Sizing Up The Effects By Sissela Bok: Article Analysis

With an uprise of violence in the media today, it is important to evaluate how exposure to such media may affect its viewers, especially children. Conclusive studies have been ran that indicates there may be a connection between aggressive behavior in these adulesents and violent materials such as movies, television shows, and different forms of art. These materials have been suggested to have short-term and long-lastings effects. In the article, "Sizing Up the Effects", Sissela Bok illustrates the potential dangers that violence in the media can have on adulesents, affecting their decisions and behavior. In 1993, the American Psychological Association released a report, based on their annylisis of previously made studies. They noted that "children's exposure to violence in the mass media, particularly at young ages, can have harmful lifelong consequences". They believe
Whether it be a lyric in a song, a murder in a movie, or rape in a television show, all may contribute to our desensitization to witnessing such materials. If a person were to watch an episode of "I love Lucy", from the 50's, and and episode of "CSI", from today, they would notice the difference in violence and even sexuallity as the characters of "I love Lucy" even slept in seperate beds. The fact that a child can turn the television on at any hour of the day and be able to witness a murder or rape, i believe, is not socially correct. Because of this exposure to violence at such a young age, a child can become more comfortable with the thought of commiting an act aggression towards another child. I also believe if a parent does not want to expose their child to such violence, they should put parental locks on their television sets. It is a parents resposibilty to raise their child and make decisions that may effect their social growth and