Assignment: Violence on Children's TV

The National Television Violence Study found that in 1996-1997, 61% of television programs contained violence, and, of those selected, 75% showed no remorse, criticism of, or penalty for the violence. Forty percent of violent acts were committed by attractive characters.

For this assignment, you need to watch an hour of children's television, preferably cartoons, and analyze the level of violence in the chosen children's show.

Rate the aggressive acts using the following scale:

Mild: Verbal aggression with no physical contact

Medium: Physical contact with no blood, such as pushing, shoving, and hitting

Extreme: Use of force to cause bodily injury, such as guns, knives, and other weapons, where blood is produced

Determine if any of the following occurs after the violent acts:

• remorse for the violence
• criticism of the violence
• any consequences of the violence

Analyze how the chosen show might influence the growing child, based on your readings. What messages is this show giving to the child?