Reality Television's Affect on Children
Running Head: Reality Television and Children 1
Values Portrayed On Reality Television Programs
Gloria Cheek
Eng 122
Instructor Bernadette Anayah
October 4, 2010
Reality Television and Children 2
Values Portrayed On Reality Television Programs Television violence affects all who watch it, but its biggest effect is on children. Children’s minds are like a blank page, and television is writing violence on that page. Television violence is one of the causes of aggression and violent behavior in children. This problem is not new, but in recent years it has gotten worse. In the last few years, violence in television programs has increased greatly. A study in 2000-2001 compared to a study in 1998-1999 showed violence is, in fact, on the rise. Verbal violence and coarse language alone increased by a staggering 78% (Lavers). How did violence become so prevalent on television? Sadly, violence is what people want to see; it sells. Society has slowly put its guard down allowing violence to creep in. Now we are faced with this detrimental situation which has been created. Reality television has affected the morals and minds of our young children in today’s society. The values portrayed in reality television have had a big impact on the morals of our adolescent children in today’s society. Young children and adolescents have no respect for older people, parents or people in authority. Due to these issues it is felt that reality television is very harmful to our children and something needs to be done to stop the harm to our young people’s cognitive thinking. Young children, starting at about age three, begin to really watch a television program designed for their age. They will begin to imitate what they have seen on the television. Children ages six through about ten often do
Values Portrayed On Reality Television Programs
Gloria Cheek
Eng 122
Instructor Bernadette Anayah
October 4, 2010
Reality Television and Children 2
Values Portrayed On Reality Television Programs Television violence affects all who watch it, but its biggest effect is on children. Children’s minds are like a blank page, and television is writing violence on that page. Television violence is one of the causes of aggression and violent behavior in children. This problem is not new, but in recent years it has gotten worse. In the last few years, violence in television programs has increased greatly. A study in 2000-2001 compared to a study in 1998-1999 showed violence is, in fact, on the rise. Verbal violence and coarse language alone increased by a staggering 78% (Lavers). How did violence become so prevalent on television? Sadly, violence is what people want to see; it sells. Society has slowly put its guard down allowing violence to creep in. Now we are faced with this detrimental situation which has been created. Reality television has affected the morals and minds of our young children in today’s society. The values portrayed in reality television have had a big impact on the morals of our adolescent children in today’s society. Young children and adolescents have no respect for older people, parents or people in authority. Due to these issues it is felt that reality television is very harmful to our children and something needs to be done to stop the harm to our young people’s cognitive thinking. Young children, starting at about age three, begin to really watch a television program designed for their age. They will begin to imitate what they have seen on the television. Children ages six through about ten often do
References: Abelman, B. director of the Media Arts and Technology Division, Cleveland State University American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) (Updated March 2001), Facts Anderson, Kerby. “Violence in Society.” (1995): Probe Ministries. 30 Sept. 2002 . Bernstein, M. (2008, March 15). Does Reality TV for Teens Induce Bad Parent Television Council, PTC Special Report: Reality TV Study, 2001-2002 www.parentstv.org