MASS COMMUNICATION

Effect of Violence in Children's Programming on Children

Abstract

The research paper discusses the effect of violence on children. In particular it focuses on the affects of the exposure to violence that children get from children's programming. Children's programming may be defined as those shows that are originally produced and primarily intended for audiences of children aged 12 and below. For the paper, violence may be defined as an act of physical or psychological harm that is either intentional or unintentional by a person to himself or others around him, animals or other inanimate objects. The paper discusses the affects of watching violence based children programs on children. What is the impact of these programs on children in the short term and in the long run, how does the impact on children differ between boys and girl, and those who are adolescents and teenagers. What are the risks associated with exposing children to violence over the television for the family as well as for the society, how psychopathology can help in understanding the aggressive behavior of children exposed to violent television programming and finally how the US Safe Harbor Policy can be applied to violence in television.

Table of Contents

Introduction1

Affect of television violence on young children2

Differences in the affect of television violence on young boys and girls3

Children's perception of television violence4

Realistic and cartoon-based moral transgressions in the US5

Risk assessment of violence7

Psychopathology and media violence9

Law for children's safety against violation10

Conclusion11

References12

Effect of Violence in Children's Programming on Children

Introduction

The research paper is on the affects of violence displayed on television on children. In particular, the paper focuses on the violence transmitted in television programmes aimed for children. This is a major area of concern in the field of mass communication. Professionals in the field as well as the general public have vehemently brought the issue to light many times. According to research, an average household in the US spends about six and a half hours in front of the television. The violence displayed on television and its exposure to children has an impact on their behavior not only in the short run but also throughout their lives.

Violence may be defined as an act of physical or psychological harm that is either intentional or unintentional by a person to himself or others around him, animals or other inanimate objects. Act of violence in children's programs include physical harm in the form of hitting someone or killing someone and physiological harm such as content that shows one person or character in the programme calling names to the other person or character in the programme.

Children's programming may be defined as those shows that are specifically produced for children between the ages 12 and lower. Hence, any program that is intended for the general public or a show that has viewers of all ages may not be regarded as children's programming.

The paper discusses the affects of watching violence based children programs on children. What is the impact of these programs on children ...