Violence in Cartoons: Content Analysis

In the past decades, a primary discussion area has been the media’s role in the portrayal of violence, especially in cartoons. The frequency and nature of violence observed can be explored by conducting a content analysis between Phineas and Ferb and Bugs Bunny cartoons in their varying eras. As a 2000 contemporary cartoon, Phineas and Ferb and the 1950s classic cartoon Bugs Bunny create pictorial evidence of how cartoons have influenced violence over time. The paper will employ latent and manifest coding to uncover violent themes and patterns in these cartoons.

The interesting bit in the findings

The exciting thing about Phineas, Ferb, and Bugs Bunny is their portrayal of violence in varying forms despite coming from different eras. In Bugs Bunny, one can see characters falling from cliffs, having slapstick comedy, hitting each other with objects, and being shot with shotguns. Unlike Bugs Bunny, with more physical violence, Phineas and Ferb express a milder violent form where minor mishaps created by inventing things and engaging in playful fights make the contemporary cartoon exhibit violence in the media.

If violent behavior can be caused by watching violence on movies or TV

The violent behavior portrayed in the cartoons raises eyebrows regarding its potential impact in influencing violence among people watching them, like children. The violence exhibition and context vary where less intense and light-hearted violence is notable in Phineas and Ferb compared to the comedic and exaggerated Bugs Bunny violence. All the same, violence is featured in both. Research from the book “Does Media Violence Cause Violence” revealed that being exposed to intense or realistic media violence can make one acquire aggressive behavior and desensitize (Zulfigar, 2021). However, a different effect may be noted when cartoon violence is shown unrealistically or humorously (Islam et al., 2021).

Individual aggressiveness and playing violent video games

In the previous years, there have been debated and complex concerns about violent video games’ influence on behavior. While researching the impact of cartoon programs on children’s behavior, Parvin Islam (2020) observed a correlation between enhanced aggression and playing violent video games. Individual differences can make behavioral activities more nuanced in some children compared to others. For example, negative parental rearing patterns and moral disengagement can make children from these backgrounds acquire aggressive behavior following long-term exposure to violent video games (Li et al., 2020).

Another content analysis study I am interested in doing.

I would be interested in doing a content analysis on how video games and their violence could potentially impact attitudes in the gender representation context. In this case, I would consider studying how gender roles are represented in cartoons. In a world where the government is under public pressure to represent both genders equally, it would be interesting to see how cartoons portray female and male characters and the impact such would have on girls and boys watching the cartoons. The other exciting context would be how the cartoons depict diversity and inclusion of LGBTQ+ members, ethnicity, and race. Through content analysis, valuable approaches and methods would be attained while comprehending the messages passed in cartoons and other media forms.

Conclusion

In brief, it is evident that cartoons, like other media forms, may portray significant violence. Phineas and Ferb depicts low forms of violence, while Bugs Bunny shows more physical violence. The degree and intensity of violence affect how children’s attitudes and behaviors change. Prolonged exposure to the violent nature of these cartoons plays a primary role in perpetrating aggressiveness among children. Still, their violent behavior differs depending on the background, especially if parental involvement is absent where caregivers do not give their moral support to children. Further investigation would focus on how children’s attitudes and behaviors change upon viewing cartoon violence. Additionally, it would explore gender representation while providing valuable insights into the potential impacts of media violence on children and their peers.

References

Islam, M. M., Adnan, H. M., Omar, M. A. M., & Akter, N. (2021). Tom and Jerry projecting violence in slapstick comedy: A qualitative content analysis. Jurnal Pengajian Media Malaysia, 23(1), 65-82. https://mjlis.um.edu.my/index.php/JPMM/article/download/24420/13041

Li, J., Du, Q., & Gao, X. (2020). Adolescent aggression and violent video games: The role of moral disengagement and parental rearing patterns. Children and Youth Services Review, 118, 105370. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019074092030904X

Parvin, F., & Islam, S. (2020). The impact of cartoon programs on children’s physical health, intelligence, behavior, and activities. European Journal of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Studies, 1(1). https://oapub.org/hlt/index.php/EJPRS/article/viewFile/48/47

Zulfiqar, S. H. (2021). Does Media Violence Cause Violence? Can Exposure to Violent TV Shows, Movies, and Video Games Turn People Aggressive and Desensitized to Violence? Eliva Press.