In this case, Hollywood is wrong – viewing violence in television and other
media can result in an acceptance of and acting out of violence by some
children, public health experts warned in a recent statement.
More than 1,000 studies from more than three decades point to a “causal
connection between media violence and aggressive behavior in some children,”
officials with the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics,
the American Psychological Association and the American Academy of Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry warned in a statement released late last month.
In this case, Hollywood is wrong – viewing violence in television and other
media can result in an acceptance of and acting out of violence by some
children, public health experts warned in a recent statement.
More than 1,000 studies from more than three decades point to a “causal
connection between media violence and aggressive behavior in some children,”
officials with the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics,
the American Psychological Association and the American Academy of Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry warned in a statement released late last month.
Indeed, the public health community has concluded “viewing entertainment
violence can lead to increases in aggressive attitudes, values and behavior,
particularly in children,” the statement says.
Some in the entertainment business contend media violence is harmless because
no studies demonstrate a connection with aggressiveness in children.
They also argue that children recognize programming on television and other
media as fantasy.
“They are wrong on both counts,” the public health leaders emphasized
in their statement.
The effects of viewing entertainment violence “are measurable and long-lasting,”
they add.
Though the effects vary among children, the leaders cited several measurable
negative effects:
n”Children exposed to violent programming at a young age have
a higher tendency for violent and aggressive behavior later in life
than children who are not so exposed.
”Children exposed to violence are more likely to assume
acts of violence are acceptable behavior.
”Viewing violence can lead to emotional desensitization
towards violence in real life. … (and) decrease the likelihood that one will
take action on behalf of a victim when violence occurs.”
The concern is great, since the average American child watches television as
much as fours hours a day and typically plays video games or spends time on
the Internet at least another hour daily, the statement notes. This does not
include several more hours weekly watching videos at home or movies in theaters
and listening to music, the public health officials said.
The leaders express special concern about video games. Early studies indicate
the “negative impact of games may be significantly more severe than that
of television, movies or music, they warn.
Leaders are not seeking to restrict the entertainment industrys freedom,
noted Sen. Sam Brownback, R.-Kan, one of the sponsors of a Capitol Hill summit
held in conjunction with the public health statements release. Instead,
leaders are hopeful the summit and statement “will be a watershed in the
way people think about entertainment violence.”
Brownback also suggested that by providing information on the health risks
posed by entertainment violence, parents will be “better equipped to protect
their children.”
But, of course, that depends on the parents – and what they do with the information.