Violent movies or shows that contain sexual content send the viewers messages that are likely far from the values we have been taught growing up. In both cases, the message is that sex and violence are exciting and OK, no matter the situation.
Seeing human beings’ heads cut off and their bloody wounds displayed across the entire TV screen, along with graphic depictions of war played up by intense music and screaming, would have traumatized previous generations, yet we remain unaffected. Or so we think.
“Immediately after exposure to media violence, there is an increase in aggressive behavior tendencies because of several factors,” said Craig A. Anderson in his October 2003 article for the American Psychological Association. “One, aggressive thoughts increase, which in turn enlarges the likelihood that a mild or ambiguous provocation will be interpreted in a hostile fashion. Two, aggressive affect increases. Three, general arousal (e.g., heart rate) increases, which tends to increase the dominant behavioral tendency. Four, direct imitation of recently observed aggressive behaviors sometimes occurs.”
Anderson said repeated media violence exposure creates positive attitudes about using violence as solutions to problems and it decreases the normal responses to criticize conflict and aggression in future events.
The National Center for Children Exposed to Violence official Web site reports that 200,000 acts of violence and 25,000 murders will have been watched by the age of 18.
“The Pediatrics study shows that TV is doing a very effective job,” said David Walsh, president and founder of the National Institute on Media and the Family, in his column “MediaWise with Dr. Dave Walsh.”
“The promiscuous, disease-free sexual escapades of so many TV characters are hard to ignore. The message that sex is both normal and desirable for teens is sent and received, and the adolescents who are bombarded with it go out into the world and act on it.”
We are the ones living in the reality, not the Hollywood stars who get paid to act in movies in some imaginary world where crime goes unpunished and actions have little consequence. Of course, we can’t stop Hollywood from producing these films, but we can decide to be more aware of what we watch on our own.
Emily Rodriguez-Vargas