Does the Media Leave a Negative Effect on Teenagers?

Keiara Williams

English IV-2A Mrs. Jones 28 March 2014

Outline THESIS: Based on experts and researchers, visual and interactive media can have a negative influence on the youth of todays society. I. Media such as the computer, internet and social sites is a risk to teens, however there are some benefits. A. Teens are spending too much time on the computers and this is numbing them. B. By being on the internet a lot of teens are being exposed to sex, violence, etc. C. Social media sites are a threat to teens privacy and can be dangerous. II. Video games, song lyrics and music videos are said to be a major risk factor in teen lives and have a negative impact. A. Teens do what they see on video games and get influenced to go out into the real world and try to do them same things. B. Violent song lyrics can make teen feelings and thoughts aggressive. C. Music videos show sex, violence and stereotypes that form a negative influence on teens.

III.

The media is definitely having a major impact on teen girls. A. Teenage girls try to keep up with the ideal body image they see on models when the watch these music videos.

From waking up to your favorite music playing on your favorite radio station and focusing on the newspaper while you are eating your breakfast, you are letting social media take a part of your life. Also chatting and socializing with friends on social networking sites while you wait for class to start and watching movies on television when you get home, the media is the typical way of almost all of the youth lives in todays society. The media can have a negative influence on the people of todays society. This all start at a young age, childrens minds are in some way like a sponge it absorbs everything that they hear and see. By the time they are adults, they are already being influenced by the media in some sort of way. All sorts of media can be found all around us in our everyday life. When you are watching television, reading news reports, socializing on social networks and listening to the radio you are being affected by the media. In todays society it is hard to get away from the many images that the media can put out for people to see. Many teens use the media for entertainment and direction; this is resulting in them having a snappy behavior because of the bad images they are being exposed to. If the media is continuously allowed to expose society to negative things the future youth will be affected badly. Although the media influence society in a negative way, the media can still have a positive effect on society sometimes. Based on experts and

researchers, visual media and interactive media can have a negative influence on the future youth of todays society. Visual media is a means of communication using visual effects; it is what you see out in the media. Things such as, television, newspapers, magazines, and billboard ads are a part of visual media. There is also interactive media, interactive media is a way of communication where the program's outputs depend on the user's inputs, and the user's inputs affect the program's outputs. Video games, websites and social media sites are the most common types of interactive media. Risk and Benefits of Teens Using the Computer, Internet and Social Media Its normal for teen today to be on the computer and interact with the media. However, teens are spending way too much time on the computer; this is putting a toll on their social life and is numbing them. They are spending more time with the media than they do in school, work and outside. This problem is making more and more children and teens fall behind in school. Spending too much time with media is also being linked to sex, violence, drug and alcohol usage and obesity. Parents have no clue about the impact of media exposure on children and teens. Unrestricted use of media can cause serious

consequences. Parents should put restrictions on phones, laptops, televisions, radios, etc. so that this problem can be minimized. Despite the negative effects of teens connecting with the media, the media can be a way for teens to socialize and learn. Like the internet has changed the way children and teens buy music, research school projects, etc., it has affect the way they interact socially also (Kids Internet, Media Consumption). Today, the internet is one of the main ways someone can be influenced by the media. Since everyone is on the internet anyone can put out whatever they want to put out into the media so that everyone could hear or see it, whether its good or bad. There are more children and teens on the internet now more than ever; they are using the internet seeing negative things that they should not see. By being on the internet so much children and teens are getting exposed to sex, violence and other negative things that they should not see that come with internet usage (Kids Internet, Media Consumption). However, the internet can be a positive thing for teens and children because there is a lot of learning programs and sites that are good for them to use and can help them in their everyday lives. By being on the internet all the time this mean that teens are spending a lot of time on social media sites.

As social media sites continue to grow in the population teens are being more accustom to sitting on social networks, teens using social networking sites is a major issue (Social Networking). This is one of the most concerns because social networks can affect the influence on teens in a negative way. Teens are exposed to images that make them do risky things and change their behaviors. Social sites can be a threat to privacy

and dangerous for children and teens. Social networks create a new form of peer pressure. Teens that are on social networks are more likely to smoke, drink and use drugs than teens that are not on social networks (Study: Teen Users of Facebook). Social media sites also make it easy for someone to get bullied, teens sit behind the computer and try to bully other teens and think that it is funny and cool to do. They are saying and posting mean things to hurt someone and break them to just do they can make themselves look and seem cool. Although social sites have a negative effect on teens, social networks allow teens to communicate with friends and meet potential new friends. Not only do social media sites influence teens in a negative way, but video games, song lyrics and music videos also have a negative effect on teen behavior. Impact of Video Games, Song Lyrics and Music Videos

