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Violent video games affect children
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Since the introduction of video games in the late 1900s, people of all ages have been captivated by virtual reality and experiences that can be shared by family and friends. Like many forms of media, video games have been the subject of continual controversy and censorship, due to the use of graphic violence, sexual themes, substance abuse, gambling, propaganda, profanity or any other sensitive subject matter in various games. The video game industry has dealt with several issues concerning their rating system in the past and people have wondered whether they need external help to address this problem. The video game industry is doing a sufficient job of regulating itself when involving mature content in violent games and the government should not interfere in this industry's ratings system. The early 1990s brought with it increases in technology and violent video games emerged with “person-on-person violence” which include games such as two graphic fighting games, Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter and a first-person-shooter zombie infestation game called Doom. By this time, youth violence had dramatically increased and peaked to one of the highest levels on record and various groups of school shootings shocked the United States. The more drastic response to this was the belief that video games were training young children to become murderers by simply playing these violent video games (Ferguson). In view of consumers’ violent nature, the vast majority of research concerning video games has focused on “the way game play impacts anti-social behavior” (Tear). The video game industry was aware of this issue and had to improvise quickly on a solution or there would have been a noticeable decrease in sales. Parents were and still are ... ... middle of paper ... ... Regulations That Protect Children from Violent Entertainment." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 22 Aug. 2013. Web. 6 Nov. 2013. McCauley, Dennis. "The Political Game: A Brief History of Video Game Legislation." Joystiq. N.p., 18 Aug. 2006. Web. 7 Nov. 2013. Robinson, Nicholas. "Video Games And Violence: Legislating On The 'Politics Of Confusion'." Political Quarterly 83.2 (2012): 414-423. Academic Search Complete. Web. 9 Nov. 2013. Schiesel, Seth. "Recruiting the Inner Military Hero in Men." The New York Times 15 Nov. 2011: C1. Print. Tear, Morgan J., and Mark Nielsen. "Failure To Demonstrate That Playing Violent Video Games Diminishes Prosocial Behavior." Plos ONE 8.7 (2013): 1-7. Academic Search Complete. Web. 9 Nov. 2013. Thierer, Adam D. "Regulating Video Games: Must Government Mind Our Children?" Cato Institute. N.p., 24 June 2003. Web. 5 Nov. 2013.
Ulanoff, Lance. “Violent Video Games: Our Responsibility, Not the Courts.” PC Magazine 29.12 (2010): 1. Academic Search Complete. Web. 9 Apr. 2014.
From the beginnings of the industry, violence in video games has been an issue of discussion. From the pixilated weaponry in 'Space Invaders' to the myriad of weapons in 'Unreal Tournament 2003,' games have evolved over the years. Newer games are more real. Their environments are more immersive. Small details such as rain drops or a falling corpse are now realistically detailed in the games we play. Because of this, some people believe that this level of realism is desensitizing our kids and making them violent. Fueled by the school shootings of a few years ago, these people are calling for the censorship of video games and regulation of the industry by the government. Based on bad research and faulty logic, these people seek to squash the freedoms of adults because of a perceived danger to children. Freedom of speech, in the form of video games, should be preserved because it does not harm our children and it furthers freedom.
Video games have been around since 1958, and ever since then video games have developed more. With video games becoming a bigger industry, there have been more people purchasing and buying more and more video games. For examples, up to 2001, “roughly 79 percent of America's youth played video games, many of them for at least eight hours a week” (Layton). Furthermore, in 2008, “97% of 12-17 year olds in the US played video games” (“Video Games”). With a growing industry, there has been more competition between video game companies. The companies that make these video games try to make a huge profit by appealing to people’s likes. In 2008, “10 of the top 20 best-selling video games in the US contained violence” (“Video Games”)
In the book “Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents: Theory, Research, and Public Policy,” the authors relay the general information concerning the history of violence in video games as well as the beginning of the issue of violence in video games (Anderson, Gentile, and Buckley 2007). They state that it was “during the 1990s that violent games truly
...Freedom of expression and interactive media: video games and the first amendment. University of North Carolina School of Law First Amendment Law Review, 2(377), 377-402.
Violent video games are becoming more popular among children and adolescents of all ages since its debut approximately 30 years ago. This growing popularity is generating an increasing concern that these sometimes very graphic videos and life like characters can have a negative influence on the younger generation. Although never proven, there has been speculation that some of the high school shootings across the country were committed by students who were habitual players of violent video games. Due to these concerns, a non-profit, self-regulatory organization was established in 1994 by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) to appropriately rate all video games from EC (early childhood), E (everyone), E10+ (everyone 10 and over), T (teen), M (mature), and AO (adults only). While assessing the efficacy of violent video game ratings, it is unknown how effective these ratings are for the intended audience (Becker-Olsen & Norberg, 2010).
