Violent films making Indian
teenagers aggressive: study
By Kavita Bajeli-Datt
New
Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) Violent action films are making Indian
teenagers more aggressive and some are even keeping weapons
to satisfy their urge or to show off, says a new study conducted
in schools in Delhi and its neighbouring areas.
The
alarming finding comes from a survey by Delhi-based psychiatrist
Samir Parikh among 1,000 students in private schools here
and in the suburban towns of Gurgaon and Noida.
The
survey says that as a large number of children in the 14-17
age group watch violent movies, they might be getting more
aggressive.
"It
is an attitudinal survey and not a behavioural survey. These
children are young and vulnerable. After seeing such movies,
they are inspired to copy them," Parikh told IANS.
The
study has found that an overwhelming majority of boys - 79
percent - enjoy watching violent movies, while 34 percent
of girls also love seeing such action-oriented films.
"This
indicates that a large population of students watch violent
movies, which could result in their behaving in an aggressive
manner. Movies do make an impression," said Parikh.
Forty-four
percent of boys said they have the urge to hit or harm someone,
while the figure was 32 percent for girls.
Also,
about 35 percent of boys feel that showing some force or bullying
someone is important to make friends like them more. Around
24 percent of girls agree with this.
A
worried Parikh said: "We need to understand teenagers.
They have a certain mindset and are thus more vulnerable.
They might not be harming anyone or bullying anyone now. But
in the future, they might think it is ok to do so."
The
survey says feelings like physically harming someone score
quite high among teenagers. "But it is not clear whether
they actually act out their urge in harming someone."
Many
children said they are aware that their friends carry a weapon
to school. The weapon can be anything that they feel will
protect them.
Parikh
said: "It comes as a shock to see that quite a few students
are aware that defensive weapons are carried into school premises.
These weapons could be anything."
As
many as 31 percent of boys said they know of someone being
threatened or injured with a weapon in school while the figure
is 22 percent for girls.
Another
point the study highlights is that many children shared their
feeling of not wanting to go to school as they feel unsafe.
This could also be because of bullying by others or the fear
that they could be harmed, said the psychiatrist.
As
many as 53 percent of boys said they felt safer when they
are with their own gang or group in school. This is true for
girls too. About 45 percent of girls said they feel protected
in school if they are part of a group.
Parikh
said children with such thinking needed to be identified so
that their pre-conceived mindsets could be corrected.
"Teachers
and educationists need to work on understanding the adolescents.
This is the time when they make up their mind. If they have
to be shaped as better human beings, they have to be counselled
now," he added.
(Kavita
Bajeli-Datt can be contacted at kavita.d@ians.in)
Indo-Asian
News Service
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