fects of television violence. They find that violent action attracts many viewers, including children. Studies of younger viewers who daily watch cartoons, police shows, and murder dramas with heavy doses of violence further relate to the potency of TV. Two large national studies of the contents of television programming that have been published in the last two years clarify the degree, quantity, and the various contexts within which network shows, movies, and cable programs present acts of violence for viewers, especially young viewers (UCLA Center of Communication Policy 1995; National Television Violence Study 1996). The majority of programs (57 percent) were found to contain violence, and often they included numerous violent acts. Not only are researchers concerned about the magnitude of violence in TV programs, but the public is beginning to express apprehension as well. So, what can we do to prevent children from falling victim to the TV? As virtually all homes in the United States have a television, counseling needs to be directed towards appropriate viewing rather than eliminating all viewing. With programs like Telle-Tubbies now aimed at infants, appropriate anticipatory guidance should begin as early as the child's first birthday (Strasburger, 1996). Parents may be unaware of the impact television has on their child. Because television acts insidiously to shape viewers' attitudes and perceptions of social norms (Strasburger, 1996), parents may underestimate this medium because they know that television is fantasy. They may not recognize that their children lack reasoning abilities and often view the television world as being "real" and shape their behaviors accordingly.For many parents, realizing that their child spends more hours a week watching television than attending school, playing with other children, or in any other activity except sleep is enough to raise concern. General advice to families should include that there...
