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Violent Video Games

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Fast-paced, Violent Games are good for Cognitive Skills At its root, cognitive development is defined as “the construction of thought processes, including remembering, problem-solving, and decision-making, from childhood through adolescence to adulthood” (Rodriguez). Widespread in today’s society is the belief that fast-paced, violent video games may lead to behavioral issues amongst kids who play them. Debates about the effects these games have on kids continues to divide parents, politicians, and psychologists who specialize in the field of behavioral health. The time-honored argument that fast-paced, violent video games have negative effects on child development may be unfounded. Studies conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA) suggest that fast-paced and violent games increase cognitive skills at a faster rate than those who do not play. As a result, children see substantial increases in their communication abilities, multi-tasking, and critical thinking-which ultimately results in improved cognitive skills. In terms of background knowledge, the idea that video games are related to behavioral issues amongst children is nothing new. Though violent games date back to the early 1970’s, one only has to go back to the early 1990’s. In 1992 the game ‘Mortal Kombat’ was released. The game revitalized the much-maligned category of violent games, and received almost instant condemnation from parents and politicians. ‘Mortal Kombat’ displayed outrageous amounts

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