The Effects Of Violent Video Games On Children

Studies have shown that repeated exposure to violent video games over time does affect the structure and functioning of the adolescent brain. The brain is a malleable and ‘plastic’ structure that can change and evolve with every stimulus we give it. Whether this stimulus comes from studying Spanish, training in basketball or playing a video game, every single input can affect the structure and functions of the brain if the conditions are right. While some video games enhance multitasking, visual perception and the brain’s ability to process information, research has suggested that violent video games can influence aggressive behaviour, aggressive cognition and physiological arousal. A study conducted by Doctor Vincent Matthews and his colleagues at Indiana University School of Medicine have found that there were sustained changes in the regions of the brain associated with cognitive function and emotional control after a group of young adult men were playing violent video games for a week. Similarly, in laboratory studies, some researchers have found an increase of about four percent in gamers’ levels of aggression after playing violent video games. However, other research groups have concluded that factors such as family background, mental health and

Hundreds of studies have been done to determine whether violent video games will really make juveniles more violent. Randomized experiments were used in several studies to examine the short-term effect of violent video games (Anderson and Berkowitz et al. 90). In these studies, children were randomly assigned to play violent or nonviolent video games and then were observed when given an opportunity to be aggressive. The result was that children who played violent video games usually behaved aggressively.

Video games have become very influential on children and adults (Stafford, 1999). With violent video games humans are more prone to act aggressively, to have aggressive thoughts and become numb towards violence (Harding, 2009). Apart from these they are

The main argument of this article is that video games have a direct link to short term and long term aggression. The author presents this argument by providing studies from peer reviewed articles that all conclude that video games do cause an increase of aggression. The main point of this article is to answer the question, “Do violent video games lead to aggression.” The article is about the effects of violent video games leading to aggression. The author uses recent examples, like the Sandy Hook and Washington Navy Yard shooting. In both of these examples, the author cites that both shooters had a history with playing violent video games. The author uses a study which selected individuals to play violent video games for a certain period of time. The study would then compare the results to a group who played non-violent video games. The study concluded that violent video games cause a direct link in aggression due to humans reenacting the actions the characters within the video games perform.

“According to data recently released by The NPD Group, in 2012, U.S. video game software sales reached $6.7 billion (174.8 million units) and computer game sales were $380 million (13.2 million units)” (Improving Economy). To many, the violent video game industry has turned all adolescents into mass murderers. However, they’re absolutely wrong. Very seldom do adolescents who play violent video games commit acts of violence, and the ones who do usually have a mental disorder. Instead of blaming the tragedies that occur on violent video games, the news media should explain to people that a large percentage of young males play violent video games, indicating that the two are uncorrelated. They should alternatively research other possible solutions to the crisis. In lieu of negatively affecting people’s lives, video games could potentially improve their lives!

Steven F. Gruel, a former federal prosecutor, argues that the increasing advancements in technology are resulting in more realistic and graphic video games. With the increase in violent video games, researchers noted that the average time children and adolescents played video games also increased. Gruel emphasizes his concern that violent video games causes an increase in physically aggressive behavior, physiological arousal, desensitization, low empathy, and aggressive thinking. Compared to passively watching a violent movie, when engaged in playing a violent video game, the player is actively deciding to shoot and kill. Violent video games reduce the brain areas that are involved in higher thinking, thus resulting in low school performance. Gruel also noted his concern of violent video games justifying the violence. Players are rewarded for their violent actions. In the short run, violent video games stimulate aggression and in the long run it can increase the risk for aggressive behaviors later in life.

Although violent video games are thought to encourage real world violence, they actually help to prevent it. I am focusing on violent video games and how they affect juveniles because I feel that this issue needs to be looked at in the criminal justice community. It is an unnecessary distraction to blame the actions of a disturbed youth on a form of entertainment that has been used by millions of people without incident. A review article published in The Psychiatric Quarterly found that many studies which claim to indicate an increase in aggression due to video games are, in fact, biased! Once the bias is taken into account, the studies no longer find any correlation between youths who play violent video games and youths who

A video game is “an electronic game in which players control images on a television or computer screen” (Merriam-Webster). Video games have been entertaining and challenging gamers since the Game Boy to modern console games. Despite the simplicity of the definition of video games, a video game, especially ones containing violence can have a large effect on the gamer. Because of the realism and advancements in the video game industry, video games can influence the player, and can make the gamer more aggressive, even if the game is not a violent video game. Even though video games have grown in popularity over the past decade, some have not been too popular with parents, for the reason that they are too violent. Violent video games affect

Video games have become a staple in the entertainment industry. Families coming from various backgrounds across the world own a video game system. Shooting games such as call of duty have become particularly popular amongst young teenagers. These types of games have led to a very popular debate. The question being do violent video games make children violent? Prosecutor Steven F. Gruel believes that they do cause children to become violent while defense attorney Patricia A. Millett argues that there is not enough evidence to prove this to be true.

