Media Violence has correlational affects that stimulates aggression in most children

By

David Caban, MBA

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 Media violence such as violent video games tend to influence children cognition,
which affects their attitude and social behavior; for instance, children who are
excessively exposed to media violence would stem the probability of becoming more
expose to other factors of violence that can potentially result in social violence. For
example, violent video games, sit-coms whether or not it was designed for children, or
adolescents can affect children cognition and brain development. For instance, children
interacting with violent video games would gain approval that violence is a normal social
form of behavior. Furthermore, adults, such as, parents and-or guardians may deem in the
matter of opinion as too how much violent exposure to their children is acceptable
without analyzing the harmful affects violent exposure has on their children.
Children that are excessively exposed to violent video games may be exposed to
other facets of violence that exist within their social environment, which involves lack of,
and-or poor parenting. As a result, children can potentially develop the desensitization
towards violence, which can potentially affect their social surroundings.
Researchers in the past had proven both the validity and reliability of their
findings relating violent video games, movies and sit-coms with children and adolescents
present and post aggressive responses. However, in some areas there lack little or almost
no proof of violent video games with children aggression. For example, social aggression
has a few related variables, such as, relational and peer aggression, which can potentially
lead into physical confrontations.
Areas of study past researchers focused were violent video games, normal
children, children with behavior disorders and observing children as an independent
variable. The dependant variables were children aggression, such as, social and physical
aggression. In some cases violent behavior was also viewed as a dependant variable,
because it is a result from aggression.
Media violence such as violent video games has been determined as a social role
model, because it influences children attitude and social behavior, in addition, depending
on the children social environment it can be a reinforcement model. Furthermore, it tends
too influence more than the traditional role modeling of both parental and educational
role modeling, including older siblings, as well as, extended family members. According
to Gonzalez et al., (2004), described, “The media sometimes referred to as a culture
mother, culture parent, and culture home or second family” (p.190). Therefore, media
violence such as violent video games is a new social role model that influences the
perspective of children, which affects society, as well as, the individual.
Media violence is sometimes termed as media literacy, because it’s designed to
target society, especially, children and adolescents. This is nothing new, but rather, a
problematic-issue that has permeated society. Therefore, media literacy has been for
many decades aiming too influence the minds of society, especially, children. As a result,
it becomes a surrogate parental role model that has influences the education systems
which imparts knowledge into the minds of children, which would prelude during their
adolescents up to early adulthood.
The imparting of aggressive and violent behavior or perception into the minds of
children that could potentially result in the cultivation of negative attitudes and social
behavior, that most adults failed to recognized, because of social phenomenon reasons
that is suggested for further exploration. For example, does violence exist within the

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home? Or simply, parents, guardians and older family members within the household not
realizing or recognizing the concept of violence.
Media violence such as violent video games has influence society in two different
ways, short and long-term affects. The aim is to teach children through observation how
to react in similar aggressive and-or violent ways as in real-life events, similarity to
military type training in warfare. Therefore, demonstrating to children by cultivating their
mindset that can influence their cognitive process, which affects values and belief
systems that instill aggressive and violent behavior as sociable accepted practices.
Potentially, this can result into the desensitization towards violence, which displays less
empathy and hostile aggression within their social environment. Furthermore, developing
anti-social behavior amongst peers. For example, the situation with Klebold and Harris
both boys were disassociated from their peers, but were influence by media violence,
which played as one of the roles models that influenced their behavior. Therefore, media
violence not only affects normal children, but also, children that may be experiencing
behavior disorders.
Furthermore, within the environment social peers, parents and other outside
influences also attribute to the influx of aggressive behavior; therefore, media violence
becomes more of a reinforcement model.
Children exposed to media violence such as violent video games is similar while
witnessing a crime; children would learn through careful observation that both aggressive
and violent behavior does work, however, potentially providing monetary rewards.
Therefore, depending upon the individual’s culture and social environment would vary in
the adaptation of criminal behavior. Potentially, excessive exposure to violent video
games can affect children, as well as, adolescents that can potentially affect early
adulthood because media violence is an additional role model within the home.
Short and long-term affects of media violence such as violent video games consist
of three cognitive structures:
1. Schemas, which instills a belief system in children that the world is a violent
place.
2. Scriptive role, this is what influences both attitude and social behavior, by
mirroring media violence with real life events.
3. Normative, which is a belief system that creates the individual perspective of their
environment; for example, aggressive and violent behavior is acceptable within
their environment.

Violent video games displays acts of aggression acts, such as, violent and aggressive
behavior to either its opponent or victim. Children observed such action, but it becomes
inhibited within children cognition, which affects values and beliefs system; for example,
children forming thoughts, schemas, attitudes, which affects social behavior and the
concept that the worlds is a violent place. As a result, cultivating the minds of children
that aggressive attitudes and social behavior is acceptable; especially, while it displays
within a comedy whether it is either children and-or adult programming.
In addition, reinforcing the concept of such aggressive and violent actions is socially
accepted within the environment. Therefore, such actions affect children development by
instilling the concept that the world around them is a violent place. Also, reinforcing the
schematic concept of implying what was observed reflect their environment, which

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affects both the cognitions and critical thinking skills, which display aggressive and-or
violent behavior.
Furthermore, some earlier researchers earlier studies relating children aggression with
media violence never mentioned any of their samples had any prior diagnosis with
behavior disorders. Therefore, creating a gap in literature, because children with behavior
disorders react to violence differently than normal children. Then quite the contrary, any
excessive violent exposure to children is not healthy.

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