During the past 30 years, the amount of violence that is shown on TV has increased drastically. What used to be shown only after 9 p.m. is now shown 24 hours a day, thanks to cable. Because children generally watch a lot of TV, the amount of violence on TV has more of a chance to affect them.
TV Viewing Time
According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the average child in America watches three to four hours of TV every day. Childhood behavioral specialists generally recommend that children watch far less TV each day than they do. Another important factor in TV viewing time is the type of TV program the child watches. While educational programs can be beneficial to the child's learning, shows with violence can lead to problems.
Childhood Aggression
The Psychiatric Times says one drawback of the amount of violence on TV these days is an increase in childhood aggression. Dr. John Murray, a professor of developmental psychology at Kansas State University, told the Psychiatric Times that when children see violence on TV, they tend to demonstrate aggressive behavior more often in school and at home. They may also experience changes in attitude favoring aggressive behavior.
Fear
While some children emulate the violence they see on the TV, more introverted children get scared instead. Fear is a common reaction to violence on TV. The Psychiatric Times explains that exposure to too much violence on TV can sometimes cause a phenomenon called "mean world syndrome," in which children become scared of many different things and fear that they will become a victim of violence in their own daily living.
Desensitization
After seeing violence on TV for an extended period of time, some children become desensitized to the violence. The Psychiatric Times says children may even grow to tolerate greater levels of violence in society. Becoming immune to seeing violence is dangerous because children are less likely to help others in need when they grow older.
TV Limits
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry recommends that all parents set limits on the amount and type of TV that their children watch. They recommend blocking very violent TV programs and turning off the TV if a show becomes too graphic. They also suggest explaining to children that the violence they see on TV shows is not real life, and that behaving aggressively is not appropriate.
