Toulmin's Model Assignment

Case Study 1: Talk show hosts often warn their audiences to leave any relationship at the
first sign of abusiveness in a spouse or partner because abusive partners do not change.
What is your conclusion after you have gathered solid evidence on this topic? (Toulmin's
Model)
Claim:
Studies show that violence on television does have an adverse effect on children and the way
they think and act.
Data:
Children watch an average of 3 to 4 hours of television daily. Television can be a powerful influence
in developing value systems and shaping behavior. Unfortunately, much of today’s television
programming is violent. Hundreds of studies of the effects of TV violence on children and teenagers
have found that children may, become “immune” to the horror of violence and gradually accept
violence as a way to solve problems.
Studies analyzing the content of popular cartoons noted that they contain 20 to 25 violent acts per
hour, which is about six times as many as prime-time programs. Overall, 46% of television violence
occurs in cartoons. Additionally, these programs are more likely to juxtapose violence with humor
(67%) and less likely to show the long-term consequences of violence (5%). Although some claim
that cartoon violence is not as “real” and therefore not as damaging, cartoon violence has been
shown to increase the likelihood of aggressive, antisocial behavior in youth.
Warrant:
Extensive viewing of television violence by children causes greater aggressiveness. Sometimes,

watching a single violent program can increase aggressiveness. Children who view shows in which
violence is very realistic, frequently repeated or unpunished, are more likely to imitate what they
see. Children with emotional, behavioral, learning or impulse control problems may be more easily
influenced by TV violence. The impact of TV violence may show immediately in the child's behavior
or may surface years later. Young people can be affected even when their home life shows no
tendency toward violence.
90% of all movies contain some type of violence. Few movies which is full of violence are Saw,
Hostel, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Fight Club, Kill Bill, The Matrix, Seven, Rambo. Children grow up
watching superhero films, such as Spiderman, The Avengers and Superman. They see the
superheroes fight against the ‘bad’ people and escape unhurt and sometimes without a scratch. This
means that children are more likely to copy or imitate the violence they see ‘good guys’ use because
they believe that they are invincible. TV programs such as Looney tunes, Scooby Doo and Pokémon
have been criticized for their flippant use of violence and the more sinister side to their programs
which most children and parents would disregard.
Backing Statements:
Studies analyzing the content of popular cartoons noted that they contain 20 to 25 violent acts per
hour, which is about six times as many as prime-time programs. Overall, 46% of television violence
occurs in cartoons. Additionally, these programs are more likely to juxtapose violence with humor
(67%) and less likely to show the long-term consequences of violence (5%). Although some claim
that cartoon violence is not as “real” and therefore not as damaging, cartoon violence has been
shown to increase the likelihood of aggressive, antisocial behavior in youth. This makes sense in light
of children’s developmental difficulty discerning the real from the fantastic.
By the time the average child is eighteen years old, they will have witnessed 200,000 acts of violence
and 16,000 murders. Media violence is especially damaging to young children (under 8) because
they cannot easily tell the difference between real life and fantasy. Furthermore, there is a chemical
change in the brain, similar to that which is seen in post-traumatic stress disorder; if enough violence
is viewed, the brain reacts as if the person doing the viewing has actually been abused. According to
a study, there are four different psychological effects that can occur from violence in the media, they
are Direct, Desensitization, Mean World Syndrome, and Catharsis.
Rebuttal:
While TV violence is not the only cause of aggressive or violent behavior, it is clearly a significant
factor. Parents can protect children from excessive TV violence in the following ways:
 pay attention to the programs their children are watching and watch some with them.
 set limits on the amount of time they spend with the television.
 point out that although the actor has not actually been hurt or killed, such violence in real
life results in pain or death.
 refuse to let the children see shows known to be violent, and change the channel or turn off
the TV set when offensive material comes on, with an explanation of what is wrong with the
program.
 disapprove of the violent episodes in front of the children, stressing the belief that such
behavior is not the best way to handle a problem.
 help with peer pressure among friends and classmates by contacting other parents and
agreeing to enforce similar rules about the length of time and type of program the children
may watch.

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Case Study 1: Talk show hosts often warn their audiences to leave any relationship at the

Extensive viewing of television violence by children causes greater aggressiveness. Sometimes,

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