In the United States of America mass media is an effective tool for propaganda. This is a reason why violence in movies and media have become such a public issue, largely harming the country’s children. The effects that this has on the nation’s youth can be seen through the early onset of school shootings, as well as juvenile delinquency and reckless behavior. There are many different aspects to consider when it comes to this controversy with its many layers, including heavy metal music, violent video games, and TV content. How many zeros are there in lakh?
1. Violence in the Media
Violence in visual media such as television, movies, and music has become a very controversial issue. Many people argue that violent content can have damaging affects on young people. Much of this controversy draws from the effects they may have on children. There are many studies conducted on both sides of this argument, but it is a hard thing to measure because there are so many factors to take into account. The effect that the media has on children will vary depending on the individual child and how they react to violent stimuli. These factors include how much exposure they’ve had, what type of person they are, and even their culture can dictate how these things affect them (United States).
2. Heavy metal music
There have been many studies done on the role of heavy metal music in violence. Listening to this type of music is associated with nearly any kind of violent behavior you can think of. The Cogan study showed that individuals who listened to heavy metal had noticeably increased reports of physical aggression (United States). The researchers came to this conclusion by showing that they were able to change participants’ aggressive and nonaggressive behaviors. They had them listen to soothing sounds before letting them play with a ball, and then had them playing with a ball while listening to heavy metal music. This study shows that heavy metal can have an effect on human behavior, and it is not just an isolated case. A large factor to take into account is the listener’s culture, which in the United States would likely expose them to this type of music more often.
3. Video Games
Violent video games are another huge part of this controversy. These games are played all over the world, and it is very hard to know what effect that may have on a player. When children play these games they will become immersed, making it easy for them to lose track of reality or have their emotions toyed with. This can be seen in all different kinds of video games including some specifically designed for children like “MySims” (Videogames). The problem is when they play these games with a violent theme, it will have an effect on them. Many of these games have been proven to cause violent behavior in children, and some up to the age of 18 (Videogames). This makes it very dangerous, because many children lack the perspective to see that they are just playing a game.
“Video Game Violence: A Review of the Empirical Literature” found that youth who played violent video games were more likely to exhibit aggressive tendencies (violent video games). In many cases this aggression is taken out on other people, and does not stay just with imaginary characters. In one study, boys exposed to violent video games scored higher on a measure of hostile sexism than the control group. Hostile sexism is a common thread between aggressive behaviors, and it can often cause people to lash out at others in a negative way (aggressive video games).
4. Violence in music
There is also a correlation between listening to aggressive music and violent behavior. Another study found that teenagers who listened to heavy metal were more likely to be involved with the criminal justice system than those who did not listen to this type of music (heavy metal). Many people may think that this is just an isolated case, and that there are many other factors to consider when it comes to this issue. However, it is hard to believe that their is no correlation between these things. Many of the people whom have committed violent crimes have music in their head when committing these acts.
“Music and Violence – A Review of the Empirical Literature” found that individuals who listen to heavy metal songs tend to exhibit aggressive behavior later on in life. The study found that this was a “statistically significant” correlation (United States).
5. Adolescence and Mass Media
Mass media has been an important aspect of life for many Americans, and it has become a very important part of their lives when they are growing up (Children). The problem with this is that they are developing their personality and decision making skills at a time when they are easily influenced by their peers and what they see in the mass media. Because of this, it can be very difficult for them to regulate the amount of media that they interact with because it is not always easy to see what is real and what isn’t.
6. Adolescence and Violence
Children learn about many important things during adolescence, one of the most important being how to deal with situations properly (Adolescence). This includes violence, especially between people who are close to each other, as well as dealing with school yard bullies.
