The research shows that television violence can be harmful. Children viewing violent acts may not realize that violence inflicts pain or death. Some children do imitate the violence they view, sometimes with tragic results for others and always for themselves. In play, children have shot other children or hanged themselves or imitated other acts they saw on TV whose effects had not been realistically portrayed. They chose to play war or cops and robbers and to behave in hostile ways to their playmates, whereas children who had not watched TV or had watched nonviolent TV programs were less likely to select these games or to provoke disagreements and physical fights.
Some children obviously model what they see on television.
This is particularly disturbing in our violent society. Atrocious crimes against people and property occur constantly, often to children, sometimes by their parents. Conclusive proof is our military budget and our continued support for the creation and stockpiling of nuclear weapons. We cannot protect children from knowledge of violence in such a world. We cannot take the easy way out, accept that children will inevitably learn about violence, and conclude that television is as good as any way to learn.