How to help students develop an awareness of the negative socialization that can result from watching excessive television violence.

OVERVIEW

Youth workers want young people to understand the influence television violence has on behavior and attitudes. Young people should be equipped and educated on how to make wise decisions about what they watch. Critical to the equipping process is defining and understanding violence.

LEADER PREPARATION

• Ask adolescents how they define violence. Also ask them when it is "acceptable," "appropriate," "unacceptable," or "inappropriate."
• View "Schindler’s List" and "Jesus of Nazareth." Edit portions of each that exhibit violence, particularly scenes which highlight "mob mentality." (Example: the court room scene when gradually everyone shouts, "Crucify him. Crucify him.")
• Compile a list of ten popular TV shows and movies (with varying levels of violence) and a corresponding rating sheet with a scale of 1-10 (for amount of violence in the program). Photocopy enough sheets for all participants, including leaders.
• Prepare video selections and equipment for use.

GROUP BUILDING

• As students and leaders arrive, give each the list of programs to be rated. After the students rate the programs, have them give their sheets to a leader who then goes to compile the results.
• Open the meeting with a couple songs and/or a brief game.
• Share and graph the results of the program ratings.
• Divide into small groups. Have each group discuss why they rated the programs as they did.
• After the small group discussions, one representative from each group shares his or her group’s discussion with large group.

GROUP PRESENTATION

• As group, define violence.
• Show video selections.
• In between each selection, ask how the derived definition of violence is reflected in the scene.
• While watching the selections, as the group to consider these questions: is all violence bad? Can anything positive result from violence or watching it? If so, how?

GROUP DISCUSSION

Discuss any of the following questions:

• Where did you observe violence in either of the clips?
• What are the similarities/differences between the two clips?
• What were the end results of the violence portrayed in the clips?
• How do you see the mob mentality at work in each piece (you may need to define "mob mentality")?
• In what ways and by whom are the acts of violence in each clip acceptable?
• In what ways is violence acceptable today?
• To what degree does television help you define right and wrong? What messages does violence tend to send?
• Think of times when violence has been allowed on a large scale (Hitler, Bosnia, ethnic cleansing…). What have been the results of ongoing violence? How has it affected the victims? The "victors"?
• Would you agree that television teaches that violence is the way to deal with differences? Why or why not?
• How has watching a violent scene affected your behavior afterward? Your mind and thoughts?
• Describe any bad dreams or nightmares you have had after having watched a program containing violence

WRAP-UP

Reinforce these points from the discussion:

• TV can and is often used to "brainwash" students with worldly values.
• Violence can be used to remind us of humanity’s depravity.
• Societies may become chaotic when violence runs rampant.
• Television is a powerful force that can be used to teach and help people or manipulate and violate them.

EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP

Depending on the results of the discussion, set up groups of two or three students who will call each other during the week and ask one another about the content of what they have watched during the week (leaders will need to follow up on each group’s findings). Set aside time the following youth group for sharing observations and experiences during the week.

Jennifer E. Kemp cCYS