Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how children's viewing habits can lead to aggressive and violent behavior, as well as increased sexual activity. The paper describes how television viewing can lead to consumerism and overspending in children and also promotes inactivity and insufficient exercise. The paper notes, however, that not all television programming is harmful to children; shows such as Sesame Street are extremely valuable for children's learning and development. The paper does emphasize that parents need to monitor other programs that are not especially geared to children.

From the Paper:

"Studies indicate that children who view violent television programs behave more aggressively after viewing such programming. Two researchers state, "Studies have frequently concluded that a correlation exists between one's exposure to mediated violence and his or her endorsement of aggressive behavior in peers" (Shimanovsky, and Lewis). Simply put, the effect of viewing violence on television can tend to make children more aggressive and violent in society, and that has been proven in studies and in classrooms around America. Young people are more aggressive and violent than they were even a decade ago, and many experts believe that lies in part with the availability of increased aggression and violence in television shows (and other media, too, such as video games and films). There are other effects of television viewing, as well."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Abelman, Robert. "Fighting the War on Indecency: Mediating TV, Internet, and Videogame Usage among Achieving and Underachieving Gifted Children." Roeper Review 29.2 (2007): 100+.
• Gunter, Barrie, Caroline Oates, and Mark Blades. Advertising to Children on TV: Content, Impact, and Regulation. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2005.
• Shimanovsky, Michael, and Barbara Jo Lewis. "Influences Exerted on the Child Viewer When Exposed to Violent Imagery in Television and Print Advertising." Journal of Evolutionary Psychology 29.1-2 (2006): 41+.
• Tate, Deborah. "Children, TV and the FCC." The Washington Times 10 June 2006: A13.

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