Since the possibility of television began in 1890, it was an American dream that one day each home would own one. In 1946 that dream was becoming a reality (Gunn). Even then there were studies going on about televised violence and its negative effects (Kolata). Exposure to violence on television poses harmful risks to children and helps to contribute to cases of real life violence. After work and sleeping, TV watching consumes the largest amount of time, and it is certainly a very persuasive social activity (Gunn). Something needs to be done about the amounts of violence readily available for children to see on TV because there is no doubt that it is harmful to the children of the world. .
Television violence can negatively affect the minds of its viewers, especially children. Those who are exposed to it may often exhibit bad behavioral traits picked up off of television shows. A psychology professor at the University of Michigan, Dr. Leonard Eron, said, "My own feeling was that children are very impressionable and that this is the way they learn- by watching others" (Kolata). Therefore, by watching violence on television, they copy this behavior and become more violent and aggressive in real life. Another risk of watching television violence is an increased chance of becoming desensitized to it (Rohan). If someone is desensitized to violence, they see nothing wrong with causing it themselves. This is the last thing our society needs. If television violence is not helping to bring about real life violence it is installing fear in the minds of the other viewers (Rohan). Seeing robberies, murders, and other violent crimes on TV causes some people, adults and children, to fear that these crimes will happen to them. They may be scared to go places alone, at night, or even to leave their homes. Whether it causes real life violence or fear, television violence has great negative effects on its viewers.
