New Media and Risky Behaviour of Children and the Young

U radu se promišlja o ulozi suvremenih medija u socijalizaciji mladih. Autorica istražuje u kakvoj su korelaciji mediji i društvena ponašanja djece i mladih (posebno rizična ponašanja), kakvu sliku o mladima plasiraju medij i ukazuje na hitnost odgoja za odgovornu uporabu medija. Rad je podijeljen u tri dijela: 1) mediji - važan i problematičan čimbenik u socijalizaciji mladih; 2) odnos nasilja u medijima i rizičnog ponašanja djece i mladih; 3) odgoj za medije. U radu je primijenjena istraživačko-analitička metoda. Mediji, a na osobit način televizija i internet, postali su jedan od najvažnijih čimbenika u socijalizaciji jer snažno utječu na društvena ponašanja mladih. Nezaobilazan su čimbenik u informiranju, formiranju, prenošenju vrjednota, stvaranju vizije svijeta i života, oblikovanju životnih stilova, oblikovanju identiteta. Suvremeni mediji nametnuli su se kao nova »društvena institucija« u socijalizacijskom procesu djece i mladih. Tragom uzročnika porasta rizičnog ponašanja kod djece i mladih dolazimo do krize komunikacije, ponajprije komunikacije u obitelji. Mladi u digitalnoj kulturi u isto vrijeme žive mnoštvo različitih iskustava, svjetova, ideologija, supkultura. Istraživanja, počevši od sedamdesetih godina 20. stoljeća pa do najnovijih, opetovano potvrđuju da postoji korelacija između duže izloženosti nasilničkim sadržajima u medijima (televiziji, tiskovinama, kinematografiji, internetu) i konkretnog ponašanja. Rizično ponašanje, osobito ako je u medijima prikazano s mnogo detalja i objavljeno na naslovnicama dnevnih tiskovina, web-portala, na televizijskim ekranima, može prouzročiti nasilničko ponašanje (Wertherov efekt). S odgojnog aspekta, mediji predstavljaju pravi izazov. Stjecanje medijskih kompetencija najbolje je sredstvo protiv manipulacije medija i njihove zlouporabe. Temeljni cilj odgoja za medije je osposobljavanje djece i mladih za odgovorno i samostalno korištenje medija te razvijanje zrelog kritičkog stava prema njima. Mediji trebaju maksimalno iskoristiti svoj status u interesnom obzorju djece i mladih i promicati one vrjednote koje će im omogućiti izrasti u zrele, odgovorne i sretne ljude.The author examines the role of the contemporary media in the socialization of the young, exploring the correlation between the media and the social behavior of children and young people, with particular attention to risk behavior and the image of the young as presented by the media. She also stresses the urgency of providing education in the responsible use of the media. The article is divided into three parts: 1) Media - An Important Factor in the Socialization of the Young, 2) The Relationship between Violence in the Media and the Risk Behavior of the Young, 3) Media Education to Counteract Abuse and Manipulation. Both research and analytical methodology are employed by the author. The media, particularly television and the Internet, have become among the most important factors in socialization because they powerfully affect the social behavior of the young and are indispensable in obtaining information, formation, the transmission of values, creation of a vision of the world and life, shaping of lifestyles and developing identity. The modern media have imposed themselves as new »social institutions« in the socialization process of children and young people. In seeking causes for the increased risk behavior among the young, we come to the crisis in communication, especially communication within the family. Young people in the digital cultural are simultaneously encountering a variety of experiences, worlds, ideologies, subcultures etc. Research from the 1970s to the present has repeatedly confirmed that there is a correlation between the length of exposure to violent contents in the media (television, press, cinema and the Internet) and actual behavior. Risk behavior, especially if it is presented by the media in great detail and publicized on the front pages of daily newspapers, web portals and TV screens, can cause violent behavior, i.e., the Werther effect. From the educational aspect, the media represent a real challenge. Acquiring media competence is the best defense against the manipulation and misuse of the media. The basic goal of media education is to equip the young to use the media in a responsible and independent manner, as well as to develop a mature critical attitude toward them. The media should take maximum advantage of its status within the sphere of interest among the young and promote those values which will enable them to develop into mature, responsible and happy adults. Only then will the media be able to justify its irreplaceable role in education and socialization