How Does Violent Media Affect for Children?

Killing zombies, destroying villains by using super-powers, and fighting enemies with martial arts are the behavior or scene that most people in modern society have directly or indirectly experienced through Media. It would not be a social problem if the object which these violent media aims were only for people who are able to think critically and distinguish between illusion and reality. Then how does violent media affect for children? There are many opinions on this subject. Some people wouldn’t want their sons of daughters watching anything considered too violent. Others don’t think that violent movies are that big of a deal, as long as the child knows that it’s all fake and it’s just made for entertainment. However, generally, children are not grown enough and they are in the stage of learning through the world. Therefore, in this stage, violent media which contains ‘violence’ in their content affect children in bad aspects and this is supported by many studies and researches.

Violent imaginary increases the likelihood of aggressive of fearful behavior in younger children. People say that children are like sponges. They absorb everything they see and hear through the world. Furthermore, copying what they saw and heard, they learn and create the pattern of their behaviors. Therefore, for the children who were exposed to violent media, the behaviors of characters in games of TV would definitely affect the process that form their personality. This is well supported by Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology.

“Twenty-eight children, age 4 to 6 years were observed in a free play setting at baseline, after watching a violent cartoon and after playing “Space Invaders.” Results indicated significant differences in aggressive behavior, relative to baseline behaviors, after watching television and after playing video games.”

A 2003 study published in the Psychological Science in the Public Interest led by Craig A. Anderson, states that “children who are exposed to media violence experience an increase in ‘physiological arousal’ and that this arousal triggers an automated response to imitate behaviors that they observe.” Children may not be able to discern why the television characters make the choices they do and, without this understanding, children may simply imitate what they see or hear without understanding the effects or consequences of their actions.

Children who watch violence on television may become afraid and worried that they will be hurt. In addition, according to the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. Children who are exposed to violence in the media often perceive