. TV violence is a cause of aggressive behavior but the connection between TV and real-world violence is far from clear.
The United States has become the most violent nation in the industrial world. The latest, a bloodbath in Littleton, Colo., once again has us asking why, and how, and the questioning of our society. These revenge fantasies portrayed in Littleton are showing themselves in movies and on TV. This shows that violence in the media is contributing to the violence in our nation and causes people to act more aggressively in society. Each generation has been exposed to more and more media. That means every generation is more vulnerable to the psychological impact of television violence. The National Television Violence Study indicates:
For the third year in a row violent TV shows account for 60% of TV programming and that the amount of violence has steadily increased each year. Since 1994 violent programming on the major broadcast networks has increased 14% in primetime (Stern 24).
Television violence is a serious problem and there has to be something done to keep the violence at a respectable level.
There are strong statistics about the amount of television watched by the public and the amount of violence that is shown on television. Such statistics highlight the potentially strong influence TV can have on those who watch it. It is believed that people learn by imitating what they see, and children are particularly receptive to such learning (Freedman 96). Based on the research I've done I feel children model things they see and learn their aggressions from family merabers and from television. Therefore TV violence is a cause of aggressive behavior.
Television and movie violence refers to the act of rape, abuse, assault, injury and murder depicted on television and in movies. Some people are against television violence, suggesting that TV violence cause aggressive behavior. Other people suggest that television violence does not cause people to act aggressively. They say it is all based on the way they were raised and how they where thought to handle their aggression, and how they interpret violence. They feel the viewers should be critical thinkers they have to be taught how to interpret what they see.
It is believed that people learn by imitating what they see, and children learn by what they see, and are vulnerable to such behavior. Almost without explanation, research has found that viewing violence makes children more aggressive, more restless, more fearful, less creative, and less sensitive (Levine 68). In addition no study has ever found any benefit to children form watching violence. Albert Bundura found that children learn to be aggressive by observing and imaiting other people who are acting aggressively; "if these individuals, or 'models' as Bundura call them, are reward for their violent behavior, children are even more likely to imitate them" (Levine 68). A recent study showing how children learn by what they see found that, "when children are put into a group exposed to a televised 'Power Rangers' episode committed seven times more aggressive acts in a subsequent two minute play period then did the control group" (Boyatzis). It is important to note that children who are not particularly aggressive to begin with becoming more aggressive as a result of television violence.
These studies show that television does influence children and it causes them to act aggressively. Again people should realize that no study has ever found any benefit to children form watching violence. Children learn from what the see and since what they watch most of the time is television, it will play a part in how there minRAB develop.
Another example of how television influences children was in Linnord California when three local teens with their obsession with the hit movie Scream turned deadly. Mario Pidea and his two accomplices created a plan to reenact the film on frienRAB, family and classmates. Each was planned perfectly just as in the movie (Dateline movie). The viewing of violent movies can sometimes have a trigger effect, making the person do things they normally not do. When serial rapist and murderer Nathaniel White confessed to authorities in New York State, he claimed got his ideas from his criminal mentor Kane from the film series Robocop. White states " I seen him cut somebody's through and take the knife and slit it down their chest and stomach. I look at a violent movie and what ever I see on the movie is what I imitate" (Dateline movie). A nuraber of reports in the popular media and professional journals are about the relative effects that television and movies have on the behavior of children and adults. Daven, O'Connor, and Briggs reported a nuraber of cases in which children where injured trying to fly like Superman or perform like Evel Knivel. (Primavera 1) They do this because they are imitating what they have seen on television.
Television also causes people to imitate very dangerous things that look cool and fun. The film the Deer Hunter did just that, by the portal of Russian roulette, which inspired twenty-six self inflicted deaths (Primavera 1). People imitate films when the can imagine themselves in the film, playing the role of person they think is cool. The Washington Post reported on a wave of violence in several cities following the opening of Boys N' The Hood. Likewise, the same paper reported that the movies Juice, New Jack City and Colors where all followed by the same incidents after their openings (Primavera 1). These films portray the respect and greed of the lifestyle being imitated by the viewers. They too want to achieve that life style, and they try to act like the actors. In another senseless crime connected with the exposure to the media:
Nine-year old Olivia Niemi was sexually assaulted with a discarded beer bottle on a deserted beach in San Francisco. The four girls who took part in the attack said they were imitating a scene form Born Innocent, an NBC television movie they watched three days they committed the crime. The movie, which takes place in a girl's reform school, shows a new inmate cornered by four girls and graphically raped with the handle of a pluraber's helper (Levine 12).
