Violence pervades the media through Internet, television, movies, video games and music. Young children, who absorb everything they are exposed to as a way to help them make sense of the world around them, can be impacted by exposure to violence in the media. Caregivers should supervise a child's exposure to violence by controlling what she watches on television, looks at on the Internet or listens to.
Imitation
Children who watch violence on television are likely to imitate the violent and aggressive behaviors. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, or AACAP, reports that young children imitate the aggressiveness they see on television when they play with their peers. In rare cases, this can result in injuries to the children if the violent play gets out of hand.
Nightmares
According to KidsHealth.org, children do not understand the difference between fantasy and reality; therefore, they will not be able to comprehend that the violence in movies and television shows is fake, even if they are told this by caregivers. This lack of ability to separate reality from fantasy can cause children who are exposed to media violence to suffer from nightmares and sleep problems, notes KidsHealth.org.
Conflict Resolution
In the media, conflict is often resolved through violence. Children who see this repeatedly may begin to believe that violence is the most effective way to engage in conflict resolution. The AACAP notes that this can lead a child to use violence to solve problems in the future. This type of conflict resolution can lead to problems with the law, poor peer relationships, injuries and in extreme cases death.
Heroes
Media violence is often engaged in by the good characters, as well as, the bad. When children view the good guys engaging in violence it can disrupt their understanding of right and wrong, notes KidsHealth.org. Children might begin to believe that the only way to be cool or to be a hero is to engage in violent behavior as a way to retaliate.
Desensitization
When children are exposed to media violence they can become desensitized to the seriousness of violent behaviors. This may lead to behavior problems or an inability to understand how their violent behaviors hurt others.
Aggressiveness
Exposure to media violence whether it is through television, movies, Internet or music increases the chances that a child will become more violent or aggressive in the future. Psychological Science.org reports that exposure to media violence increases a child's violent thoughts and aggressive nature; the more the child is exposed to violence in the media the more likely he will be violent as a teenager and young adult.
