Impact of violence in media

THE children and adolescents being important assets in our society, every effort should be made to provide them equal opportunities for development so that they become robust citizens -- physically fit, mentally alert and morally healthy and endowed with the skills and motivations that the societies need.

Neglected children fall an easy prey to criminality -- adolescents claim the highest share in violence due to dashing nature and endurance and desire for adventure. While violence is not new to the human race, it is an increasing problem everywhere.

With greater access to firearms and explosives, the scope of violent behaviour has had serious consequences. While the causes of youth violence are multidimensional and include such variables as poverty, child abuse, exposure to violence other psychiatric disorders, literature shows that children's exposure to violence in media play an important role in the etiology of violent behaviour.

The broad spectrum of different available audiovisual communication means have increased the desire to satisfy physiological stimulus needs; triggered through aggressive media content. Risky behaviour by young adults can include violence against each other with a lack of remorse for consequences. The type of faulty thinking creates stressors in children which can lead to the onset of many different symptoms. Children who view media violence are more likely to have increased feelings of hostility and a decreased emotional response to the portrayal of injury; leading imitating violent behaviour.

Unfortunately, violence is one of the most popular forms of entertainment -- performing violent acts in video games may be contributing more to children's aggression than anything else. In a short span of time, most children can imitate a movie character -- they just have to open a magazine, click on a website, or turn on the TV to get involved in all kinds of experiences.

It may be said that the main source of violence is our very own little pet called the television – a medium that broadcasts an enormous amount of violence every day. Whenever we turn it on, we find shows airing brutal and violent scenes. As children have a weakness towards such stuff, they seem to grasp everything more rapidly than an average adult.

Television enhances a child's imagination. Television puts new ideas in them to create a whole new set of meanings. Children with a high aptitude for imagination cull their ideas from books and/or their own lives to create their own "made-up" stories.

One recent study demonstrated that music videos, internet and video games contain interpersonal violence. At the age children begin to play video games, they have not quite developed the ability to distinguish between reality and fantasy. This causes young children to act upon the violence they are exposed to; not knowing that what they are doing is wrong.

How does televised violence result in aggressive behaviour?
Some researchers have demonstrated that very young children will imitate aggressive acts on TV while playing with peers. Before the age four, children are unable to distinguish between fact and fantasy and may view violence as an ordinary occurrence. In general, violence on television and in movies often conveys a model of conflict resolution. It is efficient, frequent, and inconsequential.

Heroes are violent, and, as such, are rewarded for their behaviour. They become role models for youth. It is "cool" to carry an automatic weapon and use it to knock off the "bad guys." The typical scenario of using violence for a righteous cause may translate in daily life into a justification for using violence to retaliate against perceived victimisers. Hence, vulnerable youth who have been victimised may be tempted to use violent means to solve problems.

Additionally, children who watch televised violence are desensitised to it. They may come to see violence as a fact of life and lose their ability to empathise with both the victim and the victimiser.

Suddenly, various media have played a significant role for breaking down tradition and cultural bondage in Bangladesh. The rate of Internet browsing by adolescents -- especially in urban areas -- is increasing day by day. They do not rationally think before committing a crime, such as sexual harassment, drug addiction, attraction in pornography, disrespecting senior citizens, smoking in public places and so on.

In the act of a daily life, parents hardly monitor their children -- in fact they even join their children while viewing violence on television.

Responsibilities of the parents
Parents have the responsibility of helping their children select books, toys, television programmes and movies that are appropriate for each particular child. Entertainment materials should be fun, engaging and spur creative fantasy. Hopefully, they will not be overly frustrating, and they will not present information or images that are too scary to result in nightmares or too advanced to create or interests that the child is not intellectually or emotionally ready to handle.

Parents may want to help their children and teens select, play and entertainment materials that are balanced in content. Some can be educational while others are just plain fun. It is even thought by some child psychologists that some fantasy video games may help children develop cognitive skills -- ability to plan ahead as well as develop visual spatial and eye-hand coordination skills.

Parents should spend time playing these games with their children and talk about the child's thoughts, feelings and perceptions related to playing the game. They can also engage in a discussion of values that may guide the child down a path that is safe and leads to the development of a sound moral character.

Strategies to decrease violence in media
We should consider some major strategies to decrease the contents in the media and to create "common ground" talks between the FIVE Ps: Politicians, Producers, Pedagogy, Parents, and the future Prosumers (active consumers); second-the development of codes of conduct and self-control tendencies among media professionals; third-the establishment of media education to create awareness among children, adolescents, competent and critical media users. As the citizen of Bangladesh and a developing country, we all have to pay more attention to our children and adolescents in a focused way. We have to try our best to avoid unexpected and unacceptable cultural norms and values which are not consistent with our culture and traditions.

[This write up is an abridged version of a paper under review for publication in a social science journal.]

The writer is a Lecturer, Dept. of Sociology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University (BSMRSTU), Gopalganj.