Introduction

A child's life is like a piece of paper on which everyone

who passes by leaves an impression. - Chinese Proverb

Children are often considered to be the closest reflection

of the omnipotent creator of the world. Innocence and
purity personified, they are unmarred by the corrupt
thoughts and practices. They resemble wet clay,
enthusiastic and ever ready to be shaped in the manner
the potter wants to mould them.

When we are born we have the capacity for motivation,

experience, and training, and because of this our minds
are very impressionable. Therefore, our brains
development is a dynamic mix of nature and nurture, so
it is important to choose a healthy environment for all
children. Children ranging from the age of six months to
about twelve years of age go through various stages of
emotional and physical development. During this age
however they have extremely impeccable minds due to
which external stimuli have a major role in shaping their
personalities. External stimuli can be broadly defined as

natural and man-made environmental factors, biological

and chemical factors, physical surroundings, social
factors, behavioral influences and outcomes, genetics,
and cultural and family influences and differences. These
factors have an influence on the mental and emotional
growth and stability of a child and determine majority of
his habits and actions.

Television viewing, thus, is a part of external stimuli in a

childs life. A means of mostly entertainment and
sometimes education, television viewing in children
mostly comprises cartoons and childrens shows. Children
have become much more interested in cartoons over
many years and it has become a primary action to some
lives. Typically, children begin watching cartoons on
television at an early age of six months, and by the age...

Facts

Have you ever met any children who do not like cartoons?
Or have you ever seen any children who refuse to watch
cartoon? These situations are mostly impossible under
normal circumstances. Its obvious that todays children
are, mostly unconsciously, exposed to television which is
one of the most fashionable inventions of the 20th
century. In this composition, I will mention the basic
reasons for childrens watching cartoons so much and the
effects of these cartoons on them.

First of all, the basic reason for childrens watching

cartoons is that cartoons respond to the childrens need
and tendency to activeness. Mostly the children under the
age of seven are so much interested in cartoons. They
firstly watch cartoons and then imitate them, which is a
crucial point to think on.

Parents are now using the television as a way of

entertaining their children while they attempt to
accomplish other things such as cooking and cleaning.

We cannot disregard the notion that the children under

the age of seven, still think that whatever happens in
cartoons are all real and they can do everything that the
characters in cartoons do. For example, if we think about
a five or six years old children, its probable that they can
jump from the roofs to fly, climb on the walls like
Spiderman, talk to their toys or to feed them as if they
are alive. This actually nonexistent reality in cartoons is
what leads the children to all these dangerous deeds.

Its crucial to signify that everything that children learn till

they are nine or ten, will be base for their later lives. In
this aspect, parents have to be careful about their
childrens cartoons. They must not think that cartoons
are TV programme that are prepared for children, so they
can watch which cartoons they want. On the contrary,
parents should choose the most beneficial cartoons that
will not only entertain the children but also give
appropriate messages to them. Otherwise, its most
probable that some fantastic cartoons can give
permanents harms to the mental health of the children.

Common observation
Have you ever met any children who do not like cartoons?
Or have you ever seen any children who refuse to watch
cartoon? This situations are mostly impossible under
normal circumstances. Its obvious that todays children
are, mostly unconsciously, exposed to television which is
one of the most fashionable inventions of the 20th
century. In this composition, I will mention the basic
reasons for childrens watching cartoons so much and the
effects of these cartoons on them.

Who can remember watching Looney Toons or Tom and

Jerry on Saturday mornings? Cartoons have changed
drastically over the years but have their effects on
children? Let's compare some older cartoons to their
replacements. Looney Toons & Tom and Jerry both have
something in common that most toons today do not
have... Violence! Tom is always trying to hurt and catch
Jerry even though he is usually the one that gets injured

and Wile E. Coyote is always getting smashed by anvils.

So what message do these cartoons send out? That it's
only funny until someone gets hurt, then it's hilarious. Is
that the message you want your children to receive?

The study also found that youngsters tended to mimic the

negative behavior they saw on TV such as rumorspreading, gossiping and eye-rolling.
The U.S. psychologists quizzed 95 girls aged ten and 11
about their favorite TV shows, rating them for violent
content and verbal and indirect aggression.
The shows included Lost, Buffy the Vampire Slayer,
American Idol, Scooby-Doo and Pokmon.
The researchers found that output aimed at children as
young as seven, which included a number of cartoons,
had the highest levels of violence.
They recorded 26 acts of aggression an hour compared
with just five in shows aimed at general audiences and
nine in programmes deemed unsuitable for under-14s.
'Results indicated that there are higher levels of physical
aggression in children's programmes than in programmes
for general audiences,' the study said.

