effect of cartoon

Introduction
“A child's life is like a piece of paper on which everyone who passes by leaves an impression.” - Chinese Proverb

Children are often considered to be the closest reflection of the omnipotent creator of the world. Innocence and purity personified, they are unmarred by the corrupt thoughts and practices. They resemble wet clay, enthusiastic and ever ready to be shaped in the manner the potter wants to mould them.

When we are born we have the capacity for motivation, experience, and training, and because of this our minds are very impressionable. Therefore, our brains’ development is a dynamic mix of nature and nurture, so it is important to choose a healthy environment for all children. Children ranging from the age of six months to about twelve years of age go through various stages of emotional and physical development. During this age however they have extremely impeccable minds due to which external stimuli have a major role in shaping their personalities. External stimuli can be broadly defined as natural and man-made environmental factors, biological and chemical factors, physical surroundings, social factors, behavioral influences and outcomes, genetics, and cultural and family influences and differences. These factors have an influence on the mental and emotional growth and stability of a child and determine majority of his habits and actions.

Television viewing, thus, is a part of external stimuli in a child’s life. A means of mostly entertainment and sometimes education, television viewing in children mostly comprises cartoons and children’s shows. Children have become much more interested in cartoons over many years and it has become a primary action to some lives. Typically, children begin watching cartoons on television at an early age of six months, and by the age...

Facts

Have you ever met any children who do not like cartoons? Or have you ever seen any children who refuse to watch cartoon? These situations are mostly impossible under normal circumstances. It’s obvious that today’s children are, mostly unconsciously, exposed to television which is one of the most fashionable inventions of the 20th century. In this composition, I will mention the basic reasons for children’s watching cartoons so much and the effects of these cartoons on them.

First of all, the basic reason for children’s watching cartoons is that cartoons respond to the children’s need and tendency to activeness. Mostly the children under the age of seven are so much interested in cartoons. They firstly watch cartoons and then imitate them, which is a crucial point to think on.

Parents are now using the television as a way of entertaining their children while they attempt to accomplish other things such as cooking and cleaning.

We cannot disregard the notion that the children under the age of seven, still think that whatever happens in cartoons are all real and they can do everything that the characters in cartoons do. For example, if we think about a five or six years old children, it’s probable that they can jump from the roofs to fly, climb on the walls like Spiderman, talk to their toys or to feed them as if they are alive. This actually nonexistent reality in cartoons is what leads the children to all these dangerous deeds.

It’s crucial to signify that everything that children learn till they are nine or ten, will be base for their later lives. In this aspect, parents have to be careful about their children’s cartoons. They must not think that ‘cartoons are TV programme that are prepared for children, so they can watch which cartoons they want.’ On the contrary, parents should choose the most beneficial cartoons that will not only entertain the children but also give appropriate messages to them. Otherwise, it’s most probable that some fantastic cartoons can give permanents harms to the mental health of the children.

Common observation

Have you ever met any children who do not like cartoons? Or have you ever seen any children who refuse to watch cartoon? This situations are mostly impossible under normal circumstances. It’s obvious that today’s children are, mostly unconsciously, exposed to television which is one of the most fashionable inventions of the 20th century. In this composition, I will mention the basic reasons for children’s watching cartoons so much and the effects of these cartoons on them.

Who can remember watching Looney Toons or Tom and Jerry on Saturday mornings? Cartoons have changed drastically over the years but have their effects on children? Let's compare some older cartoons to their replacements. Looney Toons & Tom and Jerry both have something in common that most toons today do not have... Violence! Tom is always trying to hurt and catch Jerry even though he is usually the one that gets injured and Wile E. Coyote is always getting smashed by anvils. So what message do these cartoons send out? That it's only funny until someone gets hurt, then it's hilarious. Is that the message you want your children to receive?

The study also found that youngsters tended to mimic the negative behavior they saw on TV such as rumor-spreading, gossiping and eye-rolling.
The U.S. psychologist’s quizzed 95 girls aged ten and 11 about their favorite TV shows, rating them for violent content and verbal and indirect aggression.
The shows included Lost, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, American Idol, Scooby-Doo and Pokémon.
The researchers found that output aimed at children as young as seven, which included a number of cartoons, had the highest levels of violence.
They recorded 26 acts of aggression an hour compared with just five in shows aimed at general audiences and nine in programmes deemed unsuitable for under-14s.
'Results indicated that there are higher levels of physical aggression in children's programmes than in programmes for general audiences,' the study said.

