Media Violence and Children: A Complete Guide for Parents and Professionals

by Douglas A. Gentile (Editor)

The foremost experts in the field of media violence research present a broad range of approaches and findings to confirm what has long been media violence has profoundly negative effects on children. The contributors share concise and readable summaries of the most recent research―along with research conducted over the past 40 years―regarding the effects of violence in various media, television, film, video games, music, and the Internet. Scientifically documented negative effects on children include the aggressor effect, the victim effect, the bystander effect, and the appetite effect. Future steps to reduce the danger of media violence are also presented. This cross-disciplinary approach to media violence offers readers the most complete, up-to-date, and holistic understanding of the topic. Gentile and his contributors also examine and debunk long-held misconceptions about media violence, explaining the specific nature and unquestionable power of the negative effects.

Genres: Parenting, Psychology

328 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2003

Reviews

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't *actually* read this book. I listened to a lecture series he gave called, "Media Psychology". But they don't have it in goodreads and I'm not going to chase down whoever I need to prove it. I just want to log for my own memory that I read it. It was good, not great. Kinda like Advertising with Media 101. Just a general rundown of all the areas that media can and will influence and what to do about it. Helped me get a more established expectation for what to think towards media in my own home and with my kids.

[Leslie Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a thorougly researched and important book for anyone--parents to pediatricians, social researchers and educators--to read. While a hugely complex subject, these world-renowned media violence experts break it down into easily digestable sections that are functional--and eye-opening for all. MEDIA VIOLENCE AND CHILDREN is jam-packed with charts, graphs, and other visuals strengthening text and bringing greater understanding to a timely problem from the developmental approach to media consumption to TV violence, relational/social aggression (i.e. bullying), to meta-analysis, and even music, MEDIA VIOLENCE & CHILDREN is well-researched and highly executed to be a classic resource on an important subject.