Effect of Video Game Violence on Children and Teens
analytical Essay
1699 words
Violent video games can lead to aggressive and violent behavior in children and adolescents. “Violent media increase aggression by teaching observers how to aggress, by priming aggressive cognition (including previously learned aggressive scripts and aggressive perceptual schemata), by increasing arousal, or by creating an aggressive state” (Anderson and Bushman 355). As more children are becoming exposed violence in video games in the recent years, violence in schools and other locations where children are prominent has increased. “A national crime victimization survey compiled and maintained by the United States Department of Justice, shows that overall crime rates in United States society have fallen. Simultaneously, school- based studies reveal that many violent behaviors have increased among children and adolescents” (“Causes of School Violence” 1). Exposure to violence in video games can lead to aggressive behavior, desensitization, and an increase in crimes committed by children and teens in our society. 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... ... middle of paper ... ...and Brad J. Bushman. “Effects of Violent Video Games on Aggressive Behavior, Aggressive Cognition, Aggressive Affect, Psychological Arousal, and Prosocial Behavior: A Meta- Analytic Review of the Scientific Literature.” soc.iastate.edu. vol.12, No.5, September 2001. Copyright 2001 American Psychological Society. Web. 20 November 2011. Berkowitz, Ben. “Most Teens Play Violent Video Games, Study Says.” Washington Post.com. Reuters. 16 September 2003. Web. 20 November 2011. “Causes of School Violence.” crf-usa.org. 2011 CRF-USA Constitutional Rights Foundation. n.d. Web. 20 November 2011. Jenkins, Henry. “Reality Bytes: Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked.” Pbs.org. n.p. n.d. Web. 20 November 2011. “Media Violence.” Nccev.org. 2003 National Center for Children Exposed to Violence (NCCEV) Modification: 16 December 2005. Web. 20 November 2011.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that violent video games can lead to aggressive behavior, desensitization, and an increase in crimes committed by children and teens in our society.
- Explains that 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.
- Explains that many parents overlook the ratings, and allow their children to play games intended for mature audiences. a survey of teens conducted in 2000 reveled that their parents never limited time spent playing video games.
- Explains that video games provide an interactive, accessible way for children to commit virtual crimes and experience violence. they can also be extremely addictive leading to prolonged negative exposure.
- Analyzes gallup poll's 2003 survey to determine the habits of adolescent video game players. the grand theft auto series was also brought under fire.
- Explains that children and adolescents are exposed to violent games more than any other type. video games provide them with visual stimulants that could influence their attitude about a subject, the way they behave, and their moral compass.
- Explains that children are naturally sensitive and caring, but become desensitized when repeatedly exposed to violence. violent video games reprogram a child's innocent conscience to become violent and aggressive.
- Explains that violent video games are an interactive simulator showing young people how to commit acts of violence.
- Analyzes how video games such as grand theft auto and saint's row encourage children and teens to perform acts of hostility by glorifying crime and rewarding players with in-game currency.
- Analyzes how the growing popularity of video games in america is causing a wider group of america's youth to become exposed to extreme violence.
- Cites anderson, craig a., and brad j. bushman, "effects of violent video games on aggressivebehavior, aggression, psychological arousal and prosocial behavior: a meta- analytic review of the scientific literature."
- Cites the washington post, reuters, crf-usa constitutional rightsfoundation, jenkins, henry, and nccev.
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In this essay, the author
- Explains the self-regulation practiced in the video game industry today is successful when determining the age appropriateness of controversial content in video games.
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- Argues that the government's attempts to censor video game content and monitor who purchases mature video games have been unsuccessful.
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1629 wordsRead More - The Truth about Video Games and Violent Childrenanalytical essayViolent video games are not training kids to be murderers. The video game industries have been called against and blamed for making kids more aggressive and violent for years. Although recent studies show that violent video games have been useful for kids to get their anger out. Only some kids were found to be aggressive after violent video game play, but they had three specific traits that lead to this aggressive behavior (“Violent...). Not all kids are affected by violent video games, but people do not know this so they continue to blame video games for their kids bad behaviors. Aggressive behaviors do not come from video games, they come from the environment that the kids grew up around (“Do…).
In this essay, the author
- Explains that violent video games aren't training kids to be murderers; they've been blamed for making kids more aggressive and violent for years.
- Analyzes how violent video games have been blamed for tragedies such as school shootings and juvenile crimes.
- Explains that violent video games were found to be less aggressive than those that did not play them.
- Explains that doctor markey's studies showed that the few kids negatively affected by violent video games share similar traits such as high neuroticism, disagreeableness, and low levels of conscientiousness.
- Explains that test of aggression does not relate to criminal violence or real world violence in any way, and the tests for aggression are not yet proven to be accurate.
