MEDIA VIOLENCE

BY LAUREN BENNETT
 The study of violence in mass media analyzes the degree of correlation between

WHAT IS IT? themes of violence in media sources (particularly violence in video games,
television and films) with real-world aggression and violence over time.
 Multiple risk factors are likely to cause aggressive behavior.
Substance abuse
Conflict at home
Aggression
DOES EXPOSURE Arguments
MAKE KIDS MORE Abuse
AGGRESSIVE? Violent media
Computer & Video games
Films and T.V shows
YouTube videos
LOONEY TOONS
(CAR. NET. AND
BOOMERANG) (1930-PRESENT) In the show, Looney Toons/Tunes, guns and explosives are a popular prop used by every
single character. Coyote hides dynamite under bird-seed and sets out a FREE BIRD SEED sign in a failed
attempt to trick Roadrunner, because he is after that bird for nothing other than FOOD! But Roadrunner
always outsmarts Coyote, which results in Coyote always being badly hurt. He either falls off a cliff, gets
his head clobbered by boulders, or experiences other injuries that, if it happened in real life, could
actually kill you. The hunter is always after Bugs Bunny and Donald Duck because he claims its
rabbit/duck hunting season, although he will probably eat them later if he ever got his hands on them.
Sylvester the Cat is after Tweety Bird for the same reason that Tom and Coyote are after their prey:
FOOD! Again, Sylvester is hungry so the gun is used for attacking and Tweety Bird is trying to escape so
the weapon/trap is to stall the cat. There are many episodes with either homicide or suicide: Sylvester
with a gun against his temple (4th picture), Donald Duck threatened by Mickey Mouse with a gun, and a
small man dressed up as a baby who is pointing a gun directly at a surrendering Bugs Bunny.
 TOM & JERRY
(BOOMERANG) (1940-PRESENT) This show involves the cat (Tom) and the mouse (Jerry)
continuously chasing each other around and fighting. The cat is after the
mouse for nothing other than food. The mouse is simply attempting to
protect himself by fighting back. There is not one episode where violence
doesnt occur. If Tom uses butcher knives, an axe, a gun, mouse traps, etc.
in an attempt to catch, murder, and eat him, then Jerry lashes back with
other weapons, a luring trap, and poison in food, as he tries to escape.
REN AND STIMPY
(NICKELODEON)
(1991-1996) This show involves a short-tempered, asthma-hound
Chihuahua (Ren), and a dimwitted, happy-go-lucky, 3-year-old cat
(Stimpy) who act as best-friends, but get in arguments/fights a lot.
These so-called play-fights can have choking, blood, threats
thrown around, or just physical/verbal violence in general. The
humor is mostly absurdist and slapstick. Though there might be a
lot of violence in this show the characters seem to ENJOY doing it.
THE POWERPUFF GIRLS
(CARTOON NETWORK) (1998-2005) In this show, The Powerpuff girls (Bubbles, Blossom,
and Buttercup) actually attend Pokey Oaks Kindergarten, which
would make them either five or six years old since they are triplets
after-all. These children act as superheroes against all of the evil
monsters that roam the world. They hit, kick, punch, bite, use their
super-powers, etc. to try and keep everyone safe. The amount of
blood/gore, explosions, dangerous situations, and times that they
could have been killed, is endless. But even after being knocked
down so many times, they tend to always get back up and fight.
COURAGE T H E
COWARDLY DOG
(1999-2002) This show is most likely one of the most disturbing things
(CARTOON NET.) to be shown on television for children. Not only are nonrealistic bugs
and monsters shown, but also a variety of weapons (knives, swords,
axes, hammers, etc.) are used by Courage (the pink dog) to fight
against them or defend himself and family. The dog is not courageous
but he attempts to act that way in order to save his beloved owners.
 SPONGEBOB
SQUAREPANTS
(1999-PRESENT) Although SpongeBob Squarepants isnt as violent as
(NICKELODEON) some of the other past and present shows, some parts of it can
appear as violence due to the amount of blood and gore. Something
interesting that I learned is that this show was originally going to be a
T.V. show for adults, but was then made for children instead. This
might be why some scenes seem controversial in some ways.
HAPPY TREE FRIENDS
(1999-PRESENT) This show is contains a wide variety of mostly cute and
(MTV AND YOUTUBE) cuddly animals, from Cuddles (the yellow bunny) to Giggles (the pink
chipmunk). They appear as these completely adorable, innocent, and
harmless creatures, but this is nothing but a simple mask. The gist of the
show is woodland creature having graphic and violent adventures. Blood
and gore is shown in every single episode, and the animals put on a smile
as they do these brutal acts as a way to make the audience laugh.
 Children are constantly either outside playing at the park, a
playground, in water, etc. or inside with their toys. The moment
THE EFFECTS OF you turn your back on a baby/child of any age is when the most
HAPPY TREE FRIENDS shocking things could happen. Kids will always be curious, and

ON CHILDREN they will also always try to test you. This is a HUGE reason to
always keep our eyes on them and to shield them from any
 The moment you turn your back on a baby/child of any age is when the most
shocking things could happen. Kids will always be curious, and they attempt
to test you to see what you are capable of. Its almost as if they are
analyzing you. Children soak up information, which is why we have to be
careful what we do or say around them. For instance, if we are watching a
violent television show or a movie with curse words in it the child will not
only want to join us, but they will also try to MIMICK the behavior.
HOW TO EXAMPLE By the time my little brother was three years old, he knew
SUPPORT how to turn on the computer, work the mouse, put in and play the Baby
Mozart CD on there. When he was five, he got ahold of an adult pair of
CHILDREN? scissors and proceeded to cut up the curtains. This was the same kid
who would dart out of the grocery store and into the parking lot, which
of course gave my mother a mini heart attack. He also enjoyed hiding
from my parents for long periods of time, because it just amused him.
The cause and effect here would be: cartoons and behavior (acting out).
 Children under the age of 7 may imitate cartoon violence because they
may not be able to tell the difference between fantasy and reality.
Children who watch violent television shows and movies are more
HOW DOES MEDIA likely to be aggressive and be convicted of violent crimes (in the
VIOLENCE EFFECT future), such as child abuse and murder.
CHILDREN?
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_on_the_effects_of_violence_in_mass_
media
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/violence-in-the-media/does-exposure-
THE LIST OF to-violent-movies-or-video-games-make-kids-more-aggressive
REFERENCES http://www.ocd.pitt.edu/Files/PDF/Parenting/TvAndMovieViolence.pdf
https://www.cmu.edu/CSR/case_studies/tv_violence.html