Project Five - A Researched Argument About Media Representations

December 3, 2013

The Media’s Portrayal of Violence

What is the link between media violence and future violent acts committed by the viewer? Is there a link at all? As children grow up in this current generation, especially in the United States and other developed countries, they are constantly being exposed to the Media, a vast conglomeration of advertisements, social websites, video games, propaganda, truths, lies, and everything in between. This incomprehensive definition could continue for pages, however, the point is quite simple: the Media is immense, representing every stance on every issue. It is impossible for a young, maturing teen in today’s American society to avoid its powerful impact. The level of influence may vary from child to child depending on several factors, but there is no question that a certain amount of influencing is occurring in the lives of Uncle Sam’s sprouting generation. The Media’s representation of violence is especially of interest for many reasons, one being that there are young men and women enlisting in the armed forces directly after high school, carrying with them their understanding of war and violence as presented by the Media. The possibility that the Media may have a hand in criminal activities and misperceptions of the gravity of war, along with other concepts, is a pill that is hard to swallow. Does the Media truly have that kind of influence? Who knows? Whether there is a correlation between viewing violent media representations and developing violent behaviors is uncertain, but evidence from each side of the argument begs for attention. The fact that the Media’s portrayal of violence is influencing children in America is unquestionable. However, is this influence drastic enough to be a direct cause of criminal violence in America, or is it negligible?

There’s something about acts of violence that arouses the interest of an audience. Historically, violent acts such as the gladiator fights in ancient Rome, bullfights in Pamplona, cockfights in Indonesia, or boxing matches in the ring have intrigued the human desire for something beyond bland day-to-day events (Felson 103). Even today, when school kids get into cafeteria fights, it is only a matter of seconds before the entire student body has amassed around the conflict with eyes full of excitement. These acts of violence entice the human spirit, heightening emotions and senses. It is no wonder why so much of today’s media, especially movies and reality TV, is chockfull of violence. The violence draws an audience much like flesh draws a herd of zombies. The initial concern for media violence “emerged shortly after broadcasting began in 1946” (Anderson and Bushman 2377) according to The Effects of Media Violence on Society. As the television progressed technologically and the Media expanded, the conventions of what was appropriate were continually challenged in order to offer more and more entertainment to viewers. Based on research performed by Pew Research Center, most parents in America today “believe there is too much violence in the media and that it is harmful to society” (Wilson). In her book, Viewing Violence, published in 1996, Dr. Levine states, “by the time they graduate high school, children will have spent 50 percent more time in front of a television set than in front of a teacher” (Levine 6). This really puts the Media in perspective. Whether or not real life violent acts are a product of the way violence is represented by the Media, we must face the fact that the most influential teacher in America today is not the professor, the pastor, nor is it the parent; it is the Media herself. And as she is continually able to provide entertainment, especially through violence, more and more of the growing generation will be drawn in and further influenced.

Although television violence is often highlighted, there are several other media avenues through which violence is represented. Some of the modes through which violence is portrayed in the media are the news, films, pornography, and video/computer games (Brown). Some of these media components have been noted to result in certain “copy cat action[s] by some individuals” (Brown 3). There have been instances of crimes, such as murders, being reported on the news, and then very similar crimes occurring within a couple of weeks in a different location. Movies have had the same effect. This news story appeared in a local paper in San Jose, California in 1993:

An adolescent boy was killed by a car and several of his friends seriously injured while imitating a scene from the movie The Program. The scene shows young men attempting to prove their courage by lying down along the center divider of a busy road between lanes of cars. (Levine 19)    

Although this example is a single rare occurrence, it does point out that violent responses such as this are possible, especially with children. Video/computer games are relatively new additions in the world of media violence. With that in mind, it is probably important to define the term, “media violence.” According to Martin Barker in his book Ill Effects: the media/violence debate, media violence is “everything from cartoons, children’s action adventure films, news footage from Rwanda and Bosnia… etc., etc.” (Barker 42). As I was saying, video games are a newer form of media violence. They have slowly progressed since the Atari of the 70’s to provide quality graphics and enhanced story lines that offer a very realistic feel of “lifelike violence” (Kirsh 229). From television to video games, each and every media avenue is supplying violence that is influencing the development of maturing children.

            The way in which children develop morally is a very important concept to understand when considering the effects of media violence in conjunction with the stages of moral development. As children grow up, they cultivate their ability to reason morally. This occurs in several stages, which are described using “Kohlberg’s Hierarchy of Moral Development” (Levine 72). When a child reaches the age of seven (may differ from child to child), he/she enters a stage of conventional morality, where he is no longer dependent on his parents “to define what is right and wrong” (Levine 73). At this stage, a child’s motive is solely based on gaining approval and avoiding dissatisfaction. This phase in the moral development of children is especially influenced by media violence. The kids are viewing the violent themes presented with the utmost subconscious concentration in order to see whether or not the perpetrator will be rewarded or condemned for his violent actions. In a famous experiment performed by Albert Bandura in the 60’s, young preschool-aged children watched a filmed sequence of a man aggressively attacking a plastic Bobo doll. After the man had inflicted a series of violent blows on the doll, he was rewarded for his might. Another set of young children viewed another variation of this film, in which the man was punished for his actions. When both sets of children were allowed to play with toys, those who saw the man rewarded were much more likely to act aggressively with their toys than the kids that had seen the man punished (Levine 20). With more and more young children viewing the violence produced by the Media, it is imperative that parents or other role models assert that those violent actions are immoral and deserving of punishment.

