Violence on TV : Why it ’ s Hurting Our Children
By : Delaney Campbell
In today ’ s society watching television is almost unavoidable . They are everywhere , from living rooms to doctor ’ s offices to cars . As such , the effect it ( particularly the more violent aspects of entertainment ) has on our children is also difficult to escape . And what is that effect , exactly ? Researchers have pinpointed that violent television may alter a child ’ s behaviour and mannerisms .
When a child views violent material for prolonged periods of time , it has a profound impact on their psychological wellbeing . This may result in the development of an anxiety disorder or a fear of the world around them . Once a child has become distrustful of new situations or even environments they have been to before , it can take a lot of time and counselling to correct properly so that they become functional members of society .
Long term studies also show that watching violent television shows and playing violent video games can make children more aggressive . It has also been proven to lower the amount of empathy kids display towards the pain of others . When children view violent acts on television , they slowly become desensitized to real life violent act . They may even believe that violence is the correct way to solve problems , which can lead to acts of bullying on the playground and even the garnering of a criminal record as they grow older .