My online Psychology class just finished this chapter today, and I thought a part of the textbook would be useful in the parent section and wanted to share it. The textbook is titled Exploring Lifespan Development written by Laura E Berk. Second Edition.
In the United States, 57 percent of television programs between 6 am and 11 pm contain violent scenes, often portraying repeated aggressive acts that go unpunished. TV victims of violence are rarely shown experiencing serious harm, and few programs condemn violence or depict other ways of solving problems. Violent content is 9 percent above average in children's programming, and cartoons are the most violent. Reviewers of thousands of studies have concluded that TV violence increases the likelihood of hostile thoughts and emotions and of verbally, physically, and relationally aggressive behavior. And a growing number of studies show that playing violent video and computer games has similar effects. Violent programming not only creates short-term difficulties and peer relations but also has lasting negative consequences. In longitudinal research, time spend watching TV in childhood and adolescence predicted aggressive behavior in adulthood, after other factors linked to TV viewing were controlled. Aggressive children and adolescents have a greater appetite for violent TV and computer games. And boys devote more time to violent media than girls, in part because of male-oriented themes of conquest and adventure and use of males as lead characters. But even in non aggressive children, violent TV sparks hostile thoughts and behavior; it's impact is slightly less intense.
Furthermore, media violence "hardens" children to aggression. Viewers quickly habituate, responding with reduced arousal to real-world instances, tolerating more aggression in others, and believing that violence is widespread in society. As these responses indicate exposure to violent media modifies children's attitudes so they increasingly match media images. The ease with which television and computer far can manipulate children's beliefs and behavior has led to strong public pressure for media regulation. In the United States, the First Amendment right to free speech has hampered efforts to regulate TV. Instead, all programs must be rated for violent and sexual content, and all new TV sets are required to contain the V-chip, which allows parents to block undesired material. In contrast, Canada's nationwide broadcasting code bans from children's shows realistic scenes of violence that minimize consequences and cartoons with violence as the central theme. Further, violent programming intended for adults cannot be shown on Canadian channels before 9PM. At present, parents bear most responsibility for protecting their children from exposure to media violence and other inappropriate content. Although the Internet poses additional risks, parents can control children's access by using filters or programs that monitor website visits. Yet surveys of US parents indicate that 20 to 30 percent of pre-schoolers and 40 percent of school age children experience no limits on TV or computer use at home.
In the United States, 57 percent of television programs between 6 am and 11 pm contain violent scenes, often portraying repeated aggressive acts that go unpunished. TV victims of violence are rarely shown experiencing serious harm, and few programs condemn violence or depict other ways of solving problems. Violent content is 9 percent above average in children's programming, and cartoons are the most violent. Reviewers of thousands of studies have concluded that TV violence increases the likelihood of hostile thoughts and emotions and of verbally, physically, and relationally aggressive behavior. And a growing number of studies show that playing violent video and computer games has similar effects. Violent programming not only creates short-term difficulties and peer relations but also has lasting negative consequences. In longitudinal research, time spend watching TV in childhood and adolescence predicted aggressive behavior in adulthood, after other factors linked to TV viewing were controlled. Aggressive children and adolescents have a greater appetite for violent TV and computer games. And boys devote more time to violent media than girls, in part because of male-oriented themes of conquest and adventure and use of males as lead characters. But even in non aggressive children, violent TV sparks hostile thoughts and behavior; it's impact is slightly less intense.
Furthermore, media violence "hardens" children to aggression. Viewers quickly habituate, responding with reduced arousal to real-world instances, tolerating more aggression in others, and believing that violence is widespread in society. As these responses indicate exposure to violent media modifies children's attitudes so they increasingly match media images. The ease with which television and computer far can manipulate children's beliefs and behavior has led to strong public pressure for media regulation. In the United States, the First Amendment right to free speech has hampered efforts to regulate TV. Instead, all programs must be rated for violent and sexual content, and all new TV sets are required to contain the V-chip, which allows parents to block undesired material. In contrast, Canada's nationwide broadcasting code bans from children's shows realistic scenes of violence that minimize consequences and cartoons with violence as the central theme. Further, violent programming intended for adults cannot be shown on Canadian channels before 9PM. At present, parents bear most responsibility for protecting their children from exposure to media violence and other inappropriate content. Although the Internet poses additional risks, parents can control children's access by using filters or programs that monitor website visits. Yet surveys of US parents indicate that 20 to 30 percent of pre-schoolers and 40 percent of school age children experience no limits on TV or computer use at home.
