NCJ Number
150936
Date Published
1994
Length
4 pages
Annotation
After documenting the prevalence and effects of media violence, this article recommends ways that Canadian schools can counter the effects of such media portrayals for various age groups.
Abstract
Research shows the prevalence of media violence and children's access and attraction to it. Research conducted over many years links exposure to violence in the media with antisocial and aggressive behavior in children (Donnerstein, 1992). The findings show that at best media violence desensitizes viewers, and at worst it instructs children in the tools and techniques of violence. It can also induce high levels of anxiety that are carried over into daily life. Schools can help counter the effects of media violence by creating a school culture of nonviolence. This means teaching prosocial skills and protecting children from exposure to violence in the media and avoiding toys and games that encourage the imitation of the aggressive behavior of super-heroes. Classroom strategies can counter exposure to violence. From kindergarten to grade three, the primary classroom focus should be on affective education that builds the base for skills and attitudes of nonviolence. From grade four to six, teachers can begin to give students some tools for building critical awareness of media and their impact on people's beliefs and behaviors. In grades seven and eight, students can further develop critical thinking about media. This may include exploring through class projects the gender and racial stereotypes portrayed by all media.