Air drifts lightly through in the toddler’s bedroom, but for the child? The atmosphere feels fun and exciting because their parents gave him their phones, hoping the child would calm himself down. But that shortly backfires as the child is suddenly aggressive, screaming for no reason, and is starting to have violent and inappropriate actions. But later the parents found out he was watching an action movie with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson starring. No one knows how that got there. No one paid attention, not even the slightest bit. The debate over the effects of violent content in media, particularly cartoons and video games, on children’s behavior has been an ongoing conflict. When children are exposed to violent content, it can greatly influence the child’s behavior, potentially leading to aggressive and violent actions. When exposed, the child sees, then the child does. They imitate the violent behaviors that they see in what they are exposed to. Particularly if they identify with the characters or perceive the violence as justified. If it is repeated, the child is overtime being less empathetic and accepting more violence. This can affect their violent content and also their psychological mechanisms that are involved in the implications for child development. Arousal from violent content can transfer to other situations, intensifying emotional responses and a chance for more aggressive tantrums. Longitudinal studies have examined the long-term effects of violent content exposure on a child’s behavior with mixed results that also results in counter arguments. We can resolve this issue by teaching children media literacy skills that can help them critically evaluate violent content and understanding its potential effects. And instead of drinking wine, relaxing, parents should monitor their children’s media consumption and discuss the content with them, providing context and guidance. The effects of violent content on children’s behavior are complex and multifaceted. While experts suggest a potential influence, the extent and nature of this influence vary depending on individual, social, and contextual factors. A balanced approach that combines media literacy, parental guidance, and responsible content creation is needed to protect children from potential harm.
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