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RUNNING HEAD: CAUSES OF AGGRESSION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
What Causes Aggression in Early Childhood Development, Are Cartoons to Blame
Along with Social Learning Theory or do Genetics Play a Dominant Role?
Shane Rodgers
Youngstown State University
CAUSES OF AGGRESSION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
Abstract
This paper examines the research performed on both adults and children and the
influence media violence has on attitudes and behaviors. More specifically, examining
what causes early childhood aggression. 3 factors were observed, including environment
in relation to social learning theory, genetics and cartoon violence. Also, the impact of
media violence on the viewer will be examined. Research suggests that genetics and
one’s environment are the primary causes of aggression in children. However, little
research has been conducted on children’s cartoons in particular as, an influence of
children’s aggression levels and social interaction. By better understanding what causes
aggression in children this behavior can be prevented into adulthood.
Keywords: environment, social learning theory, genes, cartoon violence, aggression
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Literature Review
Aggression can be an underlying symptom to many problems. Recent findings
suggest that aggression stems from mass media violence, affecting children’s behavior.
However, there is a wide range of other factors contributing to childhood aggression.
Often aggression in the early stages of childhood development is dismissed and viewed
as a part of growing up. “Kids can be cruel, “is a common expression. The expression is
true in many cases, but finding where the behavior begins is a main factor and many are
turning to mass media, specifically children’s cartoon programs. Other researchers
however, feel environment or one’s genetic make up are larger players in the situation.
This paper will attempt to provide enough sufficient evidence to prove that the
environment in which a child is raised is the primary source for attitudes and behaviors in
a child. Several studies have been preformed on the matter but no single one has been
able to entirely pin point the cause for this sort of behavior in children. With violent
imagery on almost every T.V. station in some form or another, our children are
constantly subjected to this form of entertainment. Violent material in media has become
more graphic in recent years than ever before. Viewers of all ages seemly have a similar
negative view of mass media and its role in society.
Attitudes and Behaviors Influenced by Violence in Mass Media
In a recent study, researchers Jahangir, S. F., Nawaz, N., & Khan, N (2014) asked
470 adults about their opinion on mass media and it’s current role in society. An
overwhelming 78 percent of participants agreed that mass media plays more of a negative
role in society than positive, by displaying images of chaos, violence and lewd and
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lascivious behavior. Responses in the researcher’s surveys indicated that what an
individual views on TV influences their over all well-being and mental state. It also has
an adverse affect of how that individual perceives the world (Jahangir, S. F. et al., 2014).
If an individual spends countless hours watching violent imagery or listening to violent
themed music, that individual will start to perceive their surroundings as dangerous. Even
though they may not be anywhere near imitated danger. This phenomenon is known as
Cultivation Theory.
Viewing violent material has been linked to an increase in blood pressure and to
cause higher levels of alienation, aggression and stress in adults (Jahangir, S. F., Nawaz,
N., & Khan, N (2014). As previously mentioned, what a person views has an adverse
affect of mental well being (Jahangir, S. F. et al., 2014), but it also has an effect on brain
activity. In a recent study, researchers were able to monitor 54 adult males brain activity
during the viewing of violent themed clips. These male participants were split into two
groups, aggressive group (Ag) and non- aggressive (NEM). They were put into either
group based on their answers they provided on a physical aggression subscale.
Participants in the Ag group had higher levels of brain function than members of the
NEM groups when shown violent images. Additionally, members of the NEM group had
feelings of nervousness and anxiety when shown violent images, where as the Ag
participants had less signs of the previously mentioned emotions but had higher levels of
stress (Alia-Klein et al., 2014).
In continuation, watching violent content through mass media has a direct
correlation with how each individual handles certain situations in their lives. Research
suggests that by frequently watching violent content, individuals are more likely to be
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involved in violence situations. The viewer has a sense of moral disengagement from
certain situations and this has been tied to aggressive personalities (Alia-Klein et al.,
2014).These circumstances do not just pertain to adults. Children, more specifically boys
that are exposed to violence through cartoons, movies and video games are more likely to
act physically aggressive towards children during play. Girls that are exposed to this type
of content are more likely to act relationally aggressive towards their peers than
physically aggressive (Gentile, D. A., Mathieson, L. C., & Crick, N. R. 2011).
These studies and the literature review indicate that media has a seemingly
negative impact on society. Frequent exposure to violent material leads to aggressive
behaviors and attitudes in both adults and children. Although we have determined that
violence promoted through media can influence an individuals behavior we still have yet
to determine the underlying cause of aggression, is one’s genetic makeup to blame, or is
social learning theory and the environment that surround a individual a determining
factor.
