Today, the average American child will have watched 100,000 acts of television violence, including 8,000 depictions of murder, by the time he or she has finished the sixth grade. The National Cable Television Association defines television violence as, .
Any overt depiction of the use of physical - or credible threat of physical force - intended to physically harm an animate being or group of beings. Violence also includes certain depictions of physically harmful consequences against an animate being or group that occur as a result of unseen violent means.
According to psychological research children suffer three negative effects while watching violence on TV. First, children may become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others. This is desensitization of violence, or the idea of an increased tolerance for violence. Exposure to graphic material and portrayals of murder has a long-term effect for heavy viewers of violent content. Some of the most violent programs are cartoons, which intend to be funny but the consequences are not shown causing the child to believe it is "ok" to be violent. Children also become more fearful of the world around them. The effects of their fearful attitude are severe and are also increased due to unjustified violence, which is graphic or realistic. According to Dr. George Gerbner viewers believe their surroundings are meaner, scarier and lack safety. At these ages it is vital for children to feel comfortable with their surroundings or they could possibly become social outcasts later in life. Third, children may be more aggressive towards others. Leonard Eron and Rowell Huessman partook in a study of eight-year old boys. Both Eron and Huessman surveyed eight hundred boys finding them to be more aggressive on the playground and in the classroom. Checking up with the students eleven and twenty-two years later, they found that record of domestic violence and many traffic tickets was due to their exposure to violence on TV.
