RUNNING HEAD: Children and Media
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Courtney Armstead
Children and Media Use or Effects
Kent State University
March 18, 2014
Children and Media
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Introduction
In this Research Literature Review, the topic that will be focused on is Children and
Media Use or Effects. In today’s society, technology is relied upon for multiple reasons. Through
technology, we have Media. People from the ages of children to the elderly are involved with
media for reasons such as: updates, communication, socializing, research, entertainment, and
curiosity. In this review, the main media effects that I will focus on are television, gaming, and
internet. Media influences people of all ages in many ways which some are good, and some are
bad. When it comes to children, the media tries takes precaution. With movies being rated,
websites asking for verification of age, television shows giving warning of content, and video
games advertising games for players above certain ages. The sellers and buyers don’t want a
child’s mind corrupted by what they see. But no matter how many blocks are put up, there is a
very easy way around it. So children get affected and the effects can last for a moment, or a
lifetime.
Children on Television Media Effects
In this generation, media is way more lenient than it used to be. There is cursing, fighting,
violence, and sexual content. Specifically on television, it is a large amount of negativity being
seen and heard from the television. There are reality shows, game shows, sitcoms, the news, and
cartoons. A large amount of shows are reality show. They are becoming more and more popular
because of the drama and catfights that send ratings drastically high. Each kind of show involves
some kind of drama, fighting, and even killing. Yes, each show which also includes cartoons. An
unknown, overseen fact is that cartoons have the most violence on them. Think about it; on
popular cartoon shows a character is always getting ran over, squashed, shot and still pop up and
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act as if they are able to live. For example, in the popular cartoon “Road Runner”, the coyote
chases the road runner to try to kill him, while doing so the coyote will fall off a cliff, get a
bulldozer drop on his head, run into a wall, all that and still get up like he is able to like. Another
example, in Bugs Bunny Elmer Fudge was a hunter who always tried to kill the rabbit with a
hunting gun. But in doing so he would end up shooting his self by accident and still being able to
live. In an article I read “Does Cartoon Violence Beget Behavior in Real Life?” by Fran
Blumberg studied the effects of violence in cartoons on a child’s moral understanding and
behavior. This article found that children know the difference between fantasy and reality. But
the article also stated that depending on the child, the may try to reenact the cartoon just to see
what would really happen in real life. Blumberg (2008) ended the article by saying, “Television
is the most dominant medium,” and that violence in cartoons effects on children will always be a
continuing concern.
Hopkins (1989) did a study on television violence effects on young children. In his study,
his concern was the amount of television children watch and he found that the average family
watched six and a half hours a television daily. Parents were concerned that children may imitate
what they saw on television. Hopkins conducted a survey which had participants from age
groups of older youth, young adults, adults, and seniors. The survey asked questions about their
feeling toward the effect of violence on television towards children and the effect television
plans to have on children. The results of the survey showed that there was a correlation between
television violence and effects on children. All groups responded television has a huge impact on
children. More research on this study is to be done but the results from the survey were effective.
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Children on Gaming Media Effects
Grand Theft Auto V is one of the newest most on demand video game that has come out
in months. This new video game is rated for children eighteen years or older to play. This game
has evolved in the years to a game that is on another level. In this game you high jack cars, run
from cops, beat people up, run people over, there is prostitution, nudity, and even sex in this
game. The day this game first came out, buyers camped outside of the stores for it just to make
sure they get a copy for themselves or for their children. Even this game is for 18 year olds and
above, parents will get it for their young children who so desperately want this game. This is one
of the most violent and provocative games on the market. But people are addicted and want to
know what all the hype is about.