            The argument has gone back and forth for most of the past century about whether or not media violence has a significant enough influence to cause criminal acts of violence down the road. Some see no correlation, a statistical tool that “assesses the degree to which two different variables fluctuate together” (Kirsh 31), between observing media violence and perpetrating personal acts of violence. Others believe that “exposure to violent imagery does not preordain violence, but it is a risk factor” (Pozios). The surgeon general, the National Institute of Mental Health, and other professional organizations that have performed research in this area have upheld this claim. In a series of studies in the 60’s, Leonard Berkowitz examined the effect of filmed heavyweight prizefights on the rate of homicides. It was determined that “ the rise in homicides after [a] prize fight is statistically significant” (Phillips 562). Research performed by several psychological experts concluded that there is “unequivocal evidence that media violence increases the likelihood of aggressive and violent behavior” (Anderson, Berkowitz, et al. 81). Many studies have been performed to discover whether children who view violent TV shows and movies tend to act more aggressively. In one such study, several children were shown movies containing violence while other children were shown nonviolent movies. When the children were brought together to play, those children who had viewed the violent movies “were rated much higher on physical assault and aggression” (Wilson). With all of this extensive research in mind, it seams that there may very well be a positive correlation between media violence and aggressive attitudes. Whether or not this aggression has the potential to boil over into criminal activity is dependent upon the individual and the level of media violence observed. However, even if the Media’s portrayal of violence is not directly causing criminal activity, there is no question that it is capable of influencing children towards aggressive behavior, a spark that could eventually be fanned into a fire.

            In review of the research and facts concerning media violence, there are various ways in which to react. One may deny the truth and continue to delve into what the media offers in vain pursuit of entertainment and psychological arousal. Others may shy away completely from everything media out of fear of becoming a victim of media violence. Some may tread a middle way and continue to view the violent representations of the Media while also regulating the amount of violence they see. If one is careful and attentive, he should be able to discern when violence in media is beginning to influence his attitude and relationships. Adults are much less affected by the Media representations than children are because their moral development has evolved further. Therefore, it is imperative that parents begin to regulate the extent at which their children view the violence portrayed in media. More violence is being tolerated today in movies and on TV than ever before in history, and this trend shows no signs of slowing. Additionally, video games are developing to provide even better graphics and more realistic gameplay. And that’s not all. Almost every avenue of the Media is developing to include more violent themes. This is the age that children are growing into. With that in mind, parents should seriously consider how they might regulate their children’s exposure to media violence. There are many basic ways to do this as a parent. One way is to set limits on TV watching, computer surfing, and video game playing throughout the day. Another way is to be intentional about discussing violence with our children, reminding them that the violent themes showcased in movies are not to be imitated. The children are the future of this nation, so I think it’s time we become active in protecting their development, first and foremost by counteracting the negative effects of media violence.

           

           

Works Cited

Anderson, Craig A., and Brad J. Bushman. "The Effects of Media Violence on Society." Science ns 295.5564 (2002): 2377-379. Print.

Anderson, Craig A., Leonard Berkowitz, Edward Donnerstein, L. Rowell Huesmann, James D. Johnson, Daniel Linz, Neil M. Malamuth, and Ellen Wartella. "The Influence of Media Violence on Youth." Psychological Science in the Public Interest 4.3 (2003): 81-110. Print.

Barker, Martin, and Julian Petley. Ill Effects: The Media/violence Debate. London: Routledge, 2001. Print.

Brown, Melanie. "The Portrayal of Violence in the Media: Impacts & Implications for Policy." Australian Institute of Criminology. N.p., June 1996. Web. 2 Dec. 2013.

Felson, Richard B. "Mass Media Effects on Violent Behavior." Annual Review of Sociology 22.1 (1996): 103-28. Print.

Kirsh, Steven J. Children, Adolescents, and Media Violence: A Critical Look at the Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2006. Print.

Levine, Madeline. Viewing Violence: How Media Violence Affects Your Child's and Adolescent's Development. New York: Doubleday, 1996. Print.

Phillips, David P. "The Impact of Mass Media Violence on U.S. Homicides." American Sociological Review 48.4 (1983): 560-68. Print.

Pozios, Vasilis K., Praveen R. Kambam, and H. Eric Bender. "Does Media Violence Lead to the Real Thing?" The New York Times. N.p., 23 Aug. 2013. Web. 2 Dec. 2013.

Wilson, Barbara J. "Children and Electronic Media." The Future of Children 18.1 (2008): n. pag. Print.