It is evident in our schools all over the world today that

children are influenced by the cartoons they are watching
on television. The majority of cartoons are filled with
violence and bad language and therefore have a negative
impact on a childs developing mind. A childs mind is like
a sponge, it absorbs everything they see and hear. If they
are constantly exposed to cartoons with violence and
fighting it will affect them morally and may lead to
teenage violence in the future.
Some studies show that boys are influenced more by
violent cartoons than girls are. Young children do not
understand that a cartoon is not based on reality and will
tend to act out the violent scene they have seen in the
cartoon. Children tend to copy the actions they see
in cartoon characters like fighting, hitting, saying bad
words and being disrespectful to parents and teachers in
the classrooms.

Cartoon violence
What is violence? Do you think that children who watch
violence on television will show violent behavior? What
about the terrible tragedies in which kids kill other kids,

why? Many studies have been done to answer the

question of television violence and its effects on children.
Studies have been done by scientists,
pediatricians, and child researchers in many
countries over the last thirty years. These studies
have tried to find out what it is about television
violence that makes it such a big influence on the
way kids act and behave
Violence in cartoons is an integral part of cartoon content.
In fact, frequency of violence in cartoons is higher than
in live-action dramas or comedies
Although many violent cartoons meant for youthful
consumption contain comedic elements (e.g., Woody
Woodpecker, Scooby Doo), some of these cartoons just
portray the violence. For instance, Samurai Jack, X-Men
Evolution,
and Batman: The Animated Series depict animated
violence, with little to no comedic elements. Moreover, for
these
types of animated shows, violence is found at the
beginning and end of disputes. Presence or absence of
comedy

during violence is an important consideration when

evaluating the effects of viewing cartoons on youth.

Violence is a good way to

solve problems
Television is a powerful teacher and if children are
always viewing their favorite characters using
violence or aggression to get what they want,
children will do the same.

73% of individuals who commit

crimes in cartoons and children's
shows go unpunished in violent
scenes
Television shows that allow the character who
commits the crime to receive no punishment,
teaches children that it is alright to commit a crime
because nothing will be done. Criminals and violent
acts do not get punished.

Television creates heroes out of the

people who commit the crimes
Kids feel that if they copy the criminal they will be
a hero, too. The hero that commits the crime is

glamorized. There is nothing heroic about violence

and it is wrong to show kids that it is. Children
begin to think of criminals as powerful role models.

Television reduces the value of life

If someone gets killed, the other cartoon
characters dont care, and they may even laugh. TV
makes violence and even death seem funny and
unreal. Children do not learn to respect life
because violent television desensitizes them.

Children cannot tell the difference

between real and unreal
Television is make-believe. The people in the
stories are make-believe. They are actors and the
story is not true. Young children are unable to
realize that when a character attacks someone it is
not real and should not be imitated.

47% of violent television programs

show the victim going unharmed,
especially in cartoons.
The person in the cartoon or television show gets
bowled over by another character and they get

back up without being harmed. Children begin to

believe that violence doesnt really hurt others.

Effects on children
Children have become much more interested in cartoons
over many years and it has become a primary action to
some lives. Typically, children begin watching cartoons
on television at an early age of six months, and by the
age two or three children become enthusiastic
viewers. This has become a problem because too many
children are watching too much television and the shows
that they are watching (even if they are cartoons) have
become violent and addictive. The marketing of cartoons
has become overpowering and so has the subliminal
messaging. The marketing is targeted toward the
children to cause them to want to view the cartoons on a
regular basis, but the subliminal messaging is for the
adults to target them into enjoying the cartoons. This
is unfortunate because children watch the cartoons on
the television and they see material that is not

appropriate for their age group. The Children who watch

too much cartoons on television are more likely to have
mental and emotional problems, along with brain and eye
injuries and unexpectedly the risk of a physical problem
increases.

Mental and physiological effects

Mental and Psychological Effects on Children who Watch
Cartoons From the time children start school to the time
that they graduate they are averaged to spend around
13,000 hours in school. This may seem like an awful lot of
hours to attend
school unless it is compared to the hours a child watches
television, which is nearly 18,000 hours (from the time
school is started to the time of graduation). This
comparison is an outrage because of the amount of
television that is watched by a child will have an effect on
their brain, emotions and their sense to feel pain. In a
2000 report on adolescent violence, the U.S. Surgeon
General David Satcher stated that more aggressive
behavior in a young childs life is caused by frequently
watched entertainment that incorporates violence in it.
This has become a public health issue and because of the

research findings; the American Psychological Association

passed a resolution in February of 1985,informing
broadcasters and the public about the dangers violence
on the television has on children. Three major effects
have been proven by psychological research caused by
children seeing violence on television are that the child
may become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of
others; children who watch violence do not fear violence
nor are they bothered by violence in general and the
children are more likely to become aggressive or use
harmful actions towards others. When we are born we
have the capacity
for motivation, experience, and training, and because of
this our minds are very impressionable. Therefore, our
brains development is a dynamic mix of nature and
nurture, so it is important to choose a healthy
environment for all children. This means cartoons with
violence will be unhealthy for a child because in general,
being interactive with any environment enhances the
development of a successful brain. As a result, a
tremendous amount of childhood involvement with

electronic media can limit social interaction and may

obstruct the development of a brains social systems.

