Everybody would agree with the title of this essay. Research conducted on this issue has revealed that exposure to violence is not limited to television only but also video games, cell phones and internet increases the susceptibility of the child towards fierce behaviour.
Random research carried out on children by exposing to violence on TV and video games had revealled shocking facts, which indicates the possibility of the child getting influenced by violence and becoming aggressive in the short run. A lot of psychological experts and neuroscientists have observed that children’s exposure to violent electronic media including violent games is an indication of long-term increases in their possibility for behaving aggressively and fiercely. These long-standing effects are the result of influential observational learning and desensitisation processes that take place automatically in the human child.
Due to thrilling activity, these acts of violence shown on television have long-lasting effects on children. After watching these activities, they start thinking over these scripts and start connecting these acts in their real lives. However, if the same is not observed, it can also change the permanent behaviour of the child, in fact, sometimes this risk is great enough to be treated as public health threat.
For every parent, it is very important to monitor their kids’ television activity and how they are spending their spare time. We know children learn from both experience and social learning or role modelling as a result, when children watch violent activities, it is difficult for them to decode which ones are actual and to what an extent. In this situation, the parental or adult guidance can come to their help and stop them from getting misguided. Even cartoon channels show lot of violence these days that influence the children’s mind.
According to medical science, there are chemical changes that take place in the brain which are very similar to those that happen in post-traumatic stress disorder after watching violent activities for a long time. Since, the brains of young children are in developing situation, this can impact them badly.
Hence, the children need proper parental guidance in selecting which television programmes to watch and which video games to play. Parents should encourage their kids to watch the inspirational or the entertaining programmes on television. Developing interest in knowledge conveying channels such as Discovery channel, History channel etc. can be wonderful for the development of their mind.