Q: Which specialist doctor to consult for children’s mental health?
A: A psychologist or psychiatrist needs to be consulted for mental health related concerns with respect to children. A pediatrician may also have some knowledge of psychological conditions in children, but a mental health professional is recommended.
Q: How do violent cartoons affect children''s behavior?
A: Violent cartoons can lead to aggression, fear, desensitization, lack of empathy, internalization of inappropriate role models, distorted perception of reality, and antisocial behavior.
Q: Do violent shows affect a child''s mind?
A: Yes. A violent show can increase the likelihood of a child behaving aggressively and also make him/her more susceptible to feeling afraid of dark or lonely spaces, among other negative effects.
Q: How do cartoons affect society?
A: Cartoons often encourage unhealthy behaviors such as violence, sexual behavior, taking justice into one’s own hands, stereotyping and inappropriate ways of handling conflicts. Watching cartoons without critically evaluating them can lead to adopting the unhelpful attitudes and tendencies they promote.
Q: How do political cartoons influence people?
A: Political cartoons can make one think about current events and the political scenario. They can also sway one’s opinion in favor of the cartoonist’s views. Critically examining the cartoon can help one reach an informed decision regarding their own stance.
Q: How do advertisements affect children?
A: Children may not be able to differentiate between advertisements and programs. This makes them believe the claims of the advertisers. They may feel that they are being deprived if their parents do not buy a certain product. Therefore it is crucial to explain the nature of advertisements to children.
Q: How does sexual content in the media affect children?
A: Sexual content in cartoons or other media can lead to children forming certain distorted attitudes and beliefs towards sex. Adults may prevent children from viewing sexual content by suddenly changing the channel and avoiding all conversation about it. This can make a child more curious to understand what is so forbidden about this sort of content. It is important for parents to not only limit and monitor, but also have open conversations about sexual activity which will help children form healthy beliefs and attitudes.
Q: Should I completely restrict media consumption for my children?
A: It would be almost impossible in our times to prevent a child's exposure to media at school or even in a friend’s home. Instead of trying to prevent the child from coming across unhealthy content, equipping the child to analyze and differentiate between healthy and unhealthy content, and teaching them to form their own views rather than blindly following what is shown, can be more effective. Besides, media does have its advantages when used appropriately.
