| Running Head: Effects of Television Violence on | | | | be aggressive to others. Such children do not |
| Children Behaviour | | | | mingle easily with others for according to them |
| Name: | | | | violence is the order of the day. When they meet |
| University: | | | | with others they think of fighting as a form of |
| Course: | | | | exercising "their powers" on the other children |
| Date: | | | | assuming that they are as strong as the people |
| Abstract: | | | | they watch on the televisions. This is because we |
| This paper seeks to find the possible effects of | | | | are living in a world where most parents are so |
| television Violence on Children Behaviour as | | | | busy to the extent that they do not have time |
| highlighted by psychologists. It gives a detailed | | | | for their children, and the moral standards among |
| explanation of how violent episodes negatively | | | | children slowly diminishing as a result. The parents |
| affect the children after watching them. It also | | | | are busy at work to make ends meet, they give |
| looks at the moral norms behind the act of | | | | their children lots of freedom to watch whatever |
| watching such episodes. | | | | they want just to keep them busy not |
| Introduction: | | | | considering the outcome. |
| According to Taylor (2007) Psychology can be | | | | Approximately 20% of television shows contain |
| defined as the science of mental life, it therefore | | | | violent acts. This is according to a study by Eron |
| follows that child psychology is the scientific study | | | | (1992). He states that such programmes make |
| of a child's mental life. The mental life of a child | | | | the children be scared of the world around them |
| can be affected in various ways and this includes | | | | and they feel that the world is mean on them. |
| family violence, media and age mates among | | | | After watching such programmes children are |
| others. Walker (1990) on the other hand define | | | | more likely to change their behaviour by becoming |
| Morality as what is right and acceptable within the | | | | more violent or by fearing the world around them. |
| setting of a community while immorality may be | | | | Conclusion |
| looked at as what is not right and therefore | | | | In order to end this problem, children should be |
| unacceptable in the community. | | | | education on the dangers of watching these |
| Moral judgment is very tricky to define because | | | | violent acts on the television. The parents should |
| what one community sees as a moral behaviour | | | | take a leading role in this debate and spend time |
| can be immoral in another community. According | | | | with their children. This is because the media |
| to Macintyre (1957) Moral judgment may be | | | | owners can not do it, the television manufacturers |
| literally be defined as what is perceived to be | | | | can not do it, so it's upon the parents to take it |
| acceptable in a specified community. This study | | | | head on and do it themselves. They should watch |
| will look at the some of the children immoral | | | | at least one episode with their children and get |
| behaviours caused by watching violent acts on | | | | the reactions of the children and educate them on |
| television. | | | | the same. |
| Effects of Television Violence on Children | | | | The children should be taught to differentiate |
| Behaviour: | | | | between fictions and what are real life episodes |
| In studying the effect of Television violence on a | | | | and discourage them from acting violently against |
| child's life, Psychologists argue that television | | | | other children for what they watch on television |
| violence will affect the child's behaviour negatively. | | | | are fictions and not fact. Children should not be |
| Taylor (2007) argues that when children are | | | | banned from watching such programmes but |
| exposed to violence, they are likely to become | | | | should be educated on the dangers of the same. |
| less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others. | | | | Banning can never be a solution for if you ban |
| In this respect many children will end up being hurt | | | | them they will look for every opportunity possible |
| by others as the rest of the children watch, this | | | | to get access to these episodes, and this will |
| is because they are used to such kind violence | | | | make it even worse. |
| and to them it's a normal act. | | | | References |
| Secondly television violence will make the children | | | | Alasdair Macintyre. "What Morality is Not", Journal |
| fear the world around them. According to Eron | | | | of Philosophy, volume 32, page 325 to 335, 1957. |
| (1992) some of these forms of violence are too | | | | Alksnis, C. and Taylor, A. "The Impact of |
| extreme to the extent that the children get | | | | Experiencing and Witnessing Family Violence during |
| scared of what is around them. Some are even | | | | Childhood" retrieved on 2nd February, from 2007. |
| get more afraid during the night. This makes even | | | | Huesmann, R., Podolski, C and Eron, L. "Relations |
| the children to be scared of strangers and may | | | | between Children's Exposure to TV Violence and |
| cause nightmares among the children. | | | | Their Aggressive and Violent Behaviour" |
| Thirdly, according to Eron (1992) television | | | | Developmental Psychology Journal, Volume 39 (2), |
| violence will trigger the children to have an | | | | 1992. |
| absolute negative behaviour towards other | | | | Walker, A and Wallace, G. The definition of |
| children. In other words it makes the children to | | | | Morality. London: Methuen, 1990. |