It is evident in our schools all over the world today that children are influenced by the cartoons they are watching on television. The majority of cartoons are filled with violence and bad language and therefore have a negative impact on a childs developing mind. A childs mind is like a sponge, it absorbs everything they see and hear. If they are constantly exposed to cartoons with violence and fighting it will affect them morally and may lead to teenage violence in the future.
Some studies show that boys are influenced more by violent cartoons than girls are. Young children do not understand that a cartoon is not based on reality and will tend to act out the violent scene they have seen in the cartoon. Children tend to copy the actions they see in cartoon characters like fighting, hitting, saying bad words and being disrespectful to parents and teachers in the classrooms.

Cartoon violence
What is violence? Do you think that children who watch violence on television will show violent behavior? What about the terrible tragedies in which kids kill other kids, why? Many studies have been done to answer the question of television violence and its effects on children.
Studies have been done by scientists, pediatricians, and child researchers in many countries over the last thirty years. These studies have tried to find out what it is about television violence that makes it such a big influence on the way kids act and behave
Violence in cartoons is an integral part of cartoon content. In fact, frequency of violence in cartoons is higher than in live-action dramas or comedies
Although many violent cartoons meant for youthful consumption contain comedic elements (e.g., Woody Woodpecker, Scooby Doo), some of these cartoons just portray the violence. For instance, Samurai Jack, X-Men Evolution, and Batman: The Animated Series depict animated violence, with little to no comedic elements. Moreover, for these types of animated shows, violence is found at the beginning and end of disputes. Presence or absence of comedy during violence is an important consideration when evaluating the effects of viewing cartoons on youth.
Violence is a good way to solve problems
Television is a powerful teacher and if children are always viewing their favorite characters using violence or aggression to get what they want, children will do the same.
73% of individuals who commit crimes in cartoons and children's shows go unpunished in violent scenes
Television shows that allow the character who commits the crime to receive no punishment, teaches children that it is alright to commit a crime because nothing will be done. Criminals and violent acts do not get punished.
Television creates heroes out of the people who commit the crimes
Kids feel that if they copy the criminal they will be a hero, too. The hero that commits the crime is glamorized. There is nothing heroic about violence and it is wrong to show kids that it is. Children begin to think of criminals as powerful role models.
Television reduces the value of life
If someone gets killed, the other cartoon characters don’t care, and they may even laugh. TV makes violence and even death seem funny and unreal. Children do not learn to respect life because violent television desensitizes them.
Children cannot tell the difference between real and unreal
Television is make-believe. The people in the stories are make-believe. They are actors and the story is not true. Young children are unable to realize that when a character attacks someone it is not real and should not be imitated.
47% of violent television programs show the victim going unharmed, especially in cartoons.
The person in the cartoon or television show gets bowled over by another character and they get back up without being harmed. Children begin to believe that violence doesn’t really hurt others.

Effects on children Children have become much more interested in cartoons over many years and it has become a primary action to some lives. Typically, children begin watching cartoons on television at an early age of six months, and by the age two or three children become enthusiastic viewers. This has become a problem because too many children are watching too much television and the shows that they are watching (even if they are cartoons) have become violent and addictive. The marketing of cartoons has become overpowering and so has the subliminal messaging. The marketing is targeted toward the children to cause them to want to view the cartoons on a regular basis, but the subliminal messaging is for the adults’ to target them into enjoying the “cartoons”. This is unfortunate because children watch the cartoons on the television and they see material that is not appropriate for their age group. The Children who watch too much cartoons on television are more likely to have mental and emotional problems, along with brain and eye injuries and unexpectedly the risk of a physical problem increases.
Mental and physiological effects Mental and Psychological Effects on Children who Watch Cartoons From the time children start school to the time that they graduate they are averaged to spend around 13,000 hours in school. This may seem like an awful lot of hours to attend school unless it is compared to the hours a child watches television, which is nearly 18,000 hours (from the time school is started to the time of graduation). This comparison is an outrage because of the amount of television that is watched by a child will have an effect on their brain, emotions and their sense to feel pain. In a 2000 report on adolescent violence, the U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher stated that more aggressive behavior in a young child’s life is caused by frequently watched entertainment that incorporates violence in it. This has become a public health issue and because of the research findings; the American Psychological Association passed a resolution in February of 1985,informing broadcasters and the public about the dangers violence on the television has on children. Three major effects have been proven by psychological research caused by children seeing violence on television are that the child may become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others; children who watch violence do not fear violence nor are they bothered by violence in general and the children are more likely to become aggressive or use harmful actions towards others. When we are born we have the capacity for motivation, experience, and training, and because of this our minds are very impressionable. Therefore, our brains’ development is a dynamic mix of nature and nurture, so it is important to choose a healthy environment for all children. This means cartoons with violence will be unhealthy for a child because in general, being interactive with any environment enhances the development of a successful brain. As a result, a tremendous amount of childhood involvement with electronic media can limit social interaction and may obstruct the development of a brain’s social systems.

