Media Violence

Media Violence Exposure and Its Effects on Children
By
Shehab Al Sayegh
English II
Summer I, 2012
Lebanese American University

ABSTRACT: The fast and the great development in media make the way for violence easier to spread all over the world. Media violence is of different forms, it can be reached by using any type of media. Violence in television commercials and in advertising are two forms of media violence that carry great amount of violence, but even though there are people who are selective to media violence and they feel pleasurable when they are exposed to it. Nowadays the majority of T.V programs and advertising contain violent behavior (about 60%), and that phenomenon may carry great affects on us and our children.
Violence nowadays is growing very fast and the development in media gave violence an easy way to spread more and to become a real danger on us and our children. Jones et al (2010) argues that ‘’Most people in the developed world countries are routinely exposed to violence in television and film, video games, music ,the internet and advertising’’(p. 11). Those people are exposed to many forms of violence, let’s say children when they are playing violent video games, indirectly they are exposed to violence and they are learning it as many hours as they play. Another example is when we are watching an action movie, so we are exposed to violence (Jones et al, 2010).
There are many forms of media violence that dangerously affects us and our children such as T.V commercials and advertising violence, but although there are dangerous effects of media violence there are people who select exposure and enjoy media violence. The different forms of media make it easier to spread violence, so in every minute we can be exposed to violence. If we are driving, if we are watching T.V, if we are playing a video game, we are surrounded by a variety of things that can expose us to violence. But sometimes people select the exposure to violence, and they feel bored if they did not see violent scenes especially in movies, so there are people who feel affection for watching and exposing to violence.
Brocato et al (2010) cite Anderson and Bushman (2001) who argue that ‘’media violence as media-based content that depicts intentional attempts by individuals to inflict harms on others’’ (p. 96). Media violence can be real or animated and in both cases it is called violence, these behaviors are done by individuals where they lead to harmful things on others and that is because people and especially kids are influenced by media (Brocato et al, 2010).
Findings and research show that the media violence increases the viewers’ aggression, thus the exposure to media violence may lead to aggressive behavior, and that because people are greatly influenced by what they view and kids in particular try to imitate such scenes they watch in a certain movie or in cartoon, and that behavior may hurt kids because they don’t think about its harms and effects (Brocato et al, 2010). Brocato et al (2010) cite Wood et al (1991) who argues that ‘’media violence exposure resulted in a significant increase in the viewers’ aggressive behaviors’’ (p. 97).
Brocato et al (2010) cite Anderson and Bushman (2001, 2002) who develop a model which is called the General Aggression Model (GAP). This model was supported in the long term studies by the USA and Japan, and in the short term studies it shows that the exposure to media violence may lead to aggressive behaviors in children (Brocato et al, 2010). This model studies the effect of media violence on children, and it suggests several examples of the behavior of children who are exposed to media violence, for example when a child see people dressed in black, he/she thought that those people are potential enemies and this is a perceptual schemata, and another example which reflects aggressive beliefs (e.g. fighting is acceptable in certain instances) (Brocato et al, 2010).
Brocato et al (2010) argue that the main purpose of the studies done by a group was to investigate the perception of media violence done by parents and children, and how television commercial might influence children. The GAM mentioned that “child’s exposure to even short violent episodes (such as contained in commercials) may lead to aggression’’ (p. 98). However, it was refuted by (Strauss and Corbin, 1990) who said that the exposure to violence in commercials which is a unique type of media may not be considered as a potential harmful (Brocato et al, 2010). As the GAP mentioned that exposing to a violent scene even in a small time may lead children to aggressive behaviors and that is a logical conclusion, since children are very sensitive and such violent scenes can make a great affects on them (Brocato et al, 2010).
Ellison (2005) argues that research assumes the great link between T.V violence and increased violence among viewers. Nowadays we know that there is a great link between the T.V violence and the violent things that happen in our daily life, for example, some cartoons have a violent aim and these cartoon scenes may affect children, also video games that children are playing for many hours contain violent materials that influence and lead to aggressive behaviors in children (Ellison, 2005).
In fact parents are responsible for taking care of their children, and children exposing to media violence is a serious things where parents should control, since it affects children in a negative way and sometimes it leads them imitate a scene which may be dangerous one ( Ellison, 2005). Ellison (2005) argues that parents have the great responsibility to conceal their children from media violence.
Violence in advertising is another form of media violence. But this form as Jones et al (2010) argue that we didn’t give the violence in advertising a great attention like violence in other forms of media. Comparing the amount we spend in using internet , watching T.V and movies, playing video games and in being exposed to advertising, we find that we are exposed to ads in small amount of time compared to other forms of media (Jones et al, 2010). people according to their exposure to media violence, they have a big amount of exposure to T.V and film commercial violence, internet and video games, but we find that if we look in our daily life behavior that we are much less exposed to media violence in advertisement.
But as Jones et al (2010) argue that ‘’violence in advertising is persistent and increasing’’ (p. 11) and then he cite Debling (1998) who argues that ‘’over 60% of the programming aired in the United States contained violence’’ (p. 12). When parents see that 60 % of the programs aired in the U.S are containing violence, they should be aware that their children’s percentage of exposure to media violence is also increasing, and they should have a control over the limit children can be exposed to media.
However, as Jones et al (2010) cite Christy and Haley 2007; Lawson 1985 argue that ‘’many people find violence in advertising offensive, but violent executions have been used for positive ends as well (e.g., anti drinking and driving campaign)’’ (p. 12). Sometimes violence might be used for positive ends (Christy and Haley 2007; Lawson 1985), It can be used to fear someone in order to stop a bad thing, for example, Jones et al (2010) cite Ruiter et al (2001) argue that “fear appeals attempts to frighten target audience members in order to motivate them to take appropriate precautionary’’(p. 12), and they mean that violence can be used to frighten someone in order to stop a bad behavior sometimes, such as smoking.
For some people violence is not a bad thing, but in contrary it is a nice one that they enjoy. Weaver (2011) cite David Zuiker, the creator of the popular crime drama CSI, arguing that “my job as the creator, our jobs as executive producer, is to push the [violence] envelope as far as we can because for me, I’m always afraid that the audience is going to get bored’’(p. 232). And that is true, since for me as an audience I get bored if I am watching a movie where there is no taste of violence, and I’m sure that there are a lot of people who like to watch and feel in violence.
The author Weaver (2011) argues that cutting off violence scenes will make the film less enjoyable, so for some viewers and audiences violence is necessary. As we know that there are many people who enjoy violence; violence in movies, in ads, in all forms of media. They feel thrilled when they see these violent scenes, so producers can’t cut these scenes (Weaver, 2011). Also Weaver (2011) argue that ‘’Aggressive individuals will choose to watch violence and will enjoy violence more than non-aggressive individuals’’ (p. 232) and ‘’Weaver’’ stated also that ‘’males will choose violence and will enjoy violence more than females will’’ (p. 232). It’s a reasonable fact that always aggressive people like to watch violent and aggressive movies and scenes since they like and enjoy these things, and also we can say that probably males are the target of violence especially violent movies, since males are more aggressive and normally they accept violence more than females.
In general media violence nowadays is reaching its optimum, since we and our children are exposed in every single minute to the different forms of violence. The simplest thing is when we let our kids watch cartoons all over the day thinking that they are enjoying their time. In reality they are enjoying their time, but on the other side they are learning and filling their minds and memories in harmful and bad things, since there are many cartoon scenes that aim to a violent message. Such as the popular cartoon show “Tom and Jerry”, no one can say that it is not a pleasurable show, but no one takes into consideration that this show sometimes aim to an aggressive message. We should be aware as parents since we are going to a harder days where violence is taking a big place.