- Explains that video games help kids experience real world conflicts and death without going into the dangerous environment of real life.
- Explains that 97% of all twelve to seventeen year olds in the us played video games in 2008, which leaves people to believe that videogames are causing violent outbreaks, but there must be an underlying cause that researchers are overlooking.
- Explains that video games are not raising children to be criminals or murderers. they are used as emotional outlets that kids can use to get away from the real world.
1216 wordsRead More - The Effects of Video Games on Violenceanalytical essayVideo game violence has remained a controversy for numerous years. With the advancement of technology, video games have progressed in its practicality and genres. Technology has allowed video games to become very sophisticated and lifelike. This development has brought video games to a multi-billion dollar industry. Nevertheless, with the level of practicality, there are also negative affects to humanity. Since the manufacture of violent video games, there has been a constant quarrel whether or not violent video games increase fierceness in the player. Studies display concerns about the effect of violent video games on young individuals who play videogames disproportionately. Although some individuals believe that violent video games have no effect on them, they can lead to violent behavior.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that boys are more violent when they play video games, and that the growth in violent video game sales is linked to the increase in youth violence.
- Explains that violent video games pacify players into believing that there is nothing wrong when they see violence play out. dr. l. rowell huesmann says that when one is exposed to violence daily, they lose their emotional impact.
- Concludes that violent video games cause aggressive behavior in the player. violent games teach players that violence is an entertaining activity instead of teaching them that it is just a game and violence should not be tolerated in real life.
- Analyzes the longitudinal effects of violent video games on aggression in japan and the united states.
- Opines that video games play a role in shootings.
- Explains ward, michael r., "shooting in the dark." the new york times.
- Argues that video game violence has remained a controversy for many years. technology has allowed video games to become sophisticated and lifelike.
- Explains that violent video games can cause teenagers to become aggressive and make decisions they won't make.
1657 wordsRead More - The Effects Of Violent Video Games On Young Peopleanalytical essayThere I was, about to do a drug deal with the Colombian Cartel. As I made the exchange, they pulled automatic rifles out and started shooting at me. I ran for cover and started shooting back with my handgun. They made an escape with the money and the heroin. I was then interrupted by reality and it was time to go to school. I paused Grand Theft Auto IV and prepared myself for school, as my brain was making its way back to the real-world. Intense violence, drug abuse, sexual content, foul language, and criminal behavior are some components of violent video games like Grand Theft Auto that fuel the multibillion dollar gaming industry. Recently, there have been concerns about the effects of violent video games on young people who play them excessively. The mass shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary school, Washington Navy Yard, and in Aurora, just to name a few, have led to a series of media claims that violence in video games causes violence in the real world. It is natural for the media to make connections with violent video games and a gunman who avidly plays Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto. However, that is not to say that violent video games promote violence. In fact, research shows that while video game sales are at an all-time high, violent crime is at an all-time low. Therefore, playing these types of games may not be detrimental to a persons’ well-being.
In this essay, the author
- Narrates how they paused grand theft auto iv and prepared themselves for school. intense violence, drug abuse, sexual content, foul language, and criminal behavior are some components of violent video games that fuel the multibillion dollar gaming industry.
- Explains that violent video games portray real-life violence does not necessarily mean the games cause it. some of the murderers had problems going on in their lives.
- Opines that video games are beneficial to a person's mind and body.
- Explains that video games promote learning, problem solving, and development of motor skills and coordination, while games like call of duty and grand theft auto require strategic thinking.
- Argues that the media has exaggerated the negative and positive impact of video games on children.
1319 wordsRead More - Media Violence and Its Effect on Teenagersopinion essay...nt video games is linked to an increase in violent acts by youth offenders. Saying that violence in fiction leads to real life violence is like saying if you watch Harry Potter you’ll become a wizard. There is just not enough concrete evidence to support video game violence as being the key to increased violence among our youth. Research should focus on what specific factors drive a person to commit such acts of violence and to what role does media violence play in it (Vasilis, Kambam, and Bender 2013). Video game violence is just a tiny piece of the puzzle in understanding violence within our society. These games only exist because society praises violence and helps in the creation and distribution of these games (Shaw 2013). Looking around the environment that we live in, we are surrounded by various types of violence every day and that’s where the problem lies.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the issue of media violence and whether or not it leads to our youth becoming delinquent can be traced back to the 1950s.
- Explains that social scientists have been studying the effects of media violence on behavior for a long time. video games are significant now due to the realistic graphics and increased gore in them.
- Explains that there are cases where they have tried to argue that violent video games are the reason for such violence, such as the newton, connecticut shooting at the elementary, and the columbine high school shooting in colorado.
