Your thoughts on the media and violence...

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Liesje

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I've always been skeptical of blaming the media for things like violent teens, school girls with eating disorders, etc. I've always thought that the media is merely a polarization of how society really thinkgs and behaves, not something that tells society how to think and behave. But recently, I was studying for a social psychology final and read some things that really suprised me. First, the text cited several studies that proved that exposing children to violence on TV actually caused an increase in violent behavior. By cause I mean, they considered other third variables, such as a third factor that might predispose certain kids to have access to more violent media in the first place, and found it didn't matter. Every group produced the same results. Scary.

Then, a few chapters later, the text came back to these studies and noted new studies that showed how exposing children to pro-social media caused them to act more pro-socially and that this difference was even MORE significant that the relationship between the violent media and violent behavior. I suppose this is relieving to know.

Anyway, I've just been wondering how other people react to these ideas. I was also wondering what would be the impact of watching TV shows that contained both. For example, when you watch Law & Order, you see plenty of demonstrations of violence, but also demonstrations of justice and compassion. Do they cancel each other out? Or are you still better off watching these shows because according to my text, watching the pro-social part has a greater effect than watching the violent part?
 
at a young age, yes. as they get older, less so. as kids get older exposure to violence or sex isn't in and of itself a negative influence, but exposure to superficial depictions of violence and sex where there are no consequences (good or bad) to certain behavior. ultimately, when something is on TV or in the movies, no matter what it is, it becomes glamorized. it simply does, because it's heightened reality, more appealing and sexy and cool than reality itself could ever be.

that said, the continuous bombardment of advertising is far, far, far more pernicious than sex or violence. McDonald's has done far, far, far more harm to the lives and health of children than Howard Stern.
 
Irvine511 said:


that said, the continuous bombardment of advertising is far, far, far more pernicious than sex or violence. McDonald's has done far, far, far more harm to the lives and health of children than Howard Stern.

Interesting, I hadn't though of how advertising compares. Any stats/studies on the impact of advertising vs. violent TV programs?
 
There is a wide gap between causing behavior and influencing behavior.

Images, whether from entertainment or advertising has an influence, whether youth are congnizant of it or not.
 
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