Does using violent media cause children to be violent?

A lot of people might say might say “I know violent media doesn’t affect me because I’ve played video games for years and I've never shot anyone in real life.” This type of direct copying of violence is rare. But after 50 years of research, scientists have come to the consensus that using violent media contributes to children’s aggression.

Scientific research has shown time and again that children learn from what they see on a screen. If they see violence being rewarded, they are going to learn that being aggressive is a good way to get what they want.

Using violent media has also been shown to have lifelong effects. Some of the most impressive research on this topic has found that the more violent TV people watched when they were 8 years old, the more likely they were to commit a violent crime when they were 30 years old. (see this study)

 

Next: How can I teach my students to think critically about media violence?

CMCH resources for parents and teachers are made possible
by a grant from the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation.