Which influences violence more in adolescents? Parents or television?
105741
Parents usually.  Children learn from what they see and hear.  If they see this from their parents they are going to think that is normal, that every familt does it.  Also, if you are abused yourself it can be a repeating pattern as you grow older, not realizing that for most people violence is unaccptable.\n\nAlthough, TV does come in a close second.  It desencesisize them and often doesn't show consiquences to those action.
629835
Limit the amount of TV you watch. Screen the type of shows you watch. Not all of them are graphic or violent, although many of them are. Find a creative outlet and spend time with your hobby. These are things you can do for yourself, however, it will have little effect on others, except in how you treat the people you come in contact with. I don't think the media is solely responsible for the violent nature of Americans today. I think its the selfishness and greed that our entire country seems permeated with. And our woeful dependence on drugs and alcohol. I know that doesn't include everyone, but doesn't it seem that most of the violence in this country is drug related? And that is what most TV shows are about.
435042
Nurture vs. Nature...\n\nBoth are factors that influence a human's behaviors.\n\nHereditarily speaking, genes influence things such as temperment & patience. It has to do with brain chemistry, adrenaline & other hormones that are released in the body.\n\nEnvironmentally, your parents are your best influence. Most people who abuse others learn by watching others do it. Tolerance is also learned from family members.
274978
No way. TV and movies are meant to be entertainment not to be reacted. The people who commit violence in society are to be blamed because people are responsible for their actions. If young kids are becomeing trouble makers due to movies and TV, than their parents are not doing their jobs as parents.
166598
Personally, I don't think TV causes violence, so, no, the film-maker should not be held responsible.  People need to learn the difference between TV and reality.
1084038
Parents may or may not be teaching girls they don't have to have sex. You can't tell if they are or not by the behavior of the teen. Teens do respond to the influence of their parents, but not as much as they did when they were nine years old. \n\nThis is not to mention the desires of the girl herself, which may be the most determining factor in her behavior after all.\n\nAs parents we try to instill morals and a healthy disdain for media influences, especially if they are selling things, but a girl has got to do what a girl has got to do and parents won't stop her if she makes up her mind no matter what it is. Girls engage in many different risky behaviors and it is hard for parents that try to teach them better and then must help girls deal with dire consequences. \n\nParents should try to use what influence they have AND people should realize a girls actions are her own and not due only to their parents teaching.
1067429
There are many ideas to consider in answering this question.  First of all, teens go through incredible chemical changes every minute of every day.  An increase in testosterone (a male hormone) has shown to increase aggressiveness.  Even girls have fluctuating testosterone levels.\n\nAlso, fighting can be considered a cry for attention.  This does not necessarily mean attention from adults.  Peer pressure is a huge issue for teens.  Fighting might be viewed as a way to gain peer acceptance.\n\nDrug abuse may also play a part.  When a teen is high on any particular drug, the teen is noticeably more aggressive than normal.\n\nTeens also lack the social skills to handle differences.  In time, teens learn the appropriate ways to deal with differences of opinions by observing adults interacting.  This is why it is imperative that adults always model appropriate skills around impressionable young adults.
619978
Yes! I believe if parents want the reponsibilty of raising children that also includes knowing their where abouts at all times. If the parent is going to be neglectfull and sit in the house and watch tv and let their kids go outside and play by themselves and then someone grabs them and the kids get hurt or end of dead, i definitly believe that the parents should have the same punishment as the person who hurt their kid. Because if the parent would have been watching their own kid(s)- their kid(s) would be unharmed. Parents need to take care of your own kids and not allow a stranger to take care of them for you. If parents do their job, no one gets hurt or goes to jail, end of story!
298743
Whatever one thinks about television, there's no denying that it has had a negative impact on family relationships. Families don't eat dinner together anymore because everyone want to eat while watching TV. TV shows put ideas into everyone's heads about how they should be and what everyone else should be doing. Television is used as a babysitter for young children, so they learn to trust it more than anyone else.
882916
I agree that, at school, children are not held to a standard of morality or a set of rules in harmony with morality.  They therefore find themselves confused concerning the proper behavior at school.  This is one of many government failures in the public "education" system.  Additionally, their methods for enforcing their "rules" are quite ineffective.  You are quite right on all these accounts.\n\nBased on personal experience, I disagree that violence and fear of the same is healthy for children or for their discipline, though force has a place when used against the same.  There exists only one rational response to violence, and that it violence.  In the words of Ayn Rand, the threat of violence inherently removes morality from the discussion.\n\nViolence creates serious pschological stress (leading to diseases and disorders of the mind), and it looses efficacy as the children grow up.  As children get bigger, they realize that they can resist violence with violence much more effectively, and they tend to want to perpetuate violence to others when their will is violated (as has been done to them).\n\nMy own experience with my two little girls reveals that children want to obey their authority figures without threat of violence when such brings them security, sovereignty (in which they have proven themselves), order, consistency, and rationality (predictability).  I can count the number of times that I have used violence (a gentle, firm "spanking") against my daughters, over the course of both of their lives, on one hand with fingers to spare.  Freedom and sovereignty (even privileges) are all much more effective tools for disciplining children.\n\nBTW, every child I have ever known was a mirror image of their parents.  You can learn more about a person by observing their children for a few moments than by being the parent's friend for a month.  Additionally, every out-of-control child I have seen had a dysfunctional family (either single parent or soon to be single parent, or out-of-wedlock birth).\n\nYes, government is causing disciplinary problems, but no, the root is not in the preclusion of violence.
