The Negative Effects Of Video Games On Children

As we enter the 21st Century, video games are becoming more popular each and every day and children enjoy playing them as a way to spend their free-time. These games allow the player to live in the game by playing a role, in some cases with people from around the world. But the problem with the video games in the market is that they are becoming too violent in some people’s mind and are also affecting them in diverse ways. Also, many of these video games are being advertised and directed to American’s children, which is the main controversy. There have been many studies of how video games can convey possible negative effects. The parents of these young children need to be aware of the effects of these games before letting them spend too much time playing them. Although children and adolescents enjoy playing video games, these games are not healthy to play because they convey various negative effects such as increase on violence, obesity, and anti-social behavior.

For decades, the media has been accused of being a bad influence on the nation's children. Everyone has heard stories of little kids jumping off of their decks and hurting themselves after viewing the old black and white episodes of Superman. Years later, and there could possibly be a link between kids playing video games and those same kids later murdering their fellow classmates. Possible links such as this one continue to fuel the research supporting the idea that video game violence increases aggression in children.

(White, 2009, p. 2) Video games also cause children to develop social problems. Their empathy decreases and they are less willing to help others. Children become antisocial spending less and less time interacting with family members, friends, and playing. They are controlled by what is occurring on the screen in front of them, locking themselves up in their rooms, or away from others just to play endless hours of video games. Video games have progressed over recent years becoming far more violent, sophisticated, and addictive. Studies have shown that the effects of video games and aggressive behavior follow almost the same pattern as that of studies with violent media such as cartoons.

Gentile, D. (2005). The effects of video games on children: what parents need to know. Pediatrics for Parents (6th ed., Vol. 21, p. 2). Bangor, Maine: Pediatrics for Parents

Video Games have come a long way since their first introduction into the main stream. With video games becoming more sophisticated and using advanced technology, it seems as if video games are closing in on the gap between games and reality. However, as video games become ever so life-like it brings up the question of if the violence associated with video games is having a negative consequence. There have been many accusations over the years over the harm video games are causing children and teenagers. Experiments have been conducted trying to associate a link between video games and aggressive behavior. Even the media has been known to point fingers at video games for the cause of children

In recent years, technological advances have introduced many new forms of entertainment, one of the most popular being video games. Since their introduction, professionals and parents have become concerned with the addictive power that video games can have on people, particularly children and adolescents. Today, concern has shifted from the addictive effects of video game playing to the possible effects that they have on players’ aggression levels. As defining aggression as any thoughts or behaviors related with the intention to cause harm. Many scholars have been researching videogames' effects on children. The most popular aspect of videogame research is whether or not games increase aggression.

In recent years, many technological advancements have led to a new form of entertainment for society. One of the soaring forms of this entertainment is video games. While the sale of games continue to rise at a drastic rate, game designers and the media focus the public's attention on violent video games, since it seems to currently be to the more attractive type of game, not only among the public, but the gaming industries as well. As these games become increasingly popular, there has been an abundance of researchers and health officials that say that such games result in increased violence among juveniles. Many believe that violent video games cause behavioral problems and

The debate about violent video games and whether or not those games influence the behavior of young people in particular, young boys has been going on for many years. There is no doubt that video games are very popular among pre-adolescents and adolescents. In fact, recent research in the New Hampshire Business Review (June, 2012) shows that 42% of the 300 boys that participated in a survey indicated they would rather play video games than play sports with other boys. In the survey (of boys eight to fourteen years of age) 84% of the 300 boys reported that they either quit or wanted to quit a sports team they were on because they "weren't having fun" (New Hampshire Business Review).

The most prevalent reason why video games with violence have a terrible impact on kids is it can effect physical problems. Kids use a lot of their time playing video games with violence that they ignore taking breaks and eating their meals. Kids are now not getting enough nutrition because of this they could develop physical problems. "Children today use most of their time going to school and listening and watching social media. On average, kids use forty hours a week watching T.V and movies, listening to music, playing video games, and using there time online." (Jodi & Brad, 2009). There are many disagreements on this topic and articles written on both sides of the coin. According to (Gentile, D. 2004). Research has agreed that video games cause bad effects on kids physical health, including obesity, seizures, muscular, skeletal disorders and nerve problems are common in children.

Video games have become a very popular everyday activity in today’s society. Video gaming is a booming business taking in more money than movies and DVDs. From young children, to teens, to adults, everyone is playing video games. I see the effectiveness of video games first hand. Three out of the five members of my family spend more time playing games than an average teen or adult should, and here is where I began to see the issue. My little brother is 7 years old and has been playing 17 and older games since the age of 2. He does seem to act out some, but that just means his case is not as severe as others. In discussions of video game violence, a controversial issue is whether or not video game violence causes behavioral problems in children. While some argue that as gaming actually makes people less violent, by acting as a safety valve, others contend that children exposed to violence are more likely to assume that acts of violence are acceptable behavior.

“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

Most of the time violence is considered as the worst when it comes to the bad effects of video games. A scientific survey (Anderson & Bushman, 2001) has found a connection between aggressive behaviors and playing violent games where more the children play violent games, more tend be aggressive in behavior. Not only that but also they are more likely to have aggressive feelings and thoughts plus diminished aiding. It is said that the impact of playing violent games in children is compounded by the intuitive/interactive nature of the games. Children are remunerated for being more vicious or violent, most of the time in many games. The demonstration of violence is carried out over and again and the player is in control of the

Mario Kart, Call of Duty, and Grand Theft Auto, are all wildly popular video games. Whether you are killing monsters or trying to amass as much gold as possible, people play video games as an escape into a virtual world from the reality we live in. Over the years, video games have acquired a tainted reputation for the violence often found in many popular titles. Although people view video games to be destructive to children and society, studies have shown numerous medical, social, as well as psychological benefits that strongly outweigh the potential harm.

Controversy about video games continue to escalate between parents and gamers, regarding the psychological effect of simulated, realistic, and 3D violence on the minds of young children and growing teenagers. Yet, research shows that video games contribute very little to today’s everyday violence, despite complaints and concerns that games influence a child’s normal behavior. Technology is a way of life in today’s world, computers are used by toddlers, adolescents, and adults alike. No matter what career path a person chooses, the computer plays an essential role in the job. The more our technology progresses and as our industry grows stronger, computers and electronic entertainment will grow to be found everywhere around the world. This includes videogames.

As young children spend more time with video games than any other forms of media, researchers say children could become accustomed to violent behavior as their brains are forming."