The American Medical Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Psychological Association have linked aggressive behavior in some children to watching violent movies. Children who watch violent movies may become more accepting of real world violence. Other children may become fearful and perceive the world as filled with danger. Movies that present positive role models and conflict resolution without violence can, in turn, have a positive effect on kids' attitudes.
Older children and teens may re-enact scenes from movies. Children may engage in risky behavior after viewing the behavior in a movie. A 2007 study published by the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics,"Longitudinal Study of Viewing Smoking in Movies and Initiation of Smoking by Children," addressed movie influences on smoking. Researchers found that as many as one-third of children between the ages of 9 and 12 years may be influenced to smoke after seeing movies that portray people smoking.
Children experience emotions when they watch movies. The more realistic the character and the experiences portrayed on the screen, the more likely the child is to be influenced. Kids can experience genuine anxiety, fear, happiness or sadness while watching a movie. The emotional effect on a child may be long-lasting, well beyond the length of the movie. The degree of emotional effect depends in large part on the age of the child. Younger children may experience a greater emotional response than adolescents.
Gender and racial stereotypes in movies contribute to children's perceptions of others. Children may develop biases or prejudices about others based on what they view in movies. Young children who have limited experience interacting with people of other races and cultures may be especially vulnerable to stereotypical characterizations. Movies that portray women and men in traditional gender roles and racial stereotypes in movies are not uncommon. Kids may develop stereotypical views of others by viewing movies that present racial groups and women in a negative way.