Growing Up Fast and Furious

Book excerpt: "I am often approached by parents and professionals who work with children, who have heard conflicting reports about the effects of violent or sexualised media on children. Usually, they simply want to know what the scientific research has found. This book summarises the research findings in plain language. World leading scholars in disciplines such as psychology, psychiatry, neuropsychology, law and ethics discuss what we currently know about the effects of television, movies, video games, music and advertising, as well as the ethical, legal and policy implications. This book is anchored in up-to-date scientific evidence, offers plenty of helpful, practical advice, and will assist everyone with an interest in the effects of media on children to be well informed."Wayne WarburtonThe breadth of content and diversity of contributors come together to discuss important issues raised in the book:John Murray on behavioural and neurological effects of viewing violence on children. Craig Anderson and Wayne Warburton on the effects of violent video games. Wayne Warburton on the effects of music and music lyrics. Ed Donnerstein on the impact of the internet on youth and children. Louise Newman on the sexualisation of youth, on the role of the media in such sexualisation, and on the potential effects of restricting the distribution of sexual themes in the mass media. Cordelia Fine on the roles that advertisements in the mass media - and particularly highly sexualised advertisements - play in altering children's self images and behaviour. Emma Rush, philosophical ethicist, asks in the context of media effects and media regulation: Are principles or consequences more important? Is it more ethical to empower children or to protect them? What is the most ethical balance between allowing freedom of expression and protecting children from harm? Elizabeth Handsley exposes the difficulties of formal government regulation of violent and sexual media in societies that value free expression. Danya Braunstein and her colleagues make a strong plea to base regulation on empirical evidence rather than on political or even ethical positions. The evidence is in, they correctly point out, so let's base regulation on the evidence that is in, and let's do it now! Alan Hayes points out the multiply-determined nature of aggressive and violent behaviour that needs to be addressed if real reductions in violence are to be obtained.