References: Jones, T., Cunningham, P. H., & Gallagher, K. (2010). VIOLENCE IN ADVERTISING. Journal Of Advertising, 39(4), 11-36. doi:10.2753/JOA0091-3367390402
Brocato, E., Gentile, D. A., Laczniak, R. N., Maier, J. A., & Ji-Song, M. (2010). TELEVISION COMMERCIAL VIOLENCE. Journal Of Advertising, 39(4), 95-107. doi:10.2753/JOA0091-3367390407
Weaver, A. J. (2011). A Meta-Analytical Review of Selective Exposure to and the Enjoyment of Media Violence. Journal Of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 55(2), 232-250. doi:10.1080/08838151.2011.570826
Ellison, K. (2005). What’s up Doc? A Bloody out Rage, That’s what. In D.U. Seyler. Read, Reason, Write an argument text and reader (9th ed.).P;359. McGraw Hill Publisher Higher Education.

References: Jones, T., Cunningham, P. H., & Gallagher, K. (2010). VIOLENCE IN ADVERTISING. Journal Of Advertising, 39(4), 11-36. doi:10.2753/JOA0091-3367390402 Brocato, E., Gentile, D. A., Laczniak, R. N., Maier, J. A., & Ji-Song, M. (2010). TELEVISION COMMERCIAL VIOLENCE. Journal Of Advertising, 39(4), 95-107. doi:10.2753/JOA0091-3367390407 Weaver, A. J. (2011). A Meta-Analytical Review of Selective Exposure to and the Enjoyment of Media Violence. Journal Of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 55(2), 232-250. doi:10.1080/08838151.2011.570826 Ellison, K. (2005). What’s up Doc? A Bloody out Rage, That’s what. In D.U. Seyler. Read, Reason, Write an argument text and reader (9th ed.).P;359. McGraw Hill Publisher Higher Education.