Social Learning Theory, Genes and the Environment
Researchers have determined a direct link between the environment in which a
child lives in and their personality and behaviors. Many aggressive children and
adolescents live in violent homes and neighborhoods, but in some incidences that is not
the case, which leaves researchers to believe that there are other contributing factors. In
many cases, a child without an authoritative figure will have behavioral issues and
trouble deciphering right from wrong. A 2009 study determined that very point. Children
that were exposed to violent material in a cartoon with the presence of an adult making
disapproving remarks to the violent scenes showed far less verbal and physical
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aggression towards others than the control group that viewed the same carton clip
(MIRANDA, P., MCCLUSKEY, N., SILBER, B. J., VON POHLE, C. D., & BAINUM,
C. K. 2009) With the presents of an adult acknowledging that the violent images were
wrong, children were able to understand the difference between right and wrong
behavior. However, the children in the study without an adult’s disapproval left the
children without guidance. Therefore acting aggressively during play with other children.
Children are a product of their environment, if a child grows up in a home with parents
that swear that child is likely to follow suite. That concept is known as social learning
theory and it can be applied to children’s interaction with media. What children are
exposed to will influence behavior and attitudes. Moreover, genetic make up could be a
contributing factor to the problem.
Genes play a large part in behavior, researchers suggest. Genes govern what
actions, reactions and developments in behavior. Although many studies have been done
on the matter no clear conclusion has been drawn. The subject still remains a heavily
debated topic among researchers. One study in particular, examined both identical and
fraternal twins and their behaviors were monitored by their mothers and recorded. The
purpose of this study was to determine how the environment affects each twins
differently and if genes had an influence on their behaviors. The results determined that
the male fraternal twins scored highest on levels of aggressive behavior followed by
female fraternal twins and female identical twins scored the lowest rating. Researchers
determined that although the environment does contribute in a child’s development,
ultimately genetic factors play a predominant role in an individual’s aggression.
According to this study 94% of an individuals behavior is a result of their genetic makeup
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(Ghodsian-Carpey, J., & Baker, L. A. 1987). Next, in 2002 DiLalla examined similar
studies involving both fraternal and identical twins to determine how much of an
influence genes have on a child’s behavior. DiLalla (2002) also assessed adopted children
and their relationship between behaviors and their environment and genetics. The
environment in which identical twins share are closer related than that of fraternal twins
DiLalla (2002) suggests, in that they wear similar clothes, share friends and have a closer
relationship in adulthood than fraternal twins. Therefore, the environment is more likely
to have an equal influence on identical twins than fraternal twins who are more
independent from one another. Findings determined that identical twins show a higher
level of aggressiveness in relation to heredity while playing with their peers than fraternal
twins. Quite opposed of Ghodsian-.Carpey (1987) and their research assumption. DiLalla
(2002) also examined adopted children and the correlation between their environment
with their adopted parents and genes from their biological parents and how that
influences behaviors. DiLalla (2002) indicates that many variables have to be met before
drawing any conclusions such as, their biological parents environment and the impact
that has on their behavior and if there are similarities between the adopted parents and the
biological parents in terms of behaviors and environment. There needs to be more
research done on the matter of genetic relationship without parental bias. Many studies
have been conducted on the matter but many with a parent involved in the findings. Also,
according to this literature review genes do not determine behavior anymore than the
environment does research suggests (DiLalla, L. F. 2002).
Research implies that genetics have a very large part in a child’s personality and
behaviors and that environment affects each child differently. Nonetheless, as (Miranda
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et al., 2009) determined that a positive influence an adult has on a child can alter their
actions and understanding from right and wrong. Which ties into the hypothesis in that
social learning theory and the environment surrounding a child, influencing their
behaviors. Whether one factor is more substantial than the other is still inconclusive.
As mentioned previously media has an overwhelming negative impact on society
(Miranda et al., 2009). It influences what we wear, what music we listen to, how we
communicate with one another and it can even alter our thoughts and opinions.
Cartoon Violence and its Link to Early Childhood Aggression
Television consumption has sky rocketed in the last few decades. It is not
uncommon for families to have a TV set in almost every room. Something that was
unheard of 50-60 years ago. Roughly 7 out of 10 children shows have some form of
violence in them. Globally 93% of children have access to a television at home and use
television as a primary source of information, surpassing books and radio (Erwin, E., &
Morton, N. 2008). Children are no longer going outside to play and using their
imaginations with peers. Instead, children are staying indoors, watching television and
playing graphic video games depicting acts of violence. Parents are now using the TV as
a virtual babysitter for their children while they complete their day-to-day tasks such as
cooking and cleaning. Children are starting their Saturday mornings plopped in front of
the television watching their favorite cartoon characters beat up one another and
superhero’s fighting off the bad guys. Often these shows have PG and G ratings; this
makes these shows seem harmless for our children to watch. But many parents are
concerned that cartoons have become too violent. It is very common to see young boys
mimicking their favorite cartoon character by play fighting with plastic swords or
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pretending to shoot one another. Although not much research as been done on the matter,
many parents believe that their children are learning these behaviors from cartoons.
