ng theory posits that young childrenÆs concept of reality is literal, and based on what they see. Children begin to imitate adult behaviors at the earliest ages, even behavior that most adults regard as destructive and antisocial (Block & Newman, 1995). If a young child watches ôPower Rangers Ninja Story,ö ôX-Menö or ôJackie Chan Adventuresö on Saturday mornings, he or she finds a hero or favorite character to admire on these shows, and as a result of their admiration are inclined to imitate them, and are likely to re-enact the aggressive behavior they watch. I watched a couple of these shows because of my interest in the topic, and it is important to note that the ôgoodö guys are often as aggressive and violent as the ôbadö guys, so children see aggressive behavior as not necessarily a bad thing. This is one aspect of television programming that particularly upsets me because it sends a message that violence is a proper way to resolve conflicts.
I have personally witnessed this type of cause and effect as a teacher of young children. Two eight-year old boys were kicking and hitting another youngster, and when I intervened, they told me they were just ôplayingö their favorite Power Ranger characters. When I told them this type of behavior is not acceptable, they responded that it was ok bec
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