It is time to move past the debate of whether or not the entertainment industry is responsible for these crimes. Even thought they do make the movies they still don't cause the crimes, but something has to be done to stop these senseless crimes.
People who feel there is no relationship between violence and aggression feel that way because of the following reasons stated above. These people go along with what Fraud suggests. They also feel that violence can be prevented. These opposing people feel through the right teaching and the proper parental supervision, children can be thought the right way to interpret violence.
The opposing side suggests that television violence does not cause people to act aggressively, it is all in the way they where thought to treat their aggression, and how that person interprets violence. They state, "There is no evidence to say there is casual relationship between viewing television violence and aggression and it there is no relation ship. It does mean we have not yet been able to demonstrate a casual relationship."(Primavera) Aggression is an innate instinctual impulse that may give rise to a need for aggressive behavior. Fraud and other early pioneers of psychoanalytical theory believe that aggression is a basis instinctual force that causes one to perform aggressive behavior. "According to Freud, aggressive behavior arises from either the 'death instinct' or the 'lirabo' or some confluence of these forces" (Kauffman 181). For those reasons people feel that people are not influenced by television. The real reason is based on the way they where brought up by their parents, and also because it is just a natural human response.
The viewers should be critical thinkers. They have to be taught how to interpret what they see. Aggression is a pervasive and unalterable aspect in every child's personality (Kauffman 185). The teacher or parent must control what they view to help the child express aggression in a constructive way. There are two fundamental ways in which a teacher can help an aggressive child according to psychodynamic tenets: first, by accepting the child's behavior and feelings; and second, by provoking the child with opportunities for "catharsis" (Kauffman 185). Therefor the development of critical viewing skills should be part of every elementary school curriculum. Teaching children how to watch television more productively is extremely important because the use of educational television and other media appears to be growing throughout all educational levels. (Primavera 8) Parents also play a very important role in the development of their child's aggression. Therefore parents have to monitor their children and watch television with them. Parents also need to engage in conversation about what they see on television and help their child in understanding what they see. Parents can't be neglectful to their child and they should not use television as a babysitter or a way of avoiding contact with their child.
Each generation has been exposed to more media, and each generation is more vulnerable to the physiological impact of and engaged into imitating what they see on television (Leberman "copy cat crimes"). Television has always been enjoyed by people of all ages, but our generation is mesmerized by it and in hand television has become more and more violent. Children spend approximately 25 hours per week watching television; they may see more that 12,000 acts of violence per year (Dietz 1). People and especially children have to determine what is fake and real. In the make-believe world of television, violence is a commonplace and accepted part of life. In the real world, violence should not be an accepted part of life; in the real word, people-not actors-are involved and real people get killed. Violent acts, are defined as acts intended to injure or harm others, appear approximately 8 to 12 times an hour on prime time television and about 20 times an hour on children's programming. (Sege 1) Cartoons are a part of many children's morning and weekend routines and these cartoons are especially laden with violence. Children learn from what they see on these shows, and it should surprise no one that the violence on television clearly provokes violent or aggressive behavior in children. (Sege 2) It seems that these shows the children see the rewarRAB that the heroes receive for their violent behavior. The children see this violence as a means of solving problems of things that make them feel hostile.
Filmmakers should not be held liable for people who imitate the films. People have to remeraber that they just make the movies, they don't sell the guns. It is the parent's job to teach their children how to control their aggression. Instead of advocating the banning of violence on television, we need to advocate the understanding of the personal, family and societal issues, which cause violence and determine what role television can play in reaching the understanding. TV violence is a cause of aggressive behavior but the connection between TV and real-world violence is far from clear.