Full Answer Section

• Increased Fear and Anxiety: Paradoxically, while becoming desensitized, children may also become more fearful of the world around them, perceiving it as a more dangerous place. This can lead to increased anxiety, nightmares, and sleep disturbances.
• Acceptance of Violence as a Solution: Children may begin to believe that violence is an effective or even desirable way to solve problems or achieve goals, especially when it’s portrayed as justified or rewarded in media.
• Imitation and Observational Learning: Younger children, in particular, are prone to imitating what they see, a concept rooted in Albert Bandura’s social learning theory. If violence is frequently observed, they may copy these behaviors.
• Impact Varies by Age and Media Type: Younger children (under 6) are particularly vulnerable as they struggle to distinguish fantasy from reality. Adolescents may experience short-term increases in aggressive thoughts and feelings, and are more influenced by interactive violent video games.
• Other Contributing Factors: Research acknowledges that media violence is just one factor among many that can contribute to aggressive behavior. Other influences include family environment, mental health, peer relationships, and community violence exposure. However, the impact of media violence can be as strong as other established risk factors like having abusive or antisocial parents.

How can we resolve this problem, other than eliminating it from our children’s world?

Completely eliminating violent media in today’s digitally pervasive world is incredibly challenging, if not impossible. Instead, the focus shifts to mitigation strategies that empower children and guide their media consumption:

1. Media Literacy Education:

   • Teach Critical Thinking: Help children understand how media is created, its purpose (e.g., entertainment, advertising), and how to critically evaluate messages, especially those involving violence.
   • Distinguish Reality from Fiction: Explain that what they see on screen is often not real and that real-life violence has painful consequences.
   • Discuss Consequences: Talk about the real-world impact of violence, emphasizing pain, suffering, and emotional harm, rather than glorifying it.

2. Parental Involvement and Active Mediation:

   • Co-viewing and Co-playing: Watch shows and play games with your children. This allows you to monitor content, discuss what they’re seeing, and offer alternative perspectives.
   • Open Communication: Create a safe space for children to discuss what they see and how it makes them feel. Ask open-ended questions like, “How did that make you feel?” or “What do you think about how that character solved the problem?”
   • Set Clear Rules and Limits: Establish consistent rules for screen time and content. This might include no screens before school, during meals, or in bedrooms.
   • Utilize Parental Controls: Use built-in parental control features on devices, streaming services, and gaming consoles to filter or restrict access to age-inappropriate content.
   • Model Appropriate Behavior: Children learn from observing adults. Model healthy media habits, empathy, kindness, and non-violent conflict resolution in your own life.

3. Encourage Positive Alternatives:

   • Diverse Activities: Promote a balanced “media diet” by encouraging engagement in a wide range of activities such as reading, outdoor play, sports, hobbies, creative arts, and social interactions with peers.
   • Prosocial Media: Guide children towards media content that promotes positive social values, empathy, cooperation, and problem-solving through non-violent means.
   • Community Engagement: Involve children in community service or activities that foster a sense of responsibility and connection with others.

4. Advocacy and Industry Responsibility:

   • Support Media Ratings: Understand and use existing rating systems (e.g., film ratings, video game ratings) to make informed choices.
   • Demand Better Programming: As parents and consumers, advocate for media producers to create more developmentally appropriate, educational, and prosocial content for children, and to portray violence more responsibly (e.g., showing consequences, not glorifying it).

For that matter, how can we eliminate it from our children’s world?

Eliminating all violent media from a child’s world is practically impossible in the modern era due to:

• Pervasiveness of Digital Media: The internet, social media, online gaming, and streaming services make it incredibly difficult to control every piece of content a child encounters. Even if you limit direct access, children can be exposed through friends, school, or overheard conversations.
• Real-World Exposure: Violence exists in the real world, and children may encounter it through news reports, historical accounts, or even community events. Shielding them entirely from this reality might be detrimental to their understanding of the world.
• Desire for Forbidden Fruit: Extreme restrictions can sometimes backfire, making forbidden content more appealing and leading children to seek it out covertly.

While complete elimination is unrealistic, here are ways to significantly reduce and control exposure:

• Strict Age-Appropriate Content Rules: For younger children (under 6), the consensus from experts like the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is to protect them from all virtual violence, as they cannot distinguish fantasy from reality. This means no violent cartoons, video games, or even news reports that might pop up.
• Physical Environment Controls: Keep TVs and gaming consoles out of bedrooms. Place computers in common areas where usage can be easily monitored.
• Technological Safeguards: Implement robust parental control software on all devices and networks, strong privacy settings on social media, and content filters. Regularly review and update these settings.
• Curated Media Libraries: Provide access to a wide variety of non-violent books, movies, games, and apps that align with family values and educational goals.
• Open and Honest Dialogue: While not elimination, consistent conversation about media choices helps children internalize the reasons behind limits and develop self-regulation.
• Building a Strong Family Culture: Prioritize family activities that don’t involve screens, such as reading together, playing board games, outdoor adventures, and creative projects. This naturally reduces screen time and the potential for exposure to unwanted content.

Is it appropriate to eliminate it from our children’s world?

The appropriateness of eliminating violent media from a child’s world is a nuanced question.

• For very young children (under 6-8), it is generally considered appropriate and advisable to largely eliminate exposure to virtual violence. Their cognitive development means they struggle to differentiate fantasy from reality, making them highly susceptible to negative effects like increased aggression, fear, and desensitization. Protecting them from virtual violence is akin to protecting them from other physical dangers.

• For older children and adolescents, a complete elimination is often not appropriate or feasible for several reasons:

  • Developing Critical Thinking: As children mature, they need to learn to navigate the complexities of the world, including the existence of violence. Learning to critically analyze and contextualize media violence (e.g., understanding historical events, fictional narratives, or symbolic representations) is a crucial part of media literacy.
  • Social Relevance: Some forms of media, even those with violent elements, can be culturally or socially relevant (e.g., classic literature, historical documentaries, news about current events). Shielding them entirely might limit their understanding of the world or their ability to engage in important conversations.
  • Overprotection vs. Resilience: While protection is important, overprotection can hinder the development of resilience and problem-solving skills. Learning to process and discuss difficult themes, including violence, in a safe and guided environment can be beneficial.
  • Avoiding the “Forbidden Fruit” Effect: Strict bans can sometimes make content more alluring, leading children to seek it out secretly, potentially without parental guidance.

In conclusion, the goal should not necessarily be total elimination for all ages, but rather thoughtful and age-appropriate management, guidance, and education. For young children, rigorous elimination is highly recommended. For older children, the focus shifts to teaching them how to be critical consumers of media, promoting empathy, and fostering healthy coping mechanisms, ensuring they understand the distinction between fiction and reality, and the severe consequences of real-world violence.