Violence in Visual Media

and ways to curb it

“Violence in the media has been
increasing and reaching
proportions that are dangerous”
“You turn on the television, and
violence is there. You go to a
movie, and violence is there,”
“Reality is distorted. If you live in
a fictional world, then the
fictional world becomes your
reality.”
Media violence poses a threat to public health inasmuch as it leads
to an increase in real-world violence and aggression.
Research shows that fictional television and film violence contribute to both a short-
term and a long-term increase in aggression and violence in young viewers. Television
news violence also contributes to increased violence, principally in the form of imitative
suicides and acts of aggression. Video games are clearly capable of producing an
increase in aggression and violence in the short term, although no long-term
longitudinal studies capable of demonstrating long-term effects have been conducted.
The relationship between media violence and real-world violence and aggression is
moderated by the nature of the media content and characteristics of and social
influences on the individual exposed to that content. Still, the average overall size of the
effect is large enough to place it in the category of known threats to public health
How Visual Media Affects Children
If you’ve ever left a superhero movie feeling inspired,
cried during your favorite network drama, or felt
moved to act by a documentary, you know that the
media you consume can have a powerful effect on your
feelings. As such, it stands to reason that television and
movies can change the moods of children as well.
Because children are still developing, visual media can
affect them more than adults.
Young children do not yet have the mental capacity to
separate fiction from real life. Furthermore, they do not
have the skills they need to identify their feelings,
process them, and regulate their feelings. Even in
adolescence, when teens know what they see is fiction,
their young minds can change due to the visual media
they consume.
Knowing these things, parents may question if watching
television and movies will cause their children to 
act out in violence. The answer depends on factors such
as the child’s age and the type of programming they
watch.
Researchers hold several theories on the reasons children who watch violent television tend to be
more aggressive. The reasons seem to be a mix of the following factors:
Young children have a hard time separating fiction and real life
Repeated exposure numbs children to gore and violence
They see heroes solve issues with violence and imitate these actions
Each child is unique and so are their reactions to different media. Some kids feel anxious after
seeing gore on their screens and may lash out as a reaction to that fear.

What Parents Can Do

Know what your children watch and the games they play. Either monitor the content with parental
management systems or consume the media with them.
Do not put televisions and video games systems in child bedrooms.
Stand your ground when you refuse to let them watch violent shows or play inappropriate games.
Discuss why certain content is not appropriate and offer alternatives.
Talk to other parents to remove peer pressure and keep kids safe when they visit friends.
If your child happens upon violent content, have a discussion about what they saw and why it isn’t
ok to imitate it.
Don’t lose what is
real, chasing what
only appears to be.