Lots of youth engage in violent video games, song lyrics and music videos without wanting to be encouraged to go on a massive killing spree. Video games, song lyrics and music video can also have a negative influence on teens behavior. When teens hear and see these things they are being trapped to do the things they hear and see. For instance, when they see an animated person on video games killing someone that can make them want to go out and kill people too. Due to the rash of school shootings perpetrated by teen boys, the effects of video games recently have come under scientific, public, and political scrutiny. Because teens seem to what to do what they see on video games, violent video games influence teens to act in a way that is inhuman and make them want to do the violent things they see on the violent video games they play. Over the past two decades, more than 20 studies have assessed the relationship between violent video game play and aggression during the adolescent period (Fling et al.). They see these things and they mind just trigger and make them what to do it because they think it is ok because thats what they are doing on video games. According to Newsmax Newspaper, An

eight year old boy kills a women right after he was engaged in playing a violent video game (Hirsen).

Song lyrics can have that same effect on teens as violent video games. Song lyrics have made a major change over the years; they have come very explicit, mainly in reference to violence, sex and drugs (Fedler). Violent song lyrics, as well as humorous violent song lyrics, can make people feelings and thoughts hostile and aggressive (Anderson and Carnagey). Studies show that a preference for heavy metal music may be a significant marker for alienation, substance abuse, psychiatric disorders, suicide risk, sex-role stereotyping, or risk-taking behaviors in teens (Klein 92). On the other hand, music is important to teens, it helps them identify themselves and help them define social boundaries (Christenson). Music videos are just like song lyrics, but it has pictures too see that go with it. The majority of music video fans are teenagers and young adults, who are at an impressionable period of their lives. Being that music videos are most popular among teens, when song lyrics are put into images in music videos, their impact is increased greatly (Christenson). Content shows that up to 75% of concept music videos contain sexually suggestive, more than half contain violence included acts against women (Baxter). Music is an essential part of growing up and helps shape ones personality. Unfortunately, this aspect has been used by

television networks to manipulate the youth into believing certain cultural and gender stereotypes. However, it inspires, entertains and stimulates, while on the flip side it can inculcate unsavory behaviors and attitude among the youth. Music videos mainly affect teen girls; they see the women in the music videos and want to be just like them. Impact of body image on teenage girls The media also play a major part on self-image with youths, it has changed the way teenage girls view health issues. They set out an impossible image of what good looks are and teenage girls try to imitate them by destroying their bodies. Teens are trying to keep up with the stream of media and related to body image, they are being more afraid of losing weight than any other thing thats worth worrying about("Self Image and Media Influence). Being that they worry about their body image they develop eating disorders such as, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Anorexia is when you look at yourself and think that you are overweight, you start to put restrictions on the amount of food you allow yourself to eat and exercise excessively. Bulimia is when you are average weight or overweigh and you try to control it by fasting or purging. Eating disorders play a

major part on how teen girls try to keep up with the women they see in magazines and on television shows (Stice and Shaw 288-

308). They develop these eating disorders because they are trying to keep up with super models. They think that they should look like the super models so they starve themselves to try to stay slim like the images they see. However, Teen girls seeing these images can be a good thing because this could keep a lot of girls from obesity because they want to look like the super models, and dont want to be fat. The way the media has made an impact on todays youth have changed drastically. The media is responsible for the negative and positive aspects on teenage view on behavior, sexuality and body image. This is done by visual media and interactive media, which is why media need to have restrictions on what can be put out into the society. If these things are not done the future youth of todays society can be majorly affected.

Work Cited

Arizona State University. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. Baxter BL, De Riemer C, Landini A, Leslie L, Singletary MW: a Content analysis of music videos. J Broadcasting Electronic Medin. 1985;29:333-340 Christenson PG, Roberts DF. Popular Music in Early Adolescence. Washington, DC Carnegie Council on Adolescent Medicine;1990 Eric Stice and Heather E. Shaw(1994). Adverse Effects of the Media Portrayed Thin-ideal on Women and Linkage to Bulimic Symptomatology. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology: Vol.13, No.3, pp. 288-308. Fedler R, Hall J, Tanzi L. Popular songs emphasize sex, deemphasize romance. Mass Commun Rev. 1982;9:10-12 Fling, S., Smith, L., Rodriguez, T., Thornton, D., Atkins, E., & Nixon, K. Video games, aggression, and self-esteem: a survey. Social Behavior and Personality, 20, 3946. Hirsen, James. Killing Shows danger of Violent Video Games.

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