The Impact of Entertainment Media Violence on Children and Families

Child Psychology I

Types of Violence in the Media

1. Violence with a weapon2. Violence without a weapon3. Crashes and explosions4. Verbal violence

By the time the average American child graduates from elementary school, he or she will have seen more than 8,000 murders and more than 100,000 other assorted acts of violence (e.g., assaults) on network television (American Psychological Assocation,1992).

National TV Violence Study (1996-1998) 8,000 hrs of TV analyzed

60% of programs were violent. "Good" characters perpetrated

nearly 40% of the violent acts. 40% of the violent acts perpetrated

by "bad" characters went unpunished.

National TV Violence Study (1996-1998) 8,000 hrs of TV analyzed

75% of the perpetrators showed no remorse.

Over 50% of the victims showed no pain or suffering.

National TV Violence Study (1996-1998) 8,000 hrs of TV analyzed

35% of victims experienced unrealistically low levels of harm.

15% of the violent programs portrayed long-term consequences (e.g., to the victim’s family).

50% of the violent scenes were lethal, 40% were portrayed as humorous.

What makes observational learning more likely?

Repeated exposure is the #1 factor!

However, the effects of media violence may be increased or decreased by: Characteristics of the individual viewer and

the environment Characteristics of the media presentation

and how the viewer perceives it

Individual and EnvironmentalRisk Factors

Age: Media violence affects kids 2-11 the most

Gender: Media violence affects both boys and girls

Family: Co-viewing, discussion, and anti-violence

norms reduce effect

Cultural and gender role norms: Can reduce

or increase effect

Existing Aggressiveness: Media violence

affects aggressive and non aggressive kids

Intellectual ability: Media violence affects both

high and low IQ kids

Social class: Media violence affects upper and

lower class kids, but lower class kids watch more media violence

Individual and EnvironmentalRisk Factors

Identification with aggressor: Effects are

larger for violent behaviors committed by charismatic heroes with whom the viewer identifies

Perceived realism of aggression: Effects

are larger when violent shows are perceived as telling about life like it really is

Characteristics of Program that Affect Risk

Characteristics of Program that Affect Risk

Consequences of aggressive act: Effects

are larger when aggressor is rewarded” for his/her actions

Justifiability of aggressive act: Effects are

larger when aggression is portrayed as justified

Attention to scene: Effects are larger when

viewer’s attention is riveted on scene

Video Clips

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj0ybgDDIpg

http://spongebob.nick.com/videos/play/summer-job-full-episode/

http://pbskids.org/video/