Effects of Mtv

Power is in the hands of the media, children are passively taking in the visual-auditory displays (van der Voort, 1986), leaving them susceptible to its influence. Inhibitions towards aggressive expression are reduced, desensitization sets in. Blood and gore lose its ability to shock, and empathy declines. It erodes the children's emotional revulsion towards aggression (Feshbach, Singer, 1980). A study, involving 557 children over 15 years, investigates the relations between childhood violent media exposure and adult aggression. And there is a significant correlation; Huesmann, Moise-Titus, Podolski, Eron (2003) found that:

Men who were high TV-violence viewers as children were significantly more

likely to have pushed, grabbed, or shoved their spouses, to have responded to

an insult by shoving a person, to have been convicted of a crime, and to have

committed a moving traffic violation (p. 210).

Development of aggression occurs with precipitating factors like parental intervention, neurological causes, socio-economic status etc (Huesmann, Moise-Titus, Podolski, Eron, 2003). Parental concern is pivotal in a child's development; therefore parental intervention is an important co-determinant.

The comments of parents can effect an influence of violence on children. When disapproval of violent scenes was expressed, aggression following the program was less. Comments need not be of approval or disapproval; comments like "it's just a television program" or "it's not real" also alter the program's significance. It matters when the comment is made. According to Piaget's concept of decentration whereby the viewer takes a distance from the content of the film, by providing information before the program, it is seen with different eyes (van der Voort, 1986).

Viewing violence should not be vilified as the factor to aggression development; children can be exposed through other media like music and video games.

Music is everywhere - the home, school and shopping malls. The lack of visual images in music requires children to imagine details and form concrete images. A study was done where 61 students listened to a violent and non-violent song. The de