Does Exposure to Media Violence Affect Children?

Does Exposure to Media Violence Affect Children? How often do children hear, see, or talk about violent television? Could it possibly be a factor in how aggressive or desensitized these children become? Surely anyone who has access to the news has seen the recent exponential growth in violence throughout the world. It is interesting to note that this growth and the massive production and display of media violence have occurred simultaneously. According to W. James Potter, Professor of communication, the two are correlated. The purpose of this paper is to analyze and critique Professor Potter’s research by identifying and explaining three flaws and one strength that are apparent in his published article, and to share personal beliefs regarding this matter. In his 1999 article titled “On Media Violence,” Potter used many research methods in order to formulate his argument, including longitudinal research, case studies, surveys, and systematic observation. He summarizes his main points into ten different “laws,” which can be summarized as follows: First, one of the greatest effects of exposure to media violence on children is that they “(learn) to behave aggressively” (Potter, 1999, p. 309). As they continually view violent acts on television, children become “desensitized” to their cruelty, and are more likely to commit similar acts themselves. This desensitization is even more likely to occur if the viewer can relate to the criminal, and if the violence is portrayed in a realistic manner. Second, the more a child is exposed to media violence, the more that child is prone to accept that violence isn’t wrong. Thirdly, when violent media is introduced into a society for the first time, the crime rate in that society rises exponentially. Lastly, there are many long-term effects of exposure to media violence, such as having a fearful view of the world. Although Potter’s article is very convincing, there are a few major flaws in his research and the conclusions

References: 1. Potter, W. J. (1999). On media violence. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. 2. Berk, L. E. (2009). Child Development. New York, NY: Pearson Custom Publishing.