As many may know, video games are seen to be time consuming, unhealthy, inactive, and
straining to an individual. Players play these games and get so consumed in the game that they
become addicted and in some cases even violent. Skoric (2009) wrote an article on a study he did
on video game addiction upon the younger crowd. The study was centered on video game habits
in comparison to scholarly achievement. He chose 333 students between ages of eight and twelve
to do his study on. In this study, he had the some children play video games on the weekdays,
and others play video games on the weekend. He then studied how well they would do in Math,
English, and Social Science during that week and if their scores would improve or decline
depending on when they played their video games. The results from the study showed that
students who played their games on the weekend did better in English; however, children who
were more addicted to video games scored low in English. When it comes to Math and Science
scores, video game playing on the weekend or weekday showed no relation. Concluding that,
Skoric (2009) study showed that video game addiction affects students academically in some
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subjects more than others. The correlation to video games and the effects it has on children is a
visible one when you put two and two together. When a child is focused on these video games
and becoming addicted, it can affect their education.
Children on the Internet Media Effects
The Internet is a huge influencing Media that also affects children. Chang-Hoan (2005)
found that male children examined more negative content than females, that parent’s perception
of their children’s content was way less than what it actually is, and what the children actually do
while one the internet. Chang- Hoan (2005) came up with a Hypothesis Model to compare what
is actually done on the internet through a survey he conducted with child users of the internet and
their parents. The article spoke upon Negative effects of using the internet such as, “Violent
online games, sexually explicated cites, online chatting with unknown people, and online
gambling” Common problems that many parents fear for their children. Looking back at the
results of the study, children are more curious than people think. In the article it mentioned
parental monitoring as a way to cut back on the problem. Parents were concerned, now they
should really be.
Watching the news, and even personally seeing problems myself, the internet can be a
dangerous place. People use the internet for entertainment, socializing, games, and research on
whatever they want to look up for whatever reason. When you have access to the internet, you
have the whole world at your fingertips. Because of the internet, people meet people that they
don’t really know and think they know. Others hide behind a computer screen with negative
motives and you are never able to tell. Children are very naive and don’t always know what to
believe, and that’s how they end up in trouble. Even with the popular situation of cyberbullying,
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children read those hurtful comments and don’t know how to handle them. Therefore, it leads
them down a path of depression with suicidal thoughts and confusion. The internet is a lonely
place children may turn to find closure, peace, or acceptance and not really knowing what they
are setting themselves up for.
Conclusion
The Media is channels to connect and communicate through different forms. It can be a
hard thing for anyone of any age to deal with. When it comes to the media, people suffer identity
problems and don’t know how to handle themselves. It can affect someone for the good or bad.
But when it comes to fragile and uncertain children, everyone tries to take precaution, but there
is never enough. Television, Video games, and internet are three big factors I wanted to focus on
because in this generation, they are the booming topics. The main result I took from my research
is that children are at a critical point in their lives, and the media can tear them down and
continue tearing. There may not be a way they can constantly monitored for the media and how
they use it, but to just make it aware is a step in the right direction.
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Reference Page
Kirkorian, H. L., Wartella, E. A., & Anderson, D. R. (2008). Media and Young Children's
Learning. Future Of Children, 18(1), 39-61.
Mitrofan, O. O., Paul, M. M., & Spencer, N. N. (2009). Is aggression in children with
behavioural and emotional difficulties associated with television viewing and video game
playing? A systematic review. Child: Care, Health & Development, 35(1), 5-15.
doi:10.1111/j.1365-2214.2008.00912.x
Hopkins, G.T., Effects of Television Violence on Young Children. (1989). Education, 109(3),
352-366.
Blumberg, F., Bierwirth, K., & Schwartz, A. (2008, October). Does Cartoon Violence Beget
Aggressive Behavior in Real Life? An Opposing View. Early Childhood Education Journal. pp.
101-104. doi:10.1007/s10643-008-0280-1.
Chang-Hoan, C., & Hongsik John, C. (2005). Children's Exposure to Negative Internet Content:
Effects of Family Context. Journal Of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 49(4), 488-509.
doi:10.1207/s15506878jobem4904_8
Pemberton, C. (2011). Protecting children in care from the internet's wild side. Community
Care, (1880), 20-21
Skoric, M. M., Teo, L., & Neo, R. (2009). Children and Video Games: Addiction, Engagement,
and Scholastic Achievement. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 12(5), 567-572.
doi:10.1089/cpb.2009.007
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