99790
While I think that both influence a child's attitude, the way they interact with their parents has more of an effect.  If you allow your child to disrespect you, she will learn that it is ok, and could start treating other adults in this way (such as a teacher).  Your child should learn that she must listen to you, otherwise the problem could get worse and worse until she isn't listening to anyone.  As for her clothes, looking nice isn't going to have as large of an effect now as it will later (like teenage years...).  Dressing you daughter nicely isn't going to make her act stuckup, it will only raise her self-esteem if someone compliments her on how she looks.
6014
Well.  This is a very subjective question.  I must say, that for many youths today, they are simple victems of their parents having to earn more money, and spend more time apart from the family in order to make ends meet.  The simple fact of the matter is that money requirments are just raising each day if not exponentially each year.  The more time the parents stay away from their children, either intentional or by necessity, the children must look to other places for guidance.\n\nFor many children, simply talking different, or behaving different is ascribed to what is 'cool' at the time.  And, what may you ask defines what is 'cool'?  Well that is a social interaction between children.  What they percieve as cool for others can often be percieved as what is cool for themselves.\n\nParents in general are concerned about making sure their children are safe, and are learning, as to how the child develops, ect, they usually leave that to the schools or the doctors; both of which don't really have the resources or time to spend to make the child into a more 'acceptable' adult.\n\nHowever, the aspect of violence is often subjective in today's day and age.  Many times it is just a responce to a given stimuli that the child has to face.  Because of the competitive nature of our society, those children that do not 'fit in' or are of a 'minority' group tend to be faced with many challenges from those within the 'popular' or 'majority' crowds.  Because of this violence is one of the main answers.  It is, after all, a base instinct that drives our need for survival.\n\nIf one is directly a threat we respond with either a flight or fight responce.  For many children, the fight responce is the primary.  The flight responce, due to the nature of today's society is considered cowardly, and is not looked upon by children of substantial age (those over 13).  Because of this, violence often happens, as do fights and prejudice within the social culture of children and teenagers.\n\nThe problem here is that once it has begun, it is very difficult to change the child for the better.  Mainly this is because once the stimuli has taken place, and the resonce has taken hold in the child, and the child has no other options given at the time, their brain and thought process is to work with what they are given.  In this situation it is simply the aspect of fight without any other choice.\n\nIf the child is given another choice besides fighting, or flight, but to talk, and try to disarm, then the situation is different.  But, too few parents today can see the merit of talk over fighting.  Indeed, many parents are just like their children, seeing fault in many people and then training their children to behave in a similar hateful way.\n\nReligion is also not the answer to this, because many types of religions, to include christianity, teach you to be intolerant of those who are different.  AFter all, you MUST change them into what YOU are to make them feel needed and accepted.  As this is the case with many religions out there, the aspect of religion is not the cure all.\n\nWhat can be done?  Simple accountability of the parents in regards to the child's life.  If the parents take a more active stance within thier childrens life, even if they are unable to direct the time, they can at least make some sort of effor tin other ways.  if the child doesn't feel trapped, or hindered, they won't resort to violence on the average.  Instead, they will resort to seeking out the aid of their peers and parents to resolve an issue.\n\nBut, who knows.  The social dogma today is to be a conforming christian.  If you are not one you are a minority.  If you are already a minority then you are 2x damned, and somtimes if you are of a minority of a minority 3x damned.  \n\nUntill the social stratus changes to allow for the variances within the human society, and to allow for true freedoms, then w
762721
I agree with Connie K.\n\nI think that violence desensitizes our children.  We never really see the consequences or aftermath of violence on TV or Movies.   We just see the violence and then the good guy always wins.  \n\nBut this is not just limited to violence, it also applies to behaviors and sex.  I think after you see enough promiscuous sex on TV, you think that is the normal way of life and that is how everyone lives.  Same thing with behaviors.  When kids watch shows geared to kids or teens, and the kids and teens are behaving badly with no consequences, I think that they start thinking that it is normal to act that way and to behave that way. \n\nThis is why I think that it is very important to monitor the programs that we all watch and especially our children, more closely.
236650
Parents are the most important.  They are definitely lax in disciplining their children today.  My neighbor negotiates with her 5 and 7 year olds over everything.  They don't listen to her at all and they have no chores or homework.  She says they just won't do it.  That's a sad excuse.  But then they can play video games and watch TV anytime they want.  This is poor development.  \n\nTeachers and counselors guide children to become well adjusted.  \n\nNeighbors and friends teach them by their example how to treat others.
680831
It depends on the child and how they have been raised as to how what is on TV will affect them.  \n\nIf a child has been left on their own to basically raise themselves, then they will do or follow what they see on TV.\n\nIf the child has been raised with parents that talk to them and explain things to them, then they know that TV is pretty much mostly make-believe and that just because it happens on TV doesn't mean that they should do it.\n\nTV isn't bad, it's a object, an appliance, and despite some peoples best efforts TV can not be blamed for the failings of a parent when it comes to raising and disciplining their children.
856768
Kids, like adults, will have an array of influences.  It depends upon the child which of those influences will be dominant, but in general I'd say parents first, media second, and friends third.  For many, though, none of these will be dominant.  For free thinking young people, their own exploration of religious dogma and its effects upon their lives and the lives of others is very important.
163966
no!!!\nIt is up to the parents to decide wether something is apropriate for their child to watch.\nSome people might say that the parents can't always be around....well then they should teach their kid to obey the rules....AND.....CHANNEL BLOCK.\nBut most of it should be allowed anyway. Parents should trust their teenagers to make the right decisions.