Effects of Media Violence on Youth

The media has many ways of reaching the American youth, for example television, movies, music videos, video games, magazines, and most importantly the internet. These are some of the many ways today's youth are influenced with violence in today's present world. These forms of media create images that appeal to the children and teens, being that the media and its multiple division's control the variety of material that our youth can incorporate in their daily lives. This type of violence has been a long standing concern with the law makers both federally and state level, due to the long standing impact this violent media has on adolescents' and childrens' behaviors. These lawmakers are also concerned with the widespread of media violence due to the graphic depictions of today's video games.

Surveys state that the average American youth spends 6 hours per day on electronic media. Even though television still dominates electronic media that engulf the youths for an average of 25 hours per week, with the ever popular video games a close second. Most of the violence observed with the youth is usually observed thru the television, movies, and video game media. Some surveys estimate that the average American child sees 100,000 violent episodes and 20,000 murders before even reaching adolescence. This type of violence portrayed by the media is typically always glamorized and the negative long-term consequences of violent behavior is rarely depicted. Its also very obvious that video games have become the favorite activities for the youth in the United States. In today's world about 90 percent of American children between the ages of 8 and 16 play video games at home, either with game consoles or their computers. These American youth allow themselves to follow along the trends and violent actions, because of whats on television or music videos, and incorporating it into their lives. This is the reason media is able to change and update the type of violence that is usually directed towards these youth, due to their vulnerability and wanting to, fit in or be cool among their peers.

In the past few years, the media and its entertainment industries have created images containing more of a negative look for our youth incorporating more sexuality, violence, and harsher language. For example the videos that aren't allowed to be shown on television due to their violence, sexuality, and profanity, are easily obtained on the internet, for example on video websites like YouTube. American youth are using harsher or vulgar language and swearing is another threatening issue in today's society. Children as early as the age of 6 are unnaturally effected by this topic and usage of inappropriate language is becoming an outlet for aggravated teens and kids due to their exposure of media violence. This would fall under the Learning Theory and due to this exposure to this