Violence and Media

At birth, a baby's brain has approximately 100 billion nerve cells. These cells are not yet fully mature and lack the critical connections that determine an individual's emotional, social, and intellectual make-up. Most of these gaps disappear by the time the child is six years old, but the brain remains greatly impressionable well into teen years. By the age three, a child's brain has twice as many synapses as an adult's brain. This suggests that children are biologically primed to learn in the early stages of life. The material and environment children are exposed to during this crucial stage builds the standards of right and wrong. If a child lives in an environment where violence appears to be acceptable, the child will form a connection and often accept the behavior as appropriate.
When a child establishes a connection, and the connection is reinforced in the early years, it becomes permanent. A connection that is used rarely, or not at all, is unlikely to survive. For exa...