The Effects of Video Games on Children
Many people claim that violent video games are desensitizing children to violence, and making them more hostile and aggressive in social situations. Many video games nowadays have some sort of violence. These games can range from mild to extremely brutal. When children are exposed to these games, they very well could affect how children think. These games, when exposed to children, will, in fact, make them desensitized to violence, and even become violent themselves.
The largest group that plays video games is children. The majority of these games are violent, to a ranging extent. Most of these games are played on evenings or weekends, at their homes. Video games are a very common past-time. The majority of the objectives of these games require children to act out some sort of violence.
Children who are going through hard times can use violent games to act out their anger. “We have seen a lot of studies documenting that individuals with what we call ‘low self-concept’ and people that are going through difficult times, can act out their aggressive fantasies through these games” (Mundell). Using these games to act out their anger can be an unhealthy practice. The children are acting out their anger through violence. In doing this, the child will begin to react violently to all anger. If children begin to react violently to all anger, this could hurt people, not just the child. So, some steps need to be taken to try to keep these games out of children’s hands.
Retailers have already started to implement actions to avoid providing intensely violent games from children. “Virtually all major U.S. retailers are working to help parents keep control of the games children play by enforcing age rest...
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...e children violent, their idea is strongly supported. Perhaps more steps should be taken to prevent these games from getting to children.
Works Cited
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Mundell, E.J. "Violent Video Games Spur Aggression in Kids." HealthDay Consumer News Service 19 Aug. 2005: Consumer Health Complete - EBSCOhost. Web. 4 Dec. 2013.
Renee, Montagne. "It's A Duel: How Do Violent Video Games Affect Kids?" Morning Edition (NPR) (n.d.): Newspaper Source. Web. 4 Dec. 2013.
Rosen, Margery. "Violence Unplugged." Familypc 8.5 (2001): 52. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 4 Dec. 2013.
Winter, Timothy F. "Violent Video Games: Should Kids Be Able To Buy Them? YES." U.S. News Digital Weekly 2.18 (2010): 10. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 3 Dec. 2013.
At this day in age we bask in the luxury of having easy access to advanced technology at our disposal. From the World Wide Web, to cell phones, music, movies and video games the human race has thought of any and everything to keep us entertained. Over the years studies have shown reasonable concerns regarding the long-term effects of video games. These games can desensitize gamers to real life violence, which is usually seen in the younger crowd. The studies especially hit on the games containing player-on-player violence. Though these games are extremely entertaining and can get kids to settle down for a while, if not properly supervised, they can produce adverse effects. Other studies have shown that video games can be used as way to yield positive outcomes such as, good problem solving skills, cooperation in a group and the ability to flow. Although there has been psychological research on children learning through the actions of others some believe that children are automatically able to distinguish between what is just a game and what is reality. The longer they are allowed on their game system the more they become convinced that their games are real. Some researchers believe violent video games can channel the aggression of the child but the parents are to blame for what happens to the child after playing an excessive amount over a period of time. Children can become preoccupied with these violent video games which have been proven to be the cause of poor social skills, uncontrollable aggression and a false reality.
Some psychologists theorize that violence is a learned behavior. Children learn by imitation. If this statement holds true, then are we not responsible to mandate the regulation of violent video games accessible to our children? The level of exposure and alarming growth rate of violent behavior being portrayed as an acceptable form of entertainment for children need to end. Children are a blank canvas; what parents, peers and society paint on them will help determine how they will live their lives. Parents need to step up to bat and accept responsibility for the decisions made within their parental control regarding the allowance of detrimental influences in their children's lives because we are entrusted with their welfare.
"Do Violent Video Games Cause Behavior Problems?" The Premier Online Debate Website. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2014.
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psychcentral.com. 15 Nov 2013. “Violent video games are not so bad when players cooperate”. youthsciencejournal.com. 10 Dec 2013. “Growing Up With Media: Exposure to violent material”.
Many kids get angry at these games when they lose and can take it out on others. These games are promoting these kids to have more violent urges. Jill Adams, the author of “Effects of Violent Video Games”, states:
Video Games have been around since the early 1940s. Meaning people have been playing video games for at least the last 74 years. Based on research the first violent video game came out in 1976 known as Death Race. This game was described as sick and disturbing. Death Race was a driving game and you received points when you ran over people. Think that is violent, imagine the violence in the video games 28 years later. Violent video games affect the present and the future because they impact children’s mind, behavior, and education.
Most games today that children play depict some type of violence. However, parents neglect that the games have warnings for violence, language, and even nudity. In my own personal experience, kids will ask for the most trending games at the time and parents will buy the game to satisfy the needs and wants of the children.
ScienceDaily, "Could Violent Video Games Reduce Rather Than Increase Violence?" 2009 Web. The Web. The Web. 23 Apr. 2015. The 'Second http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080514213432.htm
Costikyan, Greg. “The Problem of Video Game Violence is Exaggerated.” Video Games. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2003. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Web. 5 Nov. 2005.
Video games have been a rapidly expanding industry since their inception in the 1970s. Along with their growth have come concerns about violent video games and their effects on aggression and violence in young people. The endless numbers of school shootings have pushed this issue to the forefront. These events brought about the question: do violent video games induce aggression in youth? That’s the question I set out to answer by looking at research. The research shows that there is a link between playing video games and increases in aggression in adolescents. What implications does this fact have ethically? It means that video game producers and distributors need to be held responsible for their releases and the way they end up in the hands of kids.
“As video games have become more violent and more sophisticated and the sales of video games has skyrocketed in the last few decades, youth violence has plummeted,” Ferguson says, citing evidence compiled by various federal agencies (Adams 3). Violence in video games is not a new issue. It has been debated and argued since the release of the first violent video game. As time has progressed, so has the evolution of violence and strong language within video games. Ratings have become more relaxed, and the lines between T (Teen) and M (Mature) rated games has gotten closer together. Violent games are becoming the normal and accepted of all games, and are being demanded by the gaming industry more heavily. Parents have always shied away from these games for their children, regardless of age. However, kids are getting these games whether they are the correct age (17+) or not. Young kids, less than ten years of age are playing horribly violent games and parents are fearing the repercussions. But video games are not to be blamed for child violence. Violence in video games does not cause children to become violent people later on in life.
Today’s youth is heavily influenced by the media. Video games, television, and movies make up a large part of the lives of children in America. These easily accessible forms of entertainment are lightly regulated by parents and the government; children and adolescents are exposed to extremely violent media everyday. “By the time the average American child reaches seventh grade, he or she will have witnessed 8,000 murders and 100,000 acts of violence on television. Some people say so much violence on television makes American society- including its children- more violent” (“Causes of School Violence” 1). Among the violent media, video games are the current trend. Although video games are rated by ESRB (the entertainment sof...
When children see a violence, they want to imitate for it. After playing violent games, a teenager may lash out, if things do not go on his or her way.
The question is, “Do violent video games influence children to act aggressively?” and “Can repetitive killing train a person to be violent himself?” Although the violence in these video games is fictional, research has proven the violence to lead to more aggressive behavior in children. Violent acts depicted in these games allow young children to believe that killing and fighting is acceptable and fun.