Violence is commonly used in films, television shows, and video games to drive storylines and create conflict. However, media violence often depicts unrealistic consequences like characters recovering quickly from injuries without long term effects. Additionally, characters are typically reduced to simplistic "good" or "bad" roles without depth or humanity. Studies have found that excessive exposure to media violence can increase aggression in children by reducing empathy and making them less cooperative in solving problems. However, parents also play a role and should teach their children to think critically about media messages.
4. BY BARBARA OSBORA
Violence is the foundation of many films, TV movies, and
action series. In fact, violence is often synonymous with
"action." Because screenwriters, directors and producers use
violence often and in many ways, how do we begin to
recognize the distinctions in media violence? Here are the
three basics formulas to help you recognize them:
1. Violence Drives the Storyline
Without the violence, there would be no story.
A crime, a murder, a fist-fight are used to launch TV and
movie plots.
5. TV and film plots begin with violence, and impending conflict
continues to drive the story. The hero is never safe. Danger is
always just around the corner. As the story unfolds, outbreaks of
violence against people and property make sure that viewers
stay in their seats.
2. Violence Has No Consequences
TV violence doesn't bleed. There are lots of
shootouts and fist fights, but amazingly no one gets seriously
hurt. TV rarely shows the consequences of violence. unlucky
characters end up in a nice clean hospital bed.
In general, films depict bleeding.
Perhaps the most chilling aspect of the media's portrayal of
violence is that when people are killed, they simply disappear.
No one mourns their death. Their lives are unimportant.
6. 3. A World of Good and Bad
Media violence takes place in a world of good
and bad. In most TV programs and movies, viewers'
emotions have to be enlisted very quickly.
As a result, TV and film criminals are reduced to caricatures.
They are l00% bad. No one could care about them. They
have no families. Many of them don't even have full names,
only nick names. They deserve no sympathy and they get
what they deserve.
7. violence on television does have an adverse affect on
children and the way they think and act. This is true not only
for young children, but some recent studies indicate that
watching violence on television can even impact adults.
We know that for the most part, children learn from both
experience and social learning or role modeling. Therefore,
when children, especially young children, see violence on
television, they have a difficult time differentiating between
what is real or what is make believe.
children are psychologically affected by having less
empathy, a characteristic we see in bullies; they are more
likely to use aggressive strategies to solve their problems.
These children act out in class and are more likely to be the
class bully. Since they seem to be less patient.
children who watch too much violence on TV appear to be
more unwilling to cooperate.
8.
9. Although many people criticize violent movies, if there is a
movie which does not contain violence, who will go to see
that movie? Most major movies, such as "Lethal Weapon",
"Die Hard", and "Independence Day", were really popular in
spite of the fact that the "good guy" killed more people than
the "bad guy" did.
Children might imitate behavior they see in the movies. I
agree that movies, TV, and other media influence our lives,
especially for kids.
but not all children imitate violence. Most kids hate that and
don't want to see it.
Violence in movies might make some kids aggressive, but
they can learn about the world from that.
10. If there is no violence in the media, everyone would have to
learn only from real experience. A really tough kid never
understands how it hurts to get punched.
Many parents tend to blame media violence, but parents
should teach their children.
Parents should teach their children that there are tons of
good things and bad things, and they should help them to
know what is wrong.
11. By an American Psychological Association, "It is the
accumulation of risk factors that tends to lead to aggressive
or violent behavior. The research reviewed here
demonstrates that violent video game use is one such risk
factor.”
CBS News reported on Feb. 18, 2013 that the shooter at the
Dec. 14, 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre
"was motivated by violent video games and a strong desire to
kill more people than another infamous mass murderer,"
citing law enforcement sources. CBS also cited unnamed
sources saying that the shooter was "likely acting out the
fantasies of a video game as he killed 20 first graders and six
adults at the school.
12. An Aug. 2015 report from the American Psychological
Association determined that playing violent video games is
linked to increased aggression.
Worldwide sales of video games are predicted to reach
$102.9 billion in 2017.