Effects on behavior
Television has long been criticized for influencing our
children. People complain that certain TV shows are
having negative effects on their children.
Children who view shows in which violence is very
realistic, frequently repeated or unpunished, are more
likely to imitate what they see. This speaks to the
impressionable mindsets of young children, who are still
learning control of their minds and bodies, and are likely
to mimic what they see, as it seems quite normal to
them. AACAP also stresses the need for parents to keep a
close eye on what their children watch. They must be
there, to explain that the cartoon character or actor that
was shot has not been harmed, but would actually be
seriously injured, or die in real life. They should also work
to tell their children that violent behavior is not the best
course of action to resolve a conflict.

Buying habits
Children tend to trust adults even when they shouldnt.
So, when a spokesperson for a product encourages the
child to purchase a product, they will. Marketers are fully
aware of this piece of information and take complete
advantage of it. Advertising at its best is making people
feel that without this product, youre a loser. Kids are very
sensitive to that. If you tell them to buy something, they
are resistant. But if you tell them that theyll be a dork if
they dont, youve got their attention. Marketing
Companies can open up emotional vulnerabilities, and its
very easy to do with kids because they are emotionally
vulnerable.
Cartoon companies are the most common companies that
are tapping into this new trend. It is literally impossible to
walk into any store today and not see any licensed
cartoon merchandise. From playing cards to toothpaste,
these companies have covered every angle possible. By
doing this it makes it impossible for a child to walk into a
store and not want a specific item. Cartoon companies
are also known to advertise their object in between
television shows. The commercials are designed to have

the child infatuated with the object and wanting it as

soon as possible. With such devises these companies are
using today, it is quite understandable why these
companies bring in billions of dollars a year.

Showing anger
When a cartoon character gets angry, steams comes out
the ears, red creeps over the body from head to toe and
there may even be an explosion or two. It's not as
entertaining to watch in real life, but the state of anger
causes physical effects in us as well. The response varies
from person to person, but some symptoms include teeth
grinding, fists clenching, flushing, paling, prickly
sensations, numbness, sweating, muscle tensions and
temperature changes. Children try do the same. This is
not good for nervous system.

Color physiology
A very important aspect of our visual experience is
color. It is logical to assume that what we see, especially
color, can affect the systems of the body. Psychologists

and physiologists belive this to be true and are

investigating exactly what each color can do to our
bodies.
Red has been shown to increase blood pressure and
stimulate the adrenal glands. The stimulation of the
adrenals glands helps us become strong and increases
our stamina. Pink, a lighter shade of red, help relax
muscles.
Green is said to be good for you heart. On a physical and
emotional, green helps your heart bring you physical
equilibrium and relaxation. Green relaxes our muscles
and helps us breathe deeper and slower.
In contrast to red, blue proves to lower blood pressure.
Blue can be linked to the throat and thyroid gland. Blue
also has a very cooling and soothing affect, often making
us calmer. Deep blue stimulates the pituitary gland,
which then regulates our sleep patterns. This deeper blue
also has proved to help the skeletal structure in keeping
bone marrow healthy.
Brown is the color of the earth and ultimately home. This
color brings feelings of stability and security. Sometimes

brown can also be associated with withholding emotion

and retreating from the world.

Conclusion
There are some things we can do as parents to limit the
amount of violence our children are exposed to.
Educational and quality cartoons are a good way to instill
positive values in a child. The government has taken
steps to increase the amount of educational programming
available to children. Set a time limit for the amount of
television a child watches and monitor the cartoons they
are watching. Become aware of the cartoons that contain
violence and replace them with powerful learning
programs that teach and uplift a child.
To conclude, its extremely significant that parents should
follow what kind of cartoons their children watch. They
must be careful about choosing cartoons for their
children. Its a compulsory duty of parents to choose
cartoons that are prepared by real cartoon producers,
which is, I think, the safest way to protect the children
from the possible harms of the cartoons.

We have now seen all the facts on both sides of the

argument. Is should be clear that we are faced with a
very devastating problem. If children continue to watch
these shows we maybe be faced with a society of very
angry aggressive adults in a few years. Until the media
industry learns to control their programming we as a
society need to step in and monitor our children's
viewings. Parents and teachers have a responsibility to
educate their children and help protect them from the
harmful effects of these cartoons. Our only hope is that
we can do enough so that this next generation of children
is not so violent. Maybe one day we can come to the
point where children are so used to watching wholesome
quality television that these violent shows will die out .