The images and sounds that scare toddlers are different than those that scare teenagers and adults.
Horror movies viewed by young children can have a significant and lasting effect on them, one that leads to psychological problems including sleep disorders, anxiety and nightmares. Children, including toddlers and those younger than seven, find it difficult to distinguish between fantasy and reality in the images they see, so they may think what they see on the screen is real.
Horror
The horror genre of movies, which has been around since the early 20th century, is designed to provide an unsettling experience for viewers, often preying on their deepest fears. The aim of horror movies is to frighten and alarm viewers by examining subjects based on the darker side of life, things often seen as forbidden, strange or alarming. Movies are commonly rated for age appropriateness to avoid problems with underage children seeing inappropriate images and dialogue.
Toddlers
A toddler is characterized as a child who's just learned to walk and is beginning to want to perform everyday tasks for himself. This developmental stage between infancy and childhood usually occurs between the ages of one and two years old, according to the University of Illinois Extension. Children under the age of five are thought to be too young for exposure to violent images in movies, according to Science Daily. Toddlers are likely to pay attention to the television when it's turned on and often mimic the actions they see displayed on it, including images from horror movies.
Effects
Studies reported by Science Daily show toddlers and children who are exposed to violent and scary images in horror movies are likely to suffer from a variety of psychological problems, including anxiety over potentially dangerous events and sleep disruption. Potentially aggressive behavior can also be displayed, such as aggression toward others and self-endangering behavior. These effects can last for a number of years, with many children focusing on the danger of the possible loss of a loved one and developing obsessional behavior about characters such as zombies.
Fear
The effect of violent and scary images and sounds changes as a child enters different developmental phases of growth. Between the ages of two and seven, children are often afraid of scary creatures from horror movies, while in their later childhood years, they become less scary because the child knows they don't exist. Children are scared by movies that present images of the unknown, suspense and loud noises.
Tags: from horror, from horror movies, horror movies, horror movies, images sounds, problems including