TV Violence & Brain Mapping in Children

While early westerns and cop shows such as the Lone Ranger and Dragnet often displayed violence in a comical and often highly unrealistic manner, contemporary dramas such as CSI or Dexter show not only the immediate carnage of violence but also its aftermath in all its gory detail. Can such violent displays negatively affect the mind, such as making people more likely to be aggressive themselves or even act out violently in ways similar to what they have seen in the popular media?

How brain mapping works

• As medical science advanced to the point of being able to create sophisticated electrical maps of the human brain, we acquired the ability to associate particular brain states with actual thoughts and even behavior. Taking a magnetic resonance image of someone's cerebral cortex while they are looking at pictures of loved ones can allow researchers to see what areas of the brain correlate with feelings of emotional intimacy and affection. In the same way, cognitive scientists have looked at how children's brains respond to being shown violent video sequences. This response has then been compared to what we know about what areas of the brain are related to what functions (i.e., motion detection, memory, arousal).

Changes in behavior

• According to Dr. John P. Murray, 30 years of brain mapping research has indicated that watching violent television can have substantial effects not only on the actual brain of a child but on his outward behavior as well. While detection of changes in the brain as a result of violent video through mapping techniques has an extensive history, it is only recently that scientists have been able to point to exact behavioral changes that are at the crux of the issue. These changes include an increased level of aggressive behavior and/or favorable attitudes toward aggression as an acceptable social outlet. Also, there is a marked desensitization to violence that occurs after prolonged exposure, which apparently makes the person's tolerance toward societal violence in general much higher.

Mean world syndrome

• This could have the effect of leaving children, and eventually adults, with a sense that assaults, murders and even massacres are simply a normal part of everyday culture. Another important effect of TV violence in children is an increased fear of being victimized by violence. This is dubbed the "mean world syndrome" and the person suffering from it feels that she is likely to be involved in violence even when, statistically, the chances of this happening may actually be quite low. This may explain why people feel that crime is out of control when statistics showed a substantial overall decrease in violent crime throughout the 1990s.

Learning to kill

• Dave Grossman, a former Army colonel, has added to the understanding of how violence in the media can affect children through his research into what it takes to take a normal citizen, with a natural aversion to killing other human beings, and turning them into effective soldiers who will pull the trigger every time. According to his book "On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society," violent programing can have the same effect as military training in terms of breaking down societal barriers toward violence. As the viewer sees violence as an everyday occurrence, and even experiences highly arousing sensations as a result of programming, he becomes more capable of committing acts of violence himself.

Things to consider

• While the research is clear on how violent TV programming can adversely affect a child's brain and behavior, it must be noted that simply being capable of violence, and having a more favorable attitude toward aggression, will not necessarily translate into actual violence. For example, although there seems to be an epidemic of school shootings, the actual number of events point to what is still a rare situation. Still, given that many children may now be more capable of being violent, as they grow into adulthood and the bonds of society continue to weaken, perhaps more violence will erupt.