Research Archive
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Articles
- Most middle-school boys and many girls play violent video games
- PG-13 = Not Safe For Kids
- TV Turns Kids Into Bullies
- FCC Report Urges Limits On TV Violence
- FCC may try to regulate TV violence - even on cable
- TV and Film Violence Reaches a New High in 2006
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Most middle-school boys and many girls play violent video games
June 29, 2007
BOSTON - June 29, 2007 - A new study by researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital's (MGH) Center for Mental Health and Media dispels some myths and uncovers some surprises about young teens and violent video and computer games....
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PG-13 = Not Safe For Kids
June 11, 2007
PG-13 means Hollywood says a film is fine for children 13 and over, although parents should decide whether or not the movie is OK for younger kids. But flics rated PG-13 may not be suitable for youngsters of any age...
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TV Turns Kids Into Bullies
June 5, 2007
Turn off the TV and hang out with your kids. That seems to be the message of a new study on what makes playground bullies. Children who watch a lot of television are more prone to push other kids around...
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FCC Report Urges Limits On TV Violence
April 26, 2007
Federal regulators have concluded that Hollywood's efforts to shield children from violent TV shows have failed and that Congress should authorize government action...
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FCC may try to regulate TV violence - even on cable
By Eric Bangeman | Published: February 19, 2007 - 12:32PM CT
A draft report from the Federal Communications Commission raises the possibility that the FCC may act to clamp down on violent content on prime-time television - provided it gets the green light from Congress. Currently, the FCC has the authority to regulate sexual content and profanity on television, but most of the commissioners would like to see their power extended to cover depictions of violence.
"The pressure to do something on this is building right now," Commissioner Michael told the AP. "People really feel strongly about this issue all across this land. This is not a red state or a blue state issue."
The report comes in response to a request from a bipartisan congressional group and will be submitted more two years past the original deadline of January 1, 2005. In their request, the congressmen asked the FCC to determine whether it could define "exceedingly violent programming that is harmful to children" in order to regulate it.
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TV and Film Violence Reaches a New High in 2006
"By the time the average U.S. child starts elementary school he or she will have seen 8,000 murders and 100,00 acts of violence on TV."
New Scientist, 2007
Does the violence in films and on TV contribute to violence in society?
This question has been debated for decades. During that time some 2,500 books and articles have been written on the effects of TV and film violence on human behavior.
In this article we're going to summarize some the latest thinking on this subject.
The results of one of the most extensive studies ever done on the subject of violence and TV were released in 2003.
Researchers followed 329 subjects over 15 years. They found that those who as children were exposed to violent TV shows were much more likely to later be convicted of crime. Researchers said that, "Media violence can affect any child from any family," regardless of social class or parenting.
Girls who watched more than an average amount of violence tended to throw things at their husbands. Boys who grew up watching violent TV shows were more likely to be violent with their wives.
Researchers concluded in Developmental Psychology that, "Every violent TV show increases a little-bit the likelihood of a child growing up to behave more aggressively."