- Explains that studies have shown positive and negative effects of video games, such as an increase in mildly aggressive behavior or urges. researchers agree that longitudinal studies cannot be done due to the rare planned rampages like the newton massacre.
- Explains that research on media violence, especially video games, has been conducted in three different ways. there are lab experiments, long-term studies, and correlation studies.
- Argues that video games train children over time causing them to imitate the games characters in the way they behave.
- Explains that violent situations such as school shootings don't occur just because of one risk factor, there are many factors that play into why individuals decide such a fate.
- Explains that media violence is a causal risk factor for aggressive behavior, patterns, emotions, and empathy. it desensitizes players, makes them less likely to feel shock or distress to violent or cruel scenes.
- Explains that oklahoma state representative william fourkiller introduced a bill that would tax all violent video games for ratings of teen, mature, or adult only.
- Analyzes the positives of video games, stating that even though there's an increase in violent video game production and sales, crime rates have decreased over time. first-person shooting games provide a virtual practice ground to prepare personnel for gun violence.
- Explains that video games have a positive impact on the brain, and dr. daphne bevelier studies how games affect cognitive functions such as learning, multi-tasking and decision making.
- Opines that violent video games are a risk factor but not the main reason why individuals commit violent crimes in real life. there's violence everywhere, on the news, at home, school, and in music.
- Opines that parents should be aware of how games are rated and whether or not they are educational or teaches values.
- Opines that more research needs to be done on this highly debated topic. there is just not enough concrete evidence to support video game violence as being the key to increased violence among our youth.
1745 wordsRead More - Video Games And Societal Violence Essayopinion essayViolent video games, aggressive attitudes or behaviors, and societal violence can all be interrelated based on studies and research. The only issue is, there’s not enough evidence to directly link movie and video game violence to societal violence. Several studies in the “Movie Game Violence& Societal Violence” research paper required estimation procedures for data. This can increase the risk of over or underestimating numbers. Due to several other contributing factors, it is unknown whether or not there is a correlation. Numerous factors impact societal violence and cultural influences could also add to the cause. In five to ten years, there potentially could be more evidence to support these claims. Videogame consumption data is only available from 1996 and beyond so over the next few years more and more data will be collected. Looking at the completed historical record, there are not many connections between movie and societal violence. Overall, this is a highly debated topic among criminologists. The important part to take away from this article is the negative affects of early violence viewing in children. Starting at a very young age, children
In this essay, the author
- Opines that there's not enough evidence to directly link movie and video game violence to societal violence.
- Opines that the research paper "violent video games on violence crimes" has many shortcomings when it comes to the data needed to prove the given claim. adolescents tend to play violent video games.
- Explains that the prevalence of video game usage in adolescences is universally high. other experiments have resulted in signs of aggression and physiological effects due to violent video games.
- Opines that experimental, correlational, and longitudinal studies in the past have failed to show whether societal violence has been contentious in recent decades.
577 wordsRead More - Game Over: the Effects of Violent Video Games on Childrenanalytical essayIn the past fifty years media has played a major role in the development of the American society. Due to our modern era, video games of all types are played on a daily basis by a large amount of children. However, some of these games, especially the extremely violent ones, can be detrimental to a child’s thought processes and behavior. In my investigation of whether or not violent video games negatively affect children, I read two articles about the effects of violent video games on the youth. The first text was an article entitled, “Children and Violent Video Games”, which was found on the Dr. Phil’s website. The second text was an article by Christopher J. Ferguson and Cheryl K. Olson entitled “Video Game Violence Use Among “Vulnerable” Populations: The Impact of Violent Games on Delinquency and Bullying Among Children with Clinically Elevated Depression or Attention Deficit Symptoms.” The first article from Dr. Phil’s website explains how these violent video games install aggression and hatred towards others. The second article shows how research has proven that such accusations are false, and in fact, some of these types of aggressive media actually help children release anger and frustration they possess.
In this essay, the author
- Agrees with article one that playing violent video games increases aggressive behavior in children, but believes that not all children will be affected by violent videos in a negative way.
- Explains that violent video games do affect children, but the severity is different based on each individual child. the video game itself does not necessarily make a child more aggressive or less aggressive.
- Analyzes how violent video games, especially violent ones, can be detrimental to a child's thought processes and behavior.
- Analyzes the negative effects of violent video games on children, stating that the american psychological association argues that violent games increase aggression and lead to children being less caring and helpful toward peers.
- Analyzes how ferguson and olson's article discusses whether there is increased bullying or delinquent behaviors among youth with clinically elevated mental health symptoms who play violent video games.
- Analyzes how the article states a good idea about the negative effects of violent video games, but does not use evidence to support its claim.
