The National Center for Children Exposed to Violence points out that modeling, or imitating the behavior of others, is a learning tool for children. When they are shown that violence is OK for others, it becomes OK for them to behave that way as well. Children learn that violent responses are acceptable ways to deal with problems and stress.
Statistics
Dr. Eugene Beresin, Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Training at both Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital, offers disturbing statistics regarding media violence in an article written for the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He reports that studies indicate that the average child in America will have witnessed more than 200,000 violent scenes on television by the age of 18. According to Beresin, even programming designed for children features up to 20 such acts per hour. Video games are well known for violent content, and 60 percent of their users are children.
Correlation
Beresin states that research has presented a strong case that unrestricted exposure to violence in the media causes aggressive behavior in children and teenagers, especially those already considered at risk for such tendencies.
Psychology
Beresin warns that children younger than age 4 have no capacity to differentiate between what's real and what's fiction. Violent acts witnessed by them on television are no different for them than witnessing a shooting on the street, so violence can become a normal, everyday occurrence in their lives. Desensitization to violence results. Television and the media provide violent role models who are not always punished for their behavior and are even sometimes rewarded for it. The National Center for Children Exposed to Violence agrees and also points out that cartoon characters "die" as a matter of course, only to reappear in perfect health in the next scene, teaching children that death is temporary and without serious ramifications.
Recommendations
Limit your child's time with television and video games to two hours a day, suggests the American Academy of Pediatrics. Watch along with them so you can rebut or explain what they're viewing. The National Center for Children Exposed to Violence believes that the involvement of parents is the most important tool for putting media violence into the proper perspective for children.
Legislation
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 now forces networks to offer at least three hours of children's programs each week. "TV Parental Guidelines" have also been developed in compliance with this act. "V-chips" that allow parents to block violent programming are now mandatory in all televisions manufactured since 2000.
