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Impact of video games on children
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If the readers are familiar with video games, then ripping someone’s heart out right in front of their eyes and beating them to death with it should obviously ring a bell. Due to realism in today’s video games, many gamers are immune to strong language, blood, death and violence shown. As video games evolved, many critics believe that the strong content in video games are making gamers aggressive and lazy. There is an on going debate between many that critics are video games the gateway to violence? The trend of playing video games consists of many decades. The modern day technology has revolutionized the way video games are played. The gaming industry came from an era of waiting in a line to play games at a local arcade. To fighting along side with George Washington during the American Revolution from the comfort of your own couch. Not only the way we play has changed but also what we play has transformed. The days of playing as a harmless pixelated character on a journey to save his princess in a magical world has long gone. Looking at one of the most popular old school franchise Super Mario. The plot of the game was simple. You play as a plumber whose main goal is to save his princess from the evil castle of Bowser. To do so Mario has to fight through a variety of turtles known as koopa, troopas, paratroopas and goombas. While, navigating through the game, there are many mystery blocks located. Mystery blocks are usually seen floating in midair and often contains coins and various super powers, which helps Mario to become stronger. Video games are an escape from reality and no matter how wild someone’s imagination can be, the possibility of this happening in real life is questionable. Now days, video games are being treated l... ... middle of paper ... ...." 2012. Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. undefined. Harradence, Michael. "GTA V Features Voiceovers from Real-life Gang Members, Confirms Lazlow Jones." -- PlayStation Universe. N.p., 3 Sept. 2013. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. Kain, Erik. "As Video Game Sales Climb Year Over Year, Violent Crime Continues To Fall." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 19 Apr. 2012. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. Manson, Marilyn. "Columbine: Whose Fault Is It?" Rolling Stone :. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. LeJacq, Yannick. "Nbc News Technology." NBC News. N.p., 12 Dec. 2013. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. Sieczkowski, Cavan. "Morgan Freeman Hoax: Newtown School Shooting Statement Fake, Says Actor's Camp." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 17 Dec. 2012. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. "Terrorists Use Online Games like 'Call of Duty' to Plot Attacks." Fox News. FOX News Network, 20 Mar. 2012. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
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.
People have always been looking for a reason why horrible things happen. The media is quick to blame video games as the target and cause of many shootings that have occurred, ever since Columbine and Quake. People have been blaming video games for violence for years now, ever since violent video games have been made. News reports blame video games more and more for each shooting, telling the public how this person played video games for x amount of hours a day, and that video games caused him or her to shoot people, and how video games encourage and reward violence. Anti-video game lobbyists have been campaigning to have violence removed from video games, citing resources that they themselves have created as reasons for such, poorly done studies where they confirm that kids are more aggressive through how much hot sauce they put on someone’s fries. While unbiased studies of video games and their links to violence are hard to come by, recent research has shown that video games do not in fact have a casual link to violence, and may even have the opposite effect. Violent video games have nearly no link to violence in teens or adults.
In conclusion, if you feel that video games are a problem for you or your children remember these rules given in an inset to Quittner's article by Claudia Wallis titled, "Learning to Love Zelda":
However, many observations and research from various professionals prove otherwise. If video games were the cause of violence, then it would be common sense that an increase total sale of video games would increase the total number of crimes, would it not? Yet, according to ProCon, a nonpartisan, nonprofit, California-based websites that present research, pro and con statements, and studies on questions related to all debates, the total sales of video games hardware and software combined had a 204% increase from 1994 to 2014, while violent crimes had a 37% decrease in the exact same period of time. Living in today’s society, it is common sense that teenagers are the most likely to play video games, which would also be logical that an increase total sale of video games would cause teen violence to catapult. However, ProCon presented data from the National Center for Education Statistics, showing an overall 18% decrease in high school students who had been in at least one physical fight. There’s a common saying that numbers don’t lie; in this case, instead of skyrocketing as to how they were supposed to due to an extreme increase of video games sales, these numbers have plunged, which would discredit the claim of teen violence due to video
According to the American Psychological Association, there is not sufficient evidence to prove that violent video games are the cause of violence and crime in real life. The only correlation between violence in video games and real life, is that those that play violent video games are slightly more aggressive, not violent. More studies and research is needed to determine a better path and to create more knowledge on the subject.
“Video Games Get the Blame in Colorado Shooting Spree.” GamePolitics News. Mar. 2008. Web. April 06, 2014.
Children today are exposed to more graphic violence in video games compared to any past generations. This is because the media finds that making a profit, surpasses the lives of the adolescents that play these games. However, over time two set of views formed from the violence in video games. James D. Sauer, is a graduate of the School of Phycology. In his article, “Violent Video Games: The Effects of Narrative Context and Reward Structure On In-Game and Postgame Aggression,” Sauer, describes that adolescents gain forms of aggression and violence after playing certain games. Not every video game causes post game aggression, but documented in his article, “Players who enacted in-game violence through a heroic character exhibited less postgame
Many People have put their attention directly on the influence violent video games have on the bad behavior of children. People believe videogames intensify aggression in children, while others say it can be a safe getaway for a child to express his aggression. Many opinions on this issue are stated still today, and they remain divided amongst the people who claim videogames to be a cause of aggression and those who claim otherwise. A child’s behavior can not be determined by violent video games, but instead is caused by a variety of environmental and domestic factors. It is easy to blame video games on violence, instead of looking at factors such as economic status, familial issues, and exposure to other entities such as television and media. This paper will bring forward the opinions of those who believe in no relationship between violent video games and bad behavior with one counter argument expressing the opinion of those who believe there is a relationship.
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
“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.
There is a direct correlation to video game sales going up while aggravated assaults and homicides go down. (Markey 2015)
With the development of technology, violent video games invaded every house, and now it played by every teenage in every family, whether on mobile phones, computers or gaming devices. Some people do not believe that those violent video games effect on the children, while others believe that the government should prevent the selling of these games. However, violent video games made a negative influence on everyone, on children brain like thinking skills, which made their behavior aggressive, on their physiological energy and feeling leading to segregation and violence between siblings in the same family, also on the parenting role of the parents, who are do not know anymore what they should do with their children.
“90% of pediatricians and 67% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that violent video games can increase aggressive behavior among children” ("Do Violent Video Games Contribute to Youth Violence?”). Pediatrics and parents are aware that kids that play violent video games see a change in their behavior. Many cases they see the kids with anger problems and causing them to do violent acts. Violent video games have been around for many years where some older titles, such as ‘Mortal Kombat’ and 'Grand Theft Auto’ both are some of the most controversial ones. The video game industry has been growing and with the large amounts of violent video games being produced. “Total US sales of video game hardware and software increased 204% from 1994 to
Violent video games are special games, which negatively influences to the attitude and behavior. These video games are popular between children and teenagers. Since 1980-s years violent games are in political discussion. Because when teenagers usually play violent video games, they are becoming aggressive and then they face with psychological problems. For this, some people claim that violent games are harmful for society and they affect to behavior and health.
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.