"Blast! Head shot! That guy was pulverized!" These are only a few samples of the dialog talked between kids who play games such as like “Call of Duty” or “Halo”. In today 's age, kids frequently boast about the quantity of players they figured out how to kill while playing these video games. Two decades ago, this would not be the typical waste of time of an eleven year old, yet now kids are seeing this kind of brutal movement as simply one more approach to take a break on a Saturday morning. Since the video game market is blasting at this moment because of progressive gaming systems like the Wii, Playstation, and Xbox, this issue is turning out to be more serious; parents should be mindful of and strongly advised about the reasons why violent video games could hurt their children. Despite the fact that the violence in these video games is fictional, the essential ideas driving the savagery have been demonstrated to prompt more aggressive behavior in developing children. Violent video games instruct youngsters that brutality is acceptable and fun at the same time, have been demonstrated to prompt forceful practices in kids, furthermore desensitize kids. The brutal demonstrations portrayed in video games are transforming the psyches of youthful kids, permitting them to imagine that firearm violence and executing is a recreational activity.

“Boom! Headshot” “Time to kill that commie bastard” these are not from some war movies or documentaries. These are the dialogues of some recent games in market. In modern age, children often feel proud about the number of people or enemy they managed to kill when they are playing these games in various console. While even a decade before, this would not be the normal past time of an eleven year old teenage kid, but because of the improvement of technology they are seeing this type of violent activity as just another way to pass their leisure time. Against these incidents video game violence has been an important topic for years among the socially aware parents and media. Since the evolvement of old fashioned technology, classic computer games such as Super Mario, Pac man has also been replaced by games such as ‘Call of Duty’, ‘Grand Theft Auto’, ‘Mafia’, ‘Mortal Combat’ etc. where killing, shooting, fighting mostly violence is being used as the medium. Studies showed, among people who play video games in United States, the largest number of percentage is children, These violent acts affects children’s mind and behavior in very negative way and causing so much physical and mental problem, though studies also showed that some video games are also very helpful for kids to enhance their ability and skills. As video games and industries has gone far more away at this

“Recent contents analyses of video games show that many as 89% of games contain some violent contents” (Gentile, Lynch, Linder, Walsh 3). More than half of video games being sold around the world contain some form of violence. All of the violence involved in the video games being played by children is a pattern leading to aggression. Aggression can be caused by many things; however, violent video games are the main cause of aggression in young adults. “If a child began playing violent video games at a young age, then he might think that violence in real life is the same as the game violence and that it doesn’t have a real impact on others” (Gilad, Alto 1). Thinking that violence in the virtual world is the same as in the real world is the first step to showing aggression. Aggression in children caused by video games is the biggest effect parents and researchers worry about. Violent video games teach children that shooting and killing people are

Through significant research, there is evidence that violence has risen in America. Some argue that this is because children and teens are spending more, and more time playing violent video games. Though there is ample evidence to prove that playing violent video games can have negative effects on someone, there is no evidence to directly show that the correlation between the two rising numbers is related. In the reading, Steven F. Gruel, who argued before the supreme court, believes that playing, and or watching violent video games, causes children to act violently. The cause, Gruel believes, isn’t directly the video games, but the effect they leave on the children. Children are spending more of their time playing video

Video games have been in children’s lives so much that they are almost second nature to them, and they are very comfortable playing them. In November 2010, the Supreme Court in California held a vigorous debate on whether children should be allowed to play violent video games, and to what extent it may increase their aggressive behavior. At times, parents can be shocked from all the violence and aggression they suddenly see in the video games. Some people say that these are only games and there is nothing to worry about. However, others argue that such violence is harmful for the developing personality of a young person. Video games are at a superior level of want in children’s lives and are correlated with the rise of children's aggression levels.

In today’s generation, electronics have become a popular tool for entertainment. In particular, playing video games has become an increasingly popular pastime for adolescents. According to the American Psychological Association, 97% of American adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 play video games (Scutti). However, there are many controversies surrounding the idea of playing video games. In today’s market, video games often contain violent themes, such as killing or stealing. This would include many shooting games, strategic games, and role-playing games. It is a popular belief that these violent themes can negatively influence adolescents by encouraging violence. With an increasing number of adolescents spending hours a day gaming,