Other illustrations of physical and verbal aggression were depicted in an episode of “The Simpsons”. Although not as many instances of aggression were shown on this episode compared to the cartoons aired on Saturday morning, the situations were more violent. For example, a handgun was used to kill geese because they ate an important piece of paper which flew into a lake in which they were swimming. In another act, an issue was resolved by a physical fight between two men. The acts of aggression are humorously depicted and the aggressor is shown to successfully resolve problems by the use of either verbal or physical force. Consequently, the victims subjected to this aggression generally agree to the aggressor’s demands.
Whether this exposure to television violence actually increases aggression in real-world situations has been the subject of numerous important studies seeking to address this question. In a meta-analytic review, Wood, Wong & Chachere (1991) investigated the effects of media violence on viewers’ interpersonal aggression within post-exposure unconstrained social settings. The researchers found that children and adolescents who were exposed to media violence later displayed significantly enhanced aggressive behaviour in unstructured social interaction. In addition, Bee & Boyd (2004), note the results of longitudinal studies which have found that children who prefer to watch violent TV programs may already behave more aggressively than their peers. Further, these studies indicate that among the already aggressive younger children, those who recorded a large number of television hours were more aggressive as teenagers and adults than those who watched less television and this applied to both boys and girls. The findings also conclude that aggressive children are even more susceptible to the impact of TV violence if they live in families where harsh physical discipline is enforced as this further promotes aggressive behavioural patterns in these children.
In one important longitudinal study conducted between 1977 and 1992, Huesmann, Moise-Titus, Podolski & Eron (2003) interviewed a sample of children at ages 6 to 10 years and again around 15 years later. They found that exposure to TV violence predicts the prevalence of aggressive adult behaviour, however they also concluded that a child’s ability to identify with aggressive TV characters and to perceive realism of violent acts on TV is a significant predictor to aggression in adulthood. These relations existed even when controls were in place for factors such as parenting styles, socioeconomic status, educational and intellectual abilities.
On the other hand, programs such as “Sesame Street” and “Play School” have minimal to non-existent violence as outlined in the attached data. There was one act each of physical and relational violence recorded on Sesame Street; these were comical and served to illustrate that aggressive acts are not necessarily an effective way to address a problem. There were negative consequences when violence was used, and contrary to depicted violence in other non-educational programs, Sesame Street’s victim regains power over the aggressor. There were no physical, verbal or relational acts of violence recorded on Play School. These results demonstrate that not all TV watching is harmful and that viewing educational programs such as Sesame Street and Play School may have a positive effect on intelligence and the social development of children. To further illustrate this argument, Huston & Wright (1998) note the striking observation that frequent viewers of Sesame Street and other children’s educational programs at age 5 had superior high school grades in English, Maths and Science compared to infrequent or non-viewers. This was also the case even when allowance was made for early language ability and the educational standard of their parents.
The data noted in the attached appendix notes that violence is prevalent on commercial TV programming and that the consequences include a belief that aggression is an acceptable way to resolve issues. Published literature provides strong and undeniable evidence that watching TV violence is related to an increase in aggressive behaviour, both in the short and long term. Equally important is that both boys and girls from all social backgrounds are at risk for adult aggressive behaviour when constantly exposed to violent TV shows in early childhood. However, as noted above and in the attached data, not all television viewing is harmful; the ABC screens programs such as Sesame Street and Play School which have the positive effects of encouraging the social, intellectual and educational development of young children. This analysis leads to the conclusion that program producers, schools and government bodies need to actively intervene and pursue measures which would reduce the undesirable effects on children. In particular, parents need to be increasingly vigilant in selecting appropriate TV programs for their children; parental guidance may also be necessary on seemingly innocent family programs.
References
Bee, H., & Boyd, D. (2004). The developing child (10th ed.). Sydney: Pearson.
Huesmann, L. R., Moise-Titus, J., Podolski, C., & Eron, L. D. (2003). Longitudinal relations between children’s exposure to TV violence and their aggressive and violent behavior in young adulthood: 1977-1992. Developmental Psychology, 39 (2), 201-221. Retrieved September 12, 2008, from PsychINFO database.
Huston, A.C., & Wright, J.C. (1998). Television and the informational and educational needs of children. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 557, 9-23. Retrieved September 12, 2008, from PsychINFO database.
Plomin, R. & DeFries, J.C. (1999). The genetics of cognitive abilities and disabilities. In Ceci, S. J. & Williams, W.M. (Ed.), The nature-nurture debate: The essential readings. Oxford, England: Blackwell Publishers Ltd.
Wood, W., Wong, F. Y., & Chachere, J. G. (1991). Effects of media violence on viewers’ aggression in unconstrained social interaction. Psychological Bulletin, 109 (3), 371-383. Retrieved September 12, 2008, from PsychINFO database.
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