With the press of a button, one can enter the fascinating world of video games, have an adventure, travel through time and space, become a super hero, and let their imagination run wild, all while having fun with friends. Video games have evolved from the simple Pac-Man to the illustrious Halo 4. However, as time passes, these infamous video games have obtained a bad reputation. Throughout the years there have been many misconceptions about video games. Many people consider video games violent, aggressive, and a complete waste of time, but I strongly disagree with this. Although many people consider video games as a negative influence on children and teenagers due to the violence and distraction from their studies, critics do not realize that a variety of video games contribute to socializing, education, health, economy, and are just plain fun.
Violence in video games is a topic that has always been talked about. It is said that violent video games are one of the largest causes of many violent crimes. Because of its tremendous controversy of whether it’s true or not I decided to do my research on this topic. In Mass Communication: Living in a Media World, Ralph E. Hanson questions whether video games are even considered a “mass medium” (247) and then comes to a conclusion that it is. Like Hanson I also happen to believe that its part of mass media for various reasons. That reasons that brings me to that assumption are the regulations in video games, they all express different messages, and bring in a lot of money.
The debate about media violence has been going on for hundreds of years. The newest form of media being scrutinized is videogames. I will be taking you through this debate and sharing with you some things that you may find surprising. This is not a new topic and has ...
One of the fastest growing sectors in the United States economy, with sales over six billion dollars in 2012 is the video gaming industry ("Games: Improving the Economy’). Technical innovation has given the video industry power to create exciting realistic worlds, turning video games into the vast entertainment business that it is today. Setting sales records, Violent Video Games (VVG) are now a common staple in many households. One of the most argued topics in media studies, investigation on the impact violence has on society from mass media continues to rage on. Parents look to the media for reliable studies to confirm or distinguish the effects VVG has on children. Even more menacing than violence on television or in movie theaters, VVG have created enticing graphic worlds created to slaughter fellow players. Modern video games allow players to take an active role within the game. Enticing players to engage in realistic assault scenes that are meant to be entertaining. Worthy playing is then rewarded with: trophies, bonus points and extra lives.
Stohr, G. (2011, June 28). Court strikes down violent video game law in u.s,. The Calgary
There are many controversies about video-games that vary from the idea that they lead to violence due to the graphic nature of some video-games, they are addictive, or they promote laziness and corpulence rather than going outside to be active. Contrary to belief there are many family friendly, educational, and fun games available if a person takes the time to look past all of the hype in the media about games such as Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty. “Nearly 60 percent of the almost 1,700 ratings we assigned last year were E for Everyone, which means there’s a huge selection of games available that are appropriate for all ages,” says the ESRB’s Patricia Vance. If parents would take the time to pay attention to what games their kids are playing, then there would not be such a large controversy over this topic. It is a parents job to know their kids maturity level and be able to tell if their child is capable of handling certain games without taking the games to the literal level. If a parent disagrees with the content of a video-game, then they have the right to tell their kids that they are not allowed to play it. Despite the skepticism that is passed around about the “violence and mature content” in many video-games, there are many benefits that come from them. They have been proven by many studies to stimulate education, increase brain function, and improve motor skills. They have been shown to provide relief to mental pain and depression by creating a distraction from the issues weighing on a persons mind. Not only can they provide mental pain relief, some instances have shown that they can provide relief to people with a chronic illness or constant physical pain. Video-games have been shown to encourage social skills and int...
Video games are a rapidly growing industry. There are nearly two games sold for every household in America each year (Anders 271). The vast majority of these are sold to adults, but there is no national law that prohibits minors from buying violent video games. A few states have legislation pending that will prevent this, but the fact is that minors do have access to violent video games. There is a voluntary rating system implemented by the ESRB, where games are rated based on their content. The games that are rated Mature are not supposed to be sold to anyone under seventeen and Adults Only titles, but “some retailers do not impose such limitations” (Anders 271). The bottom line is that minors do have access to these violent games.
Video games have existed since 1950, and throughout the years have become popular among children. Scientific studies tell that it is beneficial for children when they play video games because it increases critical thinking skills and problem solving. Although there are other factors that can lead a child to act aggressive like being bullied in school of their own house, playing violent video games also makes impact in them. The government should pass laws restricting children’s access to violent video games because they become aggressive when
Video games have been around for a long time and have become exceedingly popular, especially the violent, explicit, and gory ones. Some of these violent games have had a negative impact on children, such as acting more aggressive or bullying others and having behavioral problems at home. The problem today with violent video games is that many people blame them for influencing children and teens to think that it is natural to be violent and aggressive towards others. Parents should not allow their children to play violent video games because they are not only disregarding the age restriction but they are also exposing their children into thinking that this type of behavior is acceptable. Every video game has a rating on it for a reason and that is to let the parents know what kind of game they are getting for their children, whether it is rated E for everyone or rated M for mature. Parents should know that if they buy an M-rated violent video game for their child, they should not be surprised when their child’s behavior and attitude goes sour. However, there are many studies about violent video games being both the cause of crimes and the cause of skill development.