Effects on behavior
Television has long been criticized for influencing our children. People complain that certain TV shows are having negative effects on their children. “Children who view shows in which violence is very realistic, frequently repeated or unpunished, are more likely to imitate what they see.” This speaks to the impressionable mindsets of young children, who are still learning control of their minds and bodies, and are likely to mimic what they see, as it seems quite normal to them. AACAP also stresses the need for parents to keep a close eye on what their children watch. They must be there, to explain that the cartoon character or actor that was shot has not been harmed, but would actually be seriously injured, or die in real life. They should also work to tell their children that violent behavior is not the best course of action to resolve a conflict.

Buying habits Children tend to trust adults even when they shouldn’t. So, when a spokesperson for a product encourages the child to purchase a product, they will. Marketers are fully aware of this piece of information and take complete advantage of it. “Advertising at its best is making people feel that without this product, you’re a loser. Kids are very sensitive to that. If you tell them to buy something, they are resistant. But if you tell them that they’ll be a dork if they don’t, you’ve got their attention.” Marketing Companies can open up emotional vulnerabilities, and it’s very easy to do with kids because they are emotionally vulnerable.
Cartoon companies are the most common companies that are tapping into this new trend. It is literally impossible to walk into any store today and not see any licensed cartoon merchandise. From playing cards to toothpaste, these companies have covered every angle possible. By doing this it makes it impossible for a child to walk into a store and not want a specific item. Cartoon companies are also known to advertise their object in between television shows. The commercials are designed to have the child infatuated with the object and wanting it as soon as possible. With such devises these companies are using today, it is quite understandable why these companies bring in billions of dollars a year.

Showing anger
When a cartoon character gets angry, steams comes out the ears, red creeps over the body from head to toe and there may even be an explosion or two. It's not as entertaining to watch in real life, but the state of anger causes physical effects in us as well. The response varies from person to person, but some symptoms include teeth grinding, fists clenching, flushing, paling, prickly sensations, numbness, sweating, muscle tensions and temperature changes. Children try do the same. This is not good for nervous system.

Color physiology
A very important aspect of our visual experience is color. It is logical to assume that what we see, especially color, can affect the systems of the body. Psychologists and physiologists belive this to be true and are investigating exactly what each color can do to our bodies.
Red has been shown to increase blood pressure and stimulate the adrenal glands. The stimulation of the adrenals glands helps us become strong and increases our stamina. Pink, a lighter shade of red, help relax muscles.
Green is said to be good for you heart. On a physical and emotional, green helps your heart bring you physical equilibrium and relaxation. Green relaxes our muscles and helps us breathe deeper and slower. In contrast to red, blue proves to lower blood pressure. Blue can be linked to the throat and thyroid gland. Blue also has a very cooling and soothing affect, often making us calmer. Deep blue stimulates the pituitary gland, which then regulates our sleep patterns. This deeper blue also has proved to help the skeletal structure in keeping bone marrow healthy. Brown is the color of the earth and ultimately home. This color brings feelings of stability and security. Sometimes brown can also be associated with withholding emotion and retreating from the world.
Conclusion
There are some things we can do as parents to limit the amount of violence our children are exposed to. Educational and quality cartoons are a good way to instill positive values in a child. The government has taken steps to increase the amount of educational programming available to children. Set a time limit for the amount of television a child watches and monitor the cartoons they are watching. Become aware of the cartoons that contain violence and replace them with powerful learning programs that teach and uplift a child.
To conclude, it’s extremely significant that parents should follow what kind of cartoons their children watch. They must be careful about choosing cartoons for their children. It’s a compulsory duty of parents to choose cartoons that are prepared by real cartoon producers, which is, I think, the safest way to protect the children from the possible harms of the cartoons.

We have now seen all the facts on both sides of the argument. Is should be clear that we are faced with a very devastating problem. If children continue to watch these shows we maybe be faced with a society of very angry aggressive adults in a few years. Until the media industry learns to control their programming we as a society need to step in and monitor our children's viewings. Parents and teachers have a responsibility to educate their children and help protect them from the harmful effects of these cartoons. Our only hope is that we can do enough so that this next generation of children is not so violent. Maybe one day we can come to the point where children are so used to watching wholesome quality television that these violent shows will die out.