“Television is not reflecting the world, but the world is reflecting television” (Brady, 1992, p. 50). Television is the widespread medium that brings violence to our youngsters and, as a matter of fact, it is not hard to imagine how many ways TV violence affects children. But it is difficult to determine the level of responsibility television has for their aggressive behavior. Some researchers say that the relationship is direct, while others maintain that children copy it form their home environment. , most parents who are really concerned about the increase of violence in their children are the ones who do not have violent behavior in their homes. They ask themselves, “Where is the child learning this, if we are not giving him or her the example?” From recent studies we know that violent television programs do affect children’s behavior.

Television causes children to change their creative spirit for an imitative desire that may include violent behavior. They learn to dress, act, and even think like their TV idols. For example, as a child, I used to act, talk, and even run as the “Bionic Man”. I always tried to copy and learn from him as much as I could. In this same way, a child may choose a violent character and think of this character as himself, and then want to learn and copy his or her violent thoughts and ideas. , the programs themselves promote imitative play by selling right to make program toys. Some of these toys are violent characters. Together, the child with the specially designed toy will try to imitate the TV characters as best as possible. In addition, we hear children saying, “Let’s play war”. Is that a real game? They just have the smooth idea television gives them about war and they want to imitate what they have seen.

Along with imitative play, violent programs can teach children to use bad language. It is very common to find television programs and movies with a large portion of obscene words. A child who is trying to imitate a character will also imitate his or her vocabulary without analyzing if it is good or bad. For example, my aunt forbade my three-year-old cousin to watch the TV cartoon “The Simpsons” because he was learning to talk to older people in a disrespectful manner, as Bart Simpson does.

, “Television depicts violence as the key to power. It is the way power is obtained and how it is exercised” (Schwartzberg, 1987, p. 102). When he was asked why he liked Hulk Hogan, a child answered: “…because he hurts people, and then they do what he wants” (p. 102). Children learn that violence is the best way to get power through cheating, lying, hurting, and even killing people. This situation is shown not only in TV movies, but also very often in cartoons, where it is easier to present violence as they way to get power. “When you hurt people you get what you want” is the message TV shows may project.

As well as teaching violence as power, TV presents violence as the only way to solve problems. Children see on TV how violence brings solutions to problems. “If they see characters they enjoy watching using violence to solve problems, they will view violence as an acceptable problem-solving method” (Schwartzberg, 1987, p. 104). the main purpose of a TV show may not be to teach violent solutions, children who take these heroes as examples undoubtedly will try the same methods to solve their problems.

It is worrisome when children use violence to solve their problems, but even more when they try to develop aggressive and hostile behavior just because they have seen it on TV. Most of the research agrees that violent TV programs can cause violent behavior to develop in all people and mainly in children. Brady (1992) says that what children see doesn’t just encourage children to be violent, but even teaches them particular techniques.

Another effect of television on children is the distortion it creates about life. TV shows children just one part of life. For example, there is a big difference between watching a basketball game on the court and watching it on TV. attending the game, the emotions of the crowd and the players add excitement, noise, and personal involvement. Television takes away a lot of the emotion of the game. Someone else decides what part of the game will be seen and how it will be interpreted. In the same way, television projects a cold idea of violence. It seems as if there is no pain, sadness, or any of those real strong feelings around crimes. Children, not seeing these real feelings, are not afraid of doing the same acts as on television. In addition, Schwartzberg explains that most children, even as late as third grade, have a hard time deciding what “real” means…(1987, p. 104). Jenish (1992) relates that even 15-year-olds can have this problem. The prospect that someday a generation of children like this will have to face the cold world with their lack of feelings is quite discomforting.

Finally, television violence can bring to children the idea of a frightening world. Every day they can see threatening acts on television. Television programs have affected the eleven-year-old daughter of Donald Mills because of some of the crimes she has seen against women on TV. She will not stay home alone and she is unusually cautious and frightened about being a female (Jenish, 1992).

In conclusion, from television children may learn these things about violence: it teaches that the world is frightening; it distorts the reality of feelings; it is a way to get power and solve problems; and it is something to be imitated in language and behavior. The real problem is that violence on television does not appear in just some TV shows, but it is in many television presentations, such as advertisements, movies, soap operas, and cartoons. More than just being concerned, parents should be very careful of the kind of TV programs their children are watching so they can guide them. This guidance includes talking to their children about violent TV programs, watching the programs with them, and explaining the real effects of the violent actions seen on the programs. This way the children will learn to handle an influence that will always be around them.

Adapted from: Spencer, C.M. & Arbon, B. (1996). Foundations of writing: Developing research and academic skills. Illinois, USA: National Textbook Company.