The Impact of Television on Youth: A Comprehensive Analysis of Effects

This essay examines the multifaceted influence of television on contemporary youth. It begins by acknowledging television's widespread use and its potential for both positive and negative impacts. The paper's thesis argues that television has both beneficial and detrimental effects on young people. The positive impacts discussed include increased awareness of global issues and access to information, facilitated by news channels and streaming services. Conversely, the essay argues that television can promote aggressive behavior, especially through exposure to violent content, and can also contribute to social disconnection and materialism. The essay references studies and surveys to support its claims, providing a balanced analysis of television's complex role in shaping the attitudes, behaviors, and overall well-being of today's youth. The conclusion emphasizes the need for responsible television consumption to mitigate negative influences and maximize positive outcomes.

Television influenced the youth today?

Television
“How has television influenced the youth today?”
In the present scenario, there are many latest technologies that are introduced for the
entertainment of the individuals. Television is also one of the technologies which are used by
millions of individuals on a routine basis. Television is the medium through which the positive
and negative effect can be generated and there are many studies that have stated the impact of
television on the youth (Condry, 2017). The Thesis statement can be defined as "There is both
positive and negative impact of the television on the youth". The Thesis statement will argue
that "Television has positively impacted the youth as it helps them to connect with the world".
Also, the next argument will be related to "Television also promotes aggressive behavior". The
third argument that will be discussed is "Television disconnect the youth from their real life".
Therefore, it can be stated that in this paper the discussion will be made on the technology which
is "Television".
It is argued that Yes, television has positively affected the youth as it is considered as the
platform that helps them to connect with the world. It is observed that Television is the major
source of information for the youth. The youth watch different TV shows and movies that can
help them to boost their knowledge in relation to the activities which are taking place around
their surroundings. For example, the individuals are getting aware of the issue related to Sexual
Harassment. Through different news channel, it is easy for them to consider accurate
information. Also, there are many acid victims who are interviewed on television and they share
their stories on the global platform. This impacts the mindset of the youth and it is also the
platform that educates the people to take right actions against such cases or incidents. According
to the Survey which was conducted in 2017, it has been stated that the majority of the Youth uses
streaming services also to watch the television. By considering this research, it can be said that
Television is a popular medium which is considered by the youth to gain knowledge
(FACTANK, 2019). Therefore, television has influenced the youth in a positive manner also.
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Television
(Source: FACTANK, 2019).
But also, on the other hand, it is argued that "Television promotes the aggressive
behavior of the youth". Television has also negatively impacted the youth in the recent era. It is
examined that Youth sometimes engage themselves and create an addiction to watch violent
programs on the television which led to aggressive behavior. Television violence impacts the
youth and they learn the activities which are not right and ethical in the eyes of law. For
example: there are a majority of youngsters who love to watch the Television shows in which
criminal activities are showcased or the episodes related to killing, torture, and death. By seeing
these types of episodes or channels on television, the aggressive behavior among the youth can
easily be boosted. The youth are impressionable to all the activities which are taking place
around them and they get attracted to the unethical actions easily (Lansford, 2018).
Also, apart from violent programs, there are also different advertisements which are
showcased such as the advertisements for Smoking and drinking. This also influences the change
in the overall behavior of the youth and encourages them to engage in these activities which are
not good for their health. According to the recent study, it is analyzed that the negative impact of
the television viewing is not only restricted for the short term for the children but it also
enhances the violent behavior which persists in their adulthood. There are many psychologists
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Television
who agree that the violence in context to media enhances the likelihood of aggression and violent
behavior among individuals (Parent television council, 2019). The graph shows the effect of
violent media on aggression and its effects on the youth.
(Source: Parent television council, 2019)
It has also been argued that "Television disconnect the youth from their real life". It is
also one of the negative impacts which can be analyzed in the present era. It is important for the
youth to develop skills such as social ones and linguistic. For this, it is necessary for people to
interact with other individuals and engage themselves in different activities. Nowadays, Youth
spends many hours on the shows and episodes and due to this; they are not able to develop the
new skills. Also, excessive television watching can weaken the mind of the youth as it prevents
them to think in an analytical manner. It has been evaluated by the different researchers that
people who spend long hours watching television boost the rate of becoming obsess and also
they are not muscularly fit. It is published in the international journal of Cardiology that the
youth who spends more than two hours every day have a high risk of 30% of suffering from high
blood pressure (Wiedeman, Black, Dolle, Finney & Coker, 2015).
Television is also reducing the self-esteem of the youth and makes them materialistic.
The youth in the present era are focusing on the images that are showcased and they behave in a
different manner as they think that they will be accepted by their peers. This is done because of
the TV Commercials that manipulate the youth in an emotional manner and generate a false
requirement to purchase the products (Donnelly, Ksendzova, Howell, Vohs & Baumeister,2016).
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Television
Therefore, it can be concluded that Television is considered as the powerful medium that
positively influences the youth by helping them to connect with the world but on the other hand,
Television also has a negative influence on the youth. In the present case, the mainstream of the
corporate TV networks has a negative impact on the youth. But it can be said that Television is
one of the popular source used by the people in society but it should be used in a proper manner
so that negative influence can be reduced in an effective manner.
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Television
References
Condry, J. (2017). The psychology of television. Routledge.
Donnelly, G. E., Ksendzova, M., Howell, R. T., Vohs, K. D., & Baumeister, R. F. (2016).
Buying to blunt negative feelings: Materialistic escape from the self. Review of General
Psychology, 20(3), 272.
FACTANK. (2019). About 6 in 10 young adults in U.S. primarily use online streaming to watch
TV.Retrieved from: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/09/13/about-6-in-10-
young-adults-in-u-s-primarily-use-online-streaming-to-watch-tv/
Lansford, J. E. (2018). Development of aggression. Current opinion in psychology, 19(2), 17-21.
Parent television council. (2019). Is Media Violence Harmful? Science Says YES!.Retrieved
from: http://w2.parentstv.org/blog/index.php/2014/02/04/is-media-violence-harmful-
science-says-yes/
Wiedeman, A. M., Black, J. A., Dolle, A. L., Finney, E. J., & Coker, K. L. (2015). Factors
influencing the impact of aggressive and violent media on children and
adolescents. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 25(6), 191-198.
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