Have you ever thought of the huge and harmful impact of screen violence on youth behavior? Screen violence is all the aggressive behavior, thoughts, ideas and images that are presented in video games, television shows, and movies. It might not have a huge impact on adults but on children it has enormous and negative consequences. Even though onscreen violence isn’t the main factor of aggressive behavior, it could be a risk to kids who experience multiple violence throughout their childhood. Studies tell that 91% of movies contain violent actions and 57% in tv programs which has increased aggressive behavior such as bullying, desensitization to violence, and mental health issues.
Violence against children, women, and men is prevalent all over media, and it’s not only presented but also encouraged and romanticized in so many ways. But does on-screen violence reflect what is already happening or influence it? Many people believe violence is essential to media as a way of expressing and retelling stories that were already based on aggression. Others believe that it encourages younger generations into approving and believing how necessary violence is and that it’s not only a movie script but a lifestyle full of aggression and brutality. Especially that now a lot of movies and shows are overfilled with unnecessary violent language and actions, it is creating a whole culture based on violence for the younger generation to look up to
In general, men tend to be more aggressive than women, which according to statistics and researches Is true, men are mostly raised on violence; however, a lot of countries pointed out a remarkable increase in violence among females. Violence in movies is mostly sexually biased but not only women are exposed to it but also men. 1 in 7 men has experienced aggression and violence. Men’s violence content has been sadly normalized and presented over the years. Which avoided the massive increase in violence among men. Violence is a reaction to many factors such as stress, frustration, abuse, Peer Pressure, and traumatic events. Around all groups of ages, where it’s okay to add a violent or abusive scene for nothing but the viewer’s amusement.
But when it comes to brain function is our brain affected by the violence we are exposed to? According to Columbia University Medical Center (fMRI), an increase of violent programs can cause certain parts of your brain that subdue behaviors to become less active. Such change could decrease the ability to control their aggressive behavior.
Our perspective on-screen violence has to change, we have to stop normalizing abuse and violence and realize how traumatic or negatively encouraging it to the younger generation of viewers. And how it influences a new generation based on violence