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5-2 Short Paper: Media Violence and Aggression
Brynne Nicholas
Department of Psychology, Southern New Hampshire University
PSY 319: Child/Adolescent Social Development
Instructor Michele Mortensen
November 27, 2022
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When it comes to forming value systems and influencing behavior, television can have a
significant impact (AACAP, 2011). According to an article by the American Academy of Child
and Adolescent Psychiatry, an average of four hours of television is watched by children in
America daily and content on television today is unfortunately full of violence. Additionally, it is
estimated that children in America will observe at least two-hundred thousand acts of violence
and sixteen-thousand murders by the time they reach the age of eighteen years old
(WSJDigitalNetwork, 2012).
With the amount of time the average child spends watching television on a daily basis being so
high, it is vitally important that parents are aware of what types of television programs their
children are watching. Much research has found that the negative effects on children and
adolescents viewing television violence include them imitating their observations of violence
seen on television, coming to embrace violence as a means of problem-solving, empathizing with
select characters like perpetrators and/or victims, and becoming desensitized to violence
(AACAP, 2011). Evidence has shown that children who watch violent television on a regular
basis become more aggressive and it can be more difficult for children suffering from learning,
behavioral, impulse control, and emotional issues to not be influenced by viewing violence on
television. Children watching television for only one to three hours a day watching television are
prone to a higher risk of being involved in fighting or assaults (WSJDigitalNetwork, 2012). A
child can begin displaying negative behaviors or acts of violence immediately after viewing
violence on television or later in their life (AACAP, 2011).
There is also much evidence that children participating in violent video games are at increased
risk of developing violent behaviors. The video, Violence in Media: A Complicated Relationship,
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presented evidence that violent behaviors are enhanced by the viewing of media violence and/or
video game violence. In addition, there have been studies on the potential differences in the
effects of watching violent television and/or video games in relation to different ethnic groups.
Studies provide evidence that African American males tend to watch more violent television
when compared to white males; however, according to studies, there is no indication of a
difference in impact that viewing violence on television causes on individuals of different
ethnicities (Feshbach, S., & Tangney, J., 2008).
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References
AACAP. (2011, March). Children and TV Violence. Facts for Families. Retrieved November 12,
2022, from https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/
Layout/FFF_Guide-01.aspx
Feshbach, S., & Tangney, J. (2008). Television viewing and aggression: Some alternative
perspectives. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 3(5), 387–389. Retrieved November
12, 2022, from https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1111/j.1745-6924.2008.00086.x
WSJDigitalNetwork. (2012, December 21). Violence in media: A complicated relationship.
YouTube. Retrieved November 12, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=6uDm5IqKMOA
