Discuss the view that the media influences aggression
             The question of whether the media influences aggression has recently become an area of great interest. More specifically, the area of whether aggression and violence is having a detrimental effect on children, and therefore is one of the causes in the recorded number of youth violent crimes.
             Statistically speaking, the amount of television being viewed by children has risen:
             "Children now spend approximately 25 hours a week watching television, a dramatic increase when compared to 10 years ago" (Miller, 1998)
             However, more alarmingly is the evidence that shows the increase in violence on our television screens. Many psychologists have focused on this area and have found startling results including:
             " By the time the average child leaves elementary school, he or she will have witnessed at least 8,000 murders and more than 10,000 acts of violence on television" (Smith, 1996)
             " In 1982, airtime for violence increased from 1.5 hours per week to 43 hours per week in 1986, and in 1980 most of the children's programmes featured 18.6 violent acts per hour and now have 26.5 violent acts per hour" (Smith, 1992)
             " 57% of television programmes contain "psychologically harmful" violence that can lead to aggressive behaviour in a child" (Spock, 1992)
             " For the third year in a row, violent television shows account for 60% of television programming and that the amount of violence has steadily increased each year. Since 1994, violent programming on the major broadcast networks has increased in primetime viewing" (Stern, The National Television Violence Study, 1998).
             Although evidence such as this has shocked organisations and the public statements alone provides no concrete evidence that violence on television causes aggression merely that the amount of violence on television has increased which correlates with the i...