Argumentitive Writing Assessment

Aimee Morlatt Period 6 March 24, 2014 There has been an ongoing debate for many years about the correlation between real-life violence and violent video games. Studies have shown that there is at least some relationship between the two. Some people claim that violent video games do not cause violence. A recent study concluded that violent video games may be calming. Dr. Ferguson, a child phycologist, also uses the excuse that all children have played video games at least once in their life. Dr. Ferguson and his colleague Dr. Olson, two researchers of this topic, found that there was no increased criminality between high risk teens and playing violent video games. Regardless of doctors' claims, violent video games are known to cause violence because of the amount of screen-time, linked violent fantasies, and the incorporated teaching skills. As children age, video game screen time also increases. A study done in 2000 Dr. Woodard and Natalia Gridina reported that "between ages 2 and 5, children play for twenty eight minutes per day"(Woodard and Gridina, 2000, Media Violence and Children). A more recent study, done in 2002 by noted Phycologists, Dr. Gentile and Dr. Walsh, found that "between ages 2 and 7, children play 43 minutes per day"(Gentile and Walsh, 2002, Media Violence and Children). Whereas, Dr. Buchman and nurse Funk reported that by the time youths reach fourth grade, girls play about four and a half hours per week and boys play about seven hours per week. All of this play time decreases sensitivity to violence. This effect is also referred to as the "bystander effect" because people who are desensitized to violence are usually less sympathetic towards it. Another effect is the 'victim effect'. This effect may also be dan...

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...ent fantasies after playing, and the teaching skills incorporated into violent video games prove this connection. The screen time increases with age and continually exposes the children to violence, causing any of these three previously stated effects. The violent fantasies cause children to be more apt to act on provocation. Lastly, the teaching capabilities of the violent games are even used in nonviolent, educational video games. All of these facts prove that violent video games do cause violence. As senators of the United States, you need to take it upon yourself to enforce stricter policies about the ratings of video games. A valid form of identification should be required when purchasing violent video games and the tax should be increased. Increasing the tax on only violent video games will reduce the amount of youth purchasing and playing violent video games.