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<title> Abuses of television </title>
The action films nowadays contain much more violence than it did, for example, about twenty years ago. The characters in the films are fighting unnaturally long. It seems like they never hurt themselves. They bleed a little, but that's it. They can still stand up and continue fighting. In real life this wouldn't work. Unfortunately people think it could, especially children who are watching these films. 

It's not just films that influence the children. Also wrestling, boxing and other sports that contain violence has as much blame as the films. 

One of the newspapers here in Uppsala, UNT, wrote January the 27 2001 about a thirteen-year-old boy in Florida who had been convicted for murder of his six-year-old friend. He had deliberately jumped, kicked and killed his friend when he imitated his favourite professional wrestler. I think this example shows how strong children are influenced by the television. Children don't only learn from their own mistakes and actions. They also learn from watching other people's behaviour.

Different researches made in the US and Sweden are also showing the fact that children are influenced by the unrealistic violence in media, foremost television, that we are exposed to daily. 

In an American research, made in two junior-level schools in San José, California, the children were divided into two groups. The first group, consisting of 105 children, didn't watch as much TV as the other group, consisting of 120 children. The first group also had lessons where they learned why they shouldn't watch so much television. The other group (120 children) watched TV like they usually did, 21 hours /week. They also watched five hours video and played three hours video games. 

The first group, which had reduced their TV-watching, also reduced their aggressive behaviour with 25 percent. The research didn't assess the video games since they almost always contain violence. 

This research is the first one that shows you can actually change children's habits to make them less aggressive. The theory is that children get aggressive by watching television; they don't progress their social ability the same way as they would if they spend time with friends instead of the television. 

I believe that people, not just children, are influenced by violence in the media. But everyone has their own opinion. Is there any right or wrong in this matter? I don't think anyone can answer that question. Here are some different theories to clear this a little:

The first theory called the "Effect theory", believes that it's bad to watch violent films because you will be influenced by them. This can be expressed in different ways. One way can be imitation. TV-viewers learn from the films how to use violence in reality. Another way can be increased aggression. There are studies showing that young people who have been watching violent films also frequently are involved in fights, damages and thefts (more than other young people are). A third way can be increased fear. The violent scenes frighten the viewer, especially children. And last, but certainly not the least, blunting. The viewers get used to the violence, fear and excitement and become indifferent.

Another theory called the "Application theory" says that you have a sense of well-being by watching violent films since you arrange feelings. Children are drawn to the films they like to watch. They can have a need for arranging their emotional life and the viewers might also get a better self-esteem by watching violent films. Another way can be protest - liberation. You want to be able to assert yourself and this is a good way of doing it. Teenage groups can, for example, express their solidarity.

The third theory called the "Cultivation theory", says that it's the hidden message in the film that hurt us. It can, for example, strengthen the prejudices. The viewers get ideas, which resemble the films. The viewers' reality also becomes distorted. You can believe that danger of violence is the same in reality as in the films. This may lead to an enormous fear for you getting into violence of some sort.

Many scientists are pointing out that the increased violence in the films and on television has been one of the "sources" for increased violence in reality. People, especially children, don't know the difference between the violence in the films and the violence in reality. As the violence in films becomes crueler, the violence in real life does the same.
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