When electronic video games were first introduced in the late 1970’s, they were basic animated interactive games such as Atari’s Pong. Unfortunately, greater sophistication and realism found in today’s video games are incorporated with very violent themes and gestures. In today’s games children can battle realistic looking characters and witness the blood, gore, and mutilation. The intense active nature of children’s play when interfacing with violence further underscores these concerns (Anderson & Dill, 2000). There has been concern about the effect of video games on children almost since they first became popular.
Violent video games can lead to an increase aggressive behavior in children if parents do not make it clear that the behavior exhibited in these games is inappropriate. Children and adolescents need to be made to understand that the way people act in these games is not reality. Parents need to monitor the content of games their children are playing, as well as the amount of time spent playing them. Aggression is defined by the (American Psychological Association, 2012) as “behavior that causes psychological or physical harm to another individual.” This means that not all aggressive behavior is physical; it can also include insulting, obnoxious, and rude behavior. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) defines violence in video games as, “Scenes involving aggressive conflict.
She also writes some about politicians and the Juvenile Justice system. Sternheimer points to other possible reasons for the violent acts of the youth such as, the home life. While it may be that juvenile crimes have declined and personal backgrounds effect actions, it cannot be said this proves video game violence has no effect on youth. Sternheimer begins by explaining how video games violence has become a “folk devil” (204) to explain unexplainable happenings of youth shootings and this is just the one to follow the many other explanations the media and politicians have given for problem youth. She then brings up the issue of unnerving newspaper headlines such as “Bloodlust Video Games Put Kids in the Crosshairs” (205).
Video games have become prolific and it is very rare that a teenager will not be in possession of a game console, be it a PS3 or Xbox. There are many different genres, popular ones among them being First Person Shooter, Simulation and Role Playing Games (RPGs). As with many forms of entertainment, there are both positives and negatives effects to consider that are caused by playing video games. Most of the bad effects of video games are blamed on the violence they contain. Violent video games have the most negative psychological effects including: decreased socialization, increased aggressive thoughts, behaviors, and feelings.
The media critics raised concern in congress. The article says that “The unlikely team of Senators Joseph Lieberman, Sam Brownback, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Rick Santorum introduced a bill in March 2005 that called for $90 million to fund studies on media effects” (Sternheimer 205). The article talks about the research of the media effects. The shooting in Paducah, Kentucky really started all the research because before then, there were never really a school shooting said to be caused by a video game like Doom. The author is trying to persuade the reader to think that video games affect the player.
Should violent video game be sold to kids under 18,I said no. why did those video game got into the child's hand,because who ever sold the video game didnt care about what will happen to the kids,all they care is money! (Main #1) However, there are a bunch of bad things about those video game, but the Most of the bad effects of video games are blamed on the violence they contain. according to a scientific study, children who play more violent video games are more likely to have increased aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and decreased prosocial helping, The effect of video game violence in kids is worsened by the games’ interactive nature. In many games, kids are rewarded for being more violent.
The relation was stronger for individuals who are characteristically aggressive and for men. Academic achievement was negatively related to overall amount of time spