Post 2

Film violence and young offenders

                This journal discusses the topic of what violence in movies can do to children’s behavior. It talks about the effects on the mind and what the consequences can be. The journal starts with describing a number of tragic stories of children killing other people, and the influence that it had to movies they had recently viewed. One boy, after decapitating a young girl, said he just wanted to be famous like the killers in the movie. Many studies are shown and described in the journal, and a majority of them come to the conclusion that there is a relationship between movie violence and aggressive behavior. But it cannot be predicted or blamed solely on that. The authors argue that one of the main things violence in movies does is desensitize the brain. When children see the violence on television they are less likely to think that it is a big deal. A number of studies are also discussed and show more evidence that what children view on the screen can affect them for the rest of their lives. Violent imagery is stronger than the other parts of the movie that children view, and that is why many researchers believe there is a correlation.

Do violent movies make violent children?

                In this journal article Faith McClellan argues how violence in movies and on television can shape children’s minds. She focuses mainly on WWF, staged wrestling on television, but also brings up movies. Her main point is that there are five reasons that children can be affected by media violence. They are imitation, aggression, fear, a skewed view of violence, and being desensitized. Children imitate it and it can also cause them to become aggressive. Fear is an interesting idea says McClellan because if it is untreated it can cause depression or aggression later in life. And when children watch a lot of violence they begin to think that real violence is like what they are watching and they are desensitized. McClellan ends saying that parents and schools should be responsible from helping their children with these issues.

Exposure of US Adolescents to Extremely Violent Movies

                This article focuses on ten to fourteen year olds that view rated R movies although it clearly is labeled that they should not. They perform a study to see if they are affected at all. Their results are mixed, but a majority shows that they are indeed affected. They also come to the conclusion that boys, children with lower economic status, and children with a bad family situation are more likely to see these movies. And because they might not have a positive parental influence they will be more affected by the violence that they view. These influences that children experience should not be overlooked, and the article states that pediatricians should become involved by discussing the problem with parents. They need to be aware, or there can be lasting effects.

Children Watching Movies        

                This journal focuses on how children watch movies a little differently. It does not focus primarily on violence, but it does bring up some interesting information. It discusses what children focus on while they watch movies. It talks about children are not as aware that the movie is fake. When people create movies they want us to lose sense of reality. And as a child this becomes a harder task. This supports our ideas that violence can have a negative effect on children because they can’t distinguish whether it is real or not. When this happens they tend to let the movie affect them more than it should.          

              

            We found that although every child is different violent movies can have a negative affect on the minds and behavior in children. As films become more realistic children are having a more difficult time distinguishing the violent scenes from real life. Technology has increased this difficulty, and these effects can have negative health and behavior affects. Parents should also be more aware of this when they allow their children ot watch movies that may be too mature for them. Websites such as  screenit.com are helping parents protect their children from these violent images by informing them on what their child will view.

 

             

Post 1

Hello! My research topic has to do with how violent movies affect the minds and behavior of children. My friends Rachel Jaffe and Dugan Kemple helped me research this topic for a project in our communications class. We used the question: How does exposure to more realistic violence in film, as a result of enhanced special effects and technology, affect children’s behavior, and how are these different from children’s responses to older, less realistic films with violence?

                This is important because as movies and technology progress the things that children see on the screen become more and more real. We want to find out if a child is affected mentally or emotionally by watching violence in movies. If it has effects on their minds then it is very important to try and stop them from viewing the violent scenes.

                This image is from the movie the Hunger Games. 

The movie is directed towards children. But is it really okay for children to view this violent scene? The movie is about children killing other children in an arena because the government forces them to. I don’t think that children should watch this as it could have effects on them and show them that violence is okay.