Media Violence - Communicating with Parents
(9:00 Session, SWEIO Conference)

A. Media Violence's Contribution to Children's Aggressive Behavior

1. Short vs. long-term effects
2. Consensus demonstrated by meta-analysis
3. Types of Effects

a. Imitation
b. Desensitization
c. Increased hostility
d. Bi-directionality

B. Media Violence and Children's Fears

1. Long-term fears and sleep problems
2. Age-differences in what frightens children

a. Age 2-7
    Grotesque images (looks matter the most)
    Fantasy = reality (seeing is believing)
b. Age 8-12
    Realistic threats or dangers
    Child victims
c. Age 13+
    Molestation and sexual assault
    Threats from alien and supernatural forces

C. What We Can Do About It

1. Means of limiting exposure
        a. TV ratings
        b. The v-chip
        c. Other ratings and technologies (see Media Ratings)
2. Media literacy interventions
        (see 10:00 Session)
3. Speaking out
        a. To media
        b. To legislators
        c. To each other For more information:
Joanne Cantor, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison
Email: jrcantor@wisc.edu Web Site: www.joannecantor.com

In her book, Mommy, I'm Scared: How TV and Movies Frighten Children and What We Can Do to Protect Them, Harcourt, 1998, Professor Cantor translates her research on these topics into a readable book for parents, teachers, and school social workers, to help them cope with media violence in the daily lives of children and adolescents.