TV Violence

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer notes that both the critical and non-critical debate about the effect of television upon its viewers seems to have begun somewhere probably in the first week or so of the sets being introduced to the public. The consequence of the appearance of television itself was immediate and profound both sociologically and psychologically, as well as economically for some industries. The writer points out that the influence of this medium on our culture as a whole is enormous, for both good and bad results. TV violence has become an extreme issue for the conservative to derogate and for the liberals to defend. The writer discusses what is the reality of the effect of TV violence on us today and especially the more impressionable children that view it. In particular, the paper discusses the current state of the debate and attempts to separate fact from fiction, both on screen and off.

From the Paper:

"This same study also inferred that if children, with the help of their parents, take more control over their leisure activities that they may be able to take more control of themselves and their behaviors overall. There is another benefit in that when parents show they are concerned and take an active role in their child's wellbeing, this has the effect of children who see adults caring about them and not just using TV as the built in babysitter. Jones feels that cutting overall consumption is really the key and violence is only a small sub issue over which very little evidence is clear on direct connections. And what is clear is often not very convincing."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Barker, Martin, and Julian Petley, eds. Ill Effects: The Media/Violence Debate. New York: Routledge, 2001
• Brozo, William G., Patricia Walter, and Teri Placker. ""I Know the Difference between a Real Man and a TV Man": A Critical Exploration of Violence and Masculinity through Literature in a Junior High School in the 'Hood The Authors Attempted to Help Students Think Critically about Violence and Masculinity in Order to Point out Options for Life beyond Their Neighborhood." Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 45.6 (2002): 530+.
• Gunter, Barrie, Jackie Harrison, and Maggie Wykes. Violence on Television: Distribution, Form, Context, and Themes. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2003.
• Jones, Gerard. Killing Monsters: Why Children Need Fantasy, Super Heroes, and Make-Believe Violence. New York: Basic Books, 2002.
• Krcmar, Marina. "The Contribution of Family Communication Patterns to Children's Interpretations of Television Violence." Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media 42.2 (1998): 250-255

More papers on TV Violence:

• Research Proposal # 104531 : "Impact of TV Violence"
• Term Paper # 2468 : "TV Violence and Children"
• Research Paper # 102554 : "TV Violence and Aggression"

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