Should Sex and Violence on Television or in Movies Be Restricted? Research Paper

Introduction

Violence and sex on television can manipulate human behavior, earlier research has shown that television watching is the principal influencing aspect in developing value systems and conduct in the young and coming up generation (Roberts and Foehr, 24). Sorry to say, that much of television programming is full of violence and sexual scenes. Whether or not this is good depends on an individual and it’s a matter subject to intense debate. Research has been done on this field most of the researchers argue that television viewing can have positive or negative effects on an individual specifically the young generation. Reported negative effects from literature show that, prolonged watching of television violence by offspring leads to greater fierceness. From time to time, watching one violent program can boost hostility. Violence is an act involving physical force intended to harm, hurt or kill. Violent behavior is termed as deliberate and intentional physically brutal actions in opposition to another human being. Examples include beating, kicking, pushing, grabbing, throwing objects, using a weapon, threatening to use a weapon as well as forcing sex (Barratt et al., 341). Murder, robbery, assault, and rape are examples of violent crimes. Children who constantly watch movies, in which violence is practical, often frequent or left scot-free, are more likely to mimic this (Johnson et al., 2468).

The effect of TV violence may be instantly manifested in a child’s conduct or may appear later years. On the other hand, this violence on television is not the only cause for hostility or violent behavior, but it is a major contributor. Research indicated that on average youngsters watch more than four hours of television daily (Roberts, Foehr, & Rideout, 56). The television programmes contain weighty doses of sexual content, ranging from touching, kissing, jokes, and allusion to conversations concerning sexual actions and impression of intercourse. Sex is repeatedly presented as an irregular event without dangers or penalties especially among the youth (Collins et al., 280). The generally accepted view holds that the lessons learned by young viewers from television encourage sexual activity in this bracket (Weinstock, Berman, & Cates, 2004). To add onto this, research also shows that the, the rate of unintended adolescent pregnancy in the U.S. is considered to be on the rise of all developed countries regardless of current drop (Alan Guttmacher Institute, 2004; Singh & Darroch), since one-third (34%) of young women turn out to be pregnant turning twenty (National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 24). However, some researchers have reported positive impact on human behavior, for instance viewing movies with sexual content actually hastens the commencement of sexual activity among young people (Aubrey, Harrison, Kramer, & Yellin 450). Content regarding contraception and pregnancy can inform teens about the dangers and consequences of sex thereby encouraging valuable conversation among teens and parents (Taylor 130). Positive lessons learned from violent television scenes from researchers have established that children may turn out to be ‘immune’ to the disgust of violence; progressively acknowledge violence as a remedy to resolve problems; mimic the violence; and recognize themselves with specific characters or actors (Robinson et al., 17).

In this article, we may argue that the negative affects out ways the positive effects of watching movies on violence and sex on electronic media. Understanding sexuality is one of the significant challenges the modern youth are facing. The U.S. Surgeon General has drawn attention to the significance of this exercise as one of the nation’s primary public health apprehension (Office of the Surgeon General 87). Awareness created in the earlier years construct a base for attitude and thoughts about sex that can influence one’s life-long mode of sexual character. Society plays a vital role in the development of sexual socialization nowadays, like the ancient times. In modern society, teenagers also come across important factor whose possibility to contribute to their sexual socialization is great: the mass media, specifically, television (American Academy of Pediatrics 191). To be sure, some have termed the media a “sexual fantastic peer” due to its role in creating rules and anticipations for young people (Brown, Halper, & L’Engle, 425). Television’s handling of sexual coverage in current times has grown more and more regular and famous, resulting to crucial societal alarm in a period when resolutions in relation to sexual behavior inescapably involve public health dealings. Research in the U.S. shows that every four sexually active teenagers are diagnose with a sexually transmitted disease (Institute of Medicine, 34). Given statistics from various research findings and that the youth spend most of their time watching television compared to other media types (Roberts & Foehr, 56; Roberts, Foehr, & Rideout, 25), it is barely astonishing that television’s effect on sexual socialization is a vital subject of concern and debate among scholars and decision-makers.

Earlier than 1990, the nature and scope of television’s impact on sexual awareness, way of life, attitudes, and conduct, had only been scrutinized at irregular intervals, possibly owing to social sensitivities concerning compilation of data on related topics from the youth. In this article we resort to carry out a study to establish whether movies and programmes on television with violence and sexual scenes should be restricted or not. This is an area of instance debate hence need for the study.

Hypotheses

Introduction to sexual media content is a major factor in determining the youth’s opinions and behaviors concerning sex. Prolonged exposure to media violence also increases aggression among the young people. Objective The key goal of the study is to establish whether watching movies or television programmes with sexual content or scenes of violence is harmful to the youth and the young generation as a whole.

Methodology of the research

To establish the impacts of TV violence and sexual scenes, one must take into consideration the data from earlier research, examine television channels, monitor the behavior of an individual exposed to television and movie viewing at an early age for a certain period of time, and monitor the presentation of the scenes. Survey can also be conducted to interrogate individuals on their views and effects concerning the programmes. Extensive studies on the impact of violence on television have been carried out by earlier researchers. Studies conducted by four universities established that practically 2,700 shows investigated in a 20 week examination of 23 channels, 57% were containing a little violence (Zoglin 58). Rowel Huesmann L. and Leonard Eron assed the behaviour of individuals at the age of eight in American metropolitan in 1960. The conduct of the individuals was follow up at an interval of eight years for the preceding three years. They established that the relationship involving violence-viewing at eight years old and hostility of the character was at nineteen was greater than the relationship between viewing violence at eight years old and conduct yourself uncompromisingly at the same age (Mortimer 17). Other studies made remarks regarding presentation of violence. With respect to the analysis, 47% of the brutal acts presented lead to no noticeable injury to the victim; only 16% of cruel shows restricted information in relation to the extended unconstructive effects of violence; and in a gigantic 73% of all brutal scenes, the performer went scot-free (Zoglin 60). Reported research on sex on television has been carried out extensively, a study on a national scale representative sample of teenagers between the ages of 12-17 established that prolonged watching of sexual scenes on television speed up the commencement of sexual interactions and other superior sexual actions. Introduction to talks relating to sex was related with similar risks as exposure to portrayal of sexual behavior. (Collins et al., 284). Researchers have determined the degree to which more than 3,000 seventh and eighth graders were exposed to sexual related programmes in the media.

The study established that generally the extent of exposure to sexual content was the strongest gauge of these associations. (Pardun, L’Engle, & Brown, 81), Other reported findings on a research carried out examining college students, researchers found that increased exposure to sexual TV programmes and movies was positively associated with anticipations regarding sex for both genders. The results indicated that males with higher exposure to sexual scenes anticipated a broader range of sexual actions with their partners, whereas females of the same exposure expected sex to start in advance in a relationship (Aubrey, Harrison, Kramer and Yellin, 432).

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