- Opines that ferguson's article is credible and reliable since it uses studies and examples to show evidence for why violent video games do not create these effects on children.
- Explains dr. phil.com's advice on children and violent video games. ferguson, christopher j., and cheryl k. olson.
1318 wordsRead More - The Negative Effects of Violent Video Gamesanalytical essayIn recent years our society has experienced many tragic school shootings in which teens have committed heinous crimes for no apparent reason. The question has become who is to blame or what inspired these attacks on these innocent victims? This question has become an epidemic in our country. We live in a violent world and young people have easy access to it whether it's on television, in music or on the Internet. But with the explosion of media entertainment in recent years, video games have come under scrutiny as to whether or not violence in video games numbs children and teens to the consequences of real-life violence. The answer to this question is yes. Young children and teens are very easily influenced, especially in a society in which violence, whether fictional or real, thrives. Video-game violence has become a common link in tragedies, such as Columbine. The content of video games desensitizes a young person to the ramifications of real violence.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that video games numb children and teens to the ramifications of real-life violence, which is a common link in tragedies, such as columbine.
- Analyzes greg costikyan's view that video game violence desensitizes youths, but he fails to see that eric harris and dylan klebold were influenced by the game doom.
- Analyzes how video games teach children about violence and how to be violent, and argues that some young people are influenced by these games and their content.
- Analyzes how harris and klebold created their own customized version of their favorite game, doom, which is eerily similar to what happened on april 20, 1999.
- Argues that violence in video games can cause desensitization to violence, making it more likely that a young person may engage in violent acts.
- Describes anderson, craig a., karen e. dill, costikyan, greg, and goshgarian, gary.
- Analyzes lee, joanne e., and judith a. vessey. "violent video games affecting our children." pediatric nursing: november 2000.
1540 wordsRead More - The Effects of Violent Video Games on Childrenanalytical essayThe marine stands in a hanger bay with a gun in his hand. He looks around and finds some armor and health packs. As he moves through the area, he finds a door and opens it. Ahead of him, he sees possessed men carrying weapons. In order to defend himself he shoots straight at them. Instantly, they are dead. He picks up their equipment and continues on. This is the opening scene of the violent, first-person shooter game called Doom (1993). Violence in video games is a very controversial topic among many people because of how it affects the minds of young children when they are exposed to violence repeatedly in their early years. One of the first major school shootings attributed to the actions of a seventeen-year-old gamer and an eighteen-year-old gamer occurred at a high school in Columbine, Colorado in 1999. In 2012, another shooting from an alleged twenty-year-old gamer occurred at an elementary school in Sandy Hook, Connecticut. In the Columbine shooting there were thirteen victims, and twenty-six victims at Sandy Hook. Both of these tragedies cannot be completely attributed to violence in video games. However, there is evidence that violence in video games leads to aggressive and severe anger behaviors, poor school performance, and bullying.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how violence in video games affects the minds of young children when they are exposed to violence repeatedly in their early years.
- Explains that violent video games can lead to aggressive and severe anger behaviors. the player becomes a part of the game's script, which allows them to decide what they want to do.
- Explains anderson, craig a., "an update on the effects of playing violent video games."
- Explains that gender, and race in video games. childrennow.org.
- Explains that young children's video/computer game use correlated with school performance and behavior. issues in mental health nursing 30.10 (2009): 638-49.
- Cites villani, v. susan, cheryl k. olson, and michael s. jellinek.
- Analyzes how the amount of time spent playing video games contributes to how children learn aggressive behaviors. the advanced graphics in today’s game technology have created a more “realistic” experience for gamers who enjoy violent play.
- Analyzes the effects of violent video game habits on adolescents' hostility, aggression, and school performance.
1699 wordsRead More - How Does Video Game Violence Affect Youthanalytical essayVideo Game Violence Affecting How Kids and Teens Behave Imagine someone is playing a videogame with their friend one day after school. Their friend leaves and they think everything seems fine. So they wake up in the morning and go to school and find out that their friend has been arrested for bringing a gun to school.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that violent video games can be a source of blowing off steam or anger, but they can lead to teens doing reckless or dangerous activities.
- Explains that teens have been getting arrested or getting into serious trouble by playing violent videogames and transferring the violence into the real world.
- Explains that videogames with violence in them can help kids blow off steam and release stress. a peer-reviewed study found that boys play video games to help them relax or relieve themselves of stress or to release anger.
- Analyzes how violence in video games can cause people to act aggressively towards others.
- Opines that video game violence can have a negative impact on the development of kids and teens.
- Explains that huesmann, l. rowell, and mike jaccarino, "training simulation: mass killers often share obsession with violent video games."
- Describes the report ties real life mass killings with video game violence. n.p., 13 sept. 2013.
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