By Tamohara dasa
We all have heard Srila Prabhupada warn us that television and media strengthen our materialistic mentality and divert us from service to Krishna—our consciousness being formed largely by our association. However, it is often difficult to keep our children away from the influences that are so pervasive in our culture.
Aggression and Television Viewing: The problems associated with children watching TV go beyond moral and spiritual concerns. There is mounting evidence of the many negative psychological and learning effects associated with television viewing. The following research provides another perspective on its adverse effects—specifically on the connection between television viewing and aggression in children.
Results of Long Term Study Recently Reported: A recent research study tracked the viewing habits and later effects on 329 youth over a 15-year period. (This study was published in the March 2007 issue of Developmental Psychology)
Beginning of Study: The study began 15 years ago with 329 children (both boys and girls) identifying the following:
which violent TV shows they watched most
whether they identified with the aggressive characters
whether they thought the violent situations were realistic
15 Years Later: The current study re-surveyed the original boys and girls, now in their early 20’s, and asked about their aggressive behaviors. The participants’ spouses or friends were also interviewed, and data was collected regarding their criminal conviction records.
Results in Men: Results show that men who were high TV-violence-viewers as children were significantly more likely to have:
pushed, grabbed or shoved their spouses
responded to an insult by shoving a person
been convicted of a crime at over three times the rate of other men
Results in Women: Women who were high TV-violence-viewers as children were more likely to have:
thrown something at their spouses
to have responded to someone who made them mad by shoving, punching, beating or choking the person
to have committed some type of criminal act
These women reported having punched, beaten or choked another adult at over four times the rate of other women
Violent Video Games: This is only one of hundreds of studies that have demonstrated the connection between television watching and violent and aggressive behavior. Newer studies are also showing this connection with children playing violent video games.
We sometimes mistakenly think that these activities will not really hurt children—that they know reality from fantasy, and there is no permanent effect. According to both science and Srila Prabhupada the reality is quite different than we think.
Dear Prabhu,
Thank you for those insights.
I have a question. In the last 10 years main stream media like TV has had a large decline in viewers for a number of reasons. Now instead of watching TV many people, youths included spend more time surfing the internet and a lot of time on Social media. What effect does this have on the psyche aside from wasting time?
dasa dasa anu dasa
Shyamasundara Dasa ACBSP
For absolute proof that media influences our mind, desires and behavior, we only need to look at the very concept of advertising. If advertising did not work… that is, if it did not influence our mind, desires and behavior, then advertisers would not be spending BILLIONS of dollars each year to influence behavior. In the U.S. alone, 190 billion dollars were spent in 2016.
As a person with a BS in psychology, and an MS in conflict resolution, I have done numerous comprehensive reviews of scientific studies.
The first lesson, for evaluating results of studies is " correlation does not equal causation" Your report on this study addresses correlation only.
The cause for watching more violence may be a greater inclination for violence, n the first place- which also causes more frequent violent acts.
In the absence of television, an.person may find numerous other ways to focus on violence, if they are so inclined.
The real point is; regardless of whether it is about
fighting or loving, materialistic entertainment only absorbs us in materialistic mentality. Only actors depicting stories from the Vedas can elevate us. These may be stories of peace and love, or stories of fights and millions being killed, which are common in the scripture.
If someone wanted to boil it down with a concise devotional soundbite – perhaps they could consider how a person associates with the interests of whoever they are associating with. Whether via media, or traditional village talk grahmya-katha. So in that sense, nothing new about topic at hand. Thus if a media personality (or the village barber) is discussing something other than devotional intent, then that is what attention tends to absorb. Best to focus on productive priorities. Nothing dated about that.
Srila Prabhupad has said that the demons are also extremely intelligent except that they use their intelligence for self destruction and destroying the lives of others..As devotees, we know that anything not connected with Krishna is Maya and Maya appeals to us in many different flavors taking us away from Krishna including through the technologies of today. So it's super important keep ourselves and our kids in devotee association wherever we are..and Prabhupad should be in the dead center of our lives through his extremely potent Vani. This IS the only way to save ourselves and our children from getting influenced by Maya's allurements. We need to wish to associate with Srila Prabhupad or we must find someone who has Prabhupad in the center of their life..