Exploring the Effects of Violent Video Games on Children

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Recommended: Representations on violence in the media

Video games have changed our society radically, in which some people doubt it's for the better. According to one survey, 9 out of 10 U.S. households with children have rented or owned a video or computer game. Ever since the beginning of gaming, people have observed the effects of the games. Kids and adults alike, are more attracted to violent games. But is it the games to blame for how people act or behave around people or by themselves?

A majority of gamers are adults, and what kind of games are they playing? A lot of violent and gory games, which in 1999 the top 100 video games consisted of some sort of violence. Video games don't create killers and murders. That's obviously up to a person's opinion. According to some studies by Patricia Greenfield, games can be positive for stimulating the mind. She studied the correlation between video games and IQ. Her research attributes to our "nonverbal IQ" which is our problem solving ability, spatial skills, and our ability to understand things from multiple viewpoints. But with a positive side there is always something negative that comes with it. This rise in IQ comes at the loss of more important social skills. Meaning that more kids don't interact as well outside in the world when they spend hours on the video games alone. Although the last statement can be proven un true because some kids are just naturally more social than others.

Many parents are reaching different conclusions about whether violent games desensitize children and teach them to take pleasure in the suffering and death of other people. Parents would also think games are just great time wasters. And the time wasted could be put to better use on homework, outdoor play , or sports. Addicting a...

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...be for the best or worst, it all depends on your views of the gaming industry and how they project there games of all sorts at us. There's a lot that's put into games, not only get you to buy them and play forever, but to stimulate your mind in ways you probably weren't thinking about.

All in all violent games have two sides to how people view them. One being that they totally desensitize kids and make them more angry or aggressive around people or other kids. And the other being that, violent games don't necessarily make a person more aggressive but all depends on how the person playing the game perceives it and takes in the game on how they act. So because you're playing a violent game for a long time, doesn't mean that you will become more aggressive to the people around you. In my opinion, violent games are like the heart to the gaming world now of days.

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