Bjorkqvist, K., & Lagerspetz, K. (1985) examined both 5 and 6 year olds and 9
and 10 year old children (girls and boys) and monitored how each group morally viewed
the violent scenes in cartoons and how well they understood the plot. As well as each
groups anxiety levels during the violent scenes. Researchers also hypothesized that boys
would have a larger false sense of reality than girls. Results determined that the
preschool children had a more difficult time pinpointing what made a character bad or
good. Additionally, the preschool children stated that the violent scenes were the most
freighting and therefore disliked those scenes. Where as the 9 and 10 year old children
liked the violent scenes and did not find them freighting. Likewise, their hypothesis was
correct in that the boys had less moral understanding than the girls when asked about the
violent scenes.
Children, especially boys, find violence in video games and television shows
entertaining. Nonetheless, how well do they understand the harming effects of what they
are watching? Blumberg, F., Bierwirth, K., & Schwartz, A. (2008, October) examined
that very question. The researchers presented three and four year old children with
pictures of both realistic and cartoon images of violence such as hitting, kicking, stealing
etc. Then the children were asked to assess the severity of punishment for the previously
stated actions. The children negatively viewed all violent images both realistic and
cartoon. The children also viewed the cartoon images as more serve than the realistic
images (2008, October). The study suggests that young children are capable of
understanding the difference between reality and fantasy in relation to carton violence. If
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Blumberg et al., (2008, October) study are true, then why do so often children mimic the
violence they see on television? Even if they are fully aware of what they are doing is
wrong as pointed out in Miranda et al., (2009) involving researchers observing third and
fourth grade child after shown a five-minute clip of the Justice League. The control group
demonstrated far more aggression both verbally and physically after the clip was shown
with no adult present during the showing. This study shows the influence adults have on
their children in regards to violence they view on television. When an adult is
disapproving of violent themed media children are less likely to play aggressively with
their peers.
The discussion of cartoon violence and its effects on children is still relatively
unchartered water. Research seems to indicate that cartoon violence in particular does
have a direct link to aggressive behaviors in children, especially during playtime with
their peers. But, researchers believe that simply talking to your children about the
difference between reality and fantasy could prevent this type of behavior. Parents can
also limit television time and make conscious consumer decisions when buying their
children toys that can have violent images or violent themes such as toy guns and knifes
for example (Erwin, E., & Morton, N. 2008.)
Research Questions/Hypothesis
H1: Environment and social learning theory primarily influence a child’s behavior and
attitude towards others.
H2: Violence in cartoons fosters aggressive behaviors in children, especially during play
with peers.
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RQ1: What is the leading underlining cause of aggression in early childhood
development, genes, environment/social learning theory and cartoon violence? Or all
three?
RQ2: How much of a factor do guardians play in helping their children understand real
from make believe?
Conclusion/Future Studies
Undoubtedly environmental factors as well as genes play a large role in our
personalities and behaviors, although we are uncertain of which is more dominant. Future
studies can look at adopted children in particular more in depth to obtain a better
conclusion to the gene/environment argument. By comparing the biological parents to the
adoptees and the behaviors and the environment in which they both live in relation to the
adopted child’s behavior could further explain a predominate factor. In continuation
studies without parent involvement may give the researcher a more accurate read out.
Additionally as children we may not be able to control our genetic makeup and the
environment in which we are raised. As parents we are able to control what our children
are being subjected to through media, especially cartoon violence. If a conclusion can be
drawn from this paper it is that guardians play a large role in helping their children
understand what is real and fictional. In many instances a cartoon character gets injured
by never really hurt. No matter how outrageous or far-fetched the circumstances of the
characters injuries, they never face serious injury or death. Children relate this to real life
circumstances and begin to mimic what they see in these cartoons, without being aware
of the real injury they may cause to themselves or others. As indicted in the Miranda et
al., (2009) study children require a positive adult influence to educate them on the
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difference between reality and fantasy and good behavior from bad. By monitoring and
talking to our children about the violence they view on TV, we may be able to prevent or
lower aggressive behaviors that follow us into adulthood. Limiting television
consumption and encouraging children to play outside, involving them in an organized
sport or planning out activities could have a positive influence on a child’s self esteem
and health. By joining an organized sport in particular, children will learn discipline and
gain social skills that could benefit them later in life. A positive influence in a child’s life
could make a huge difference in how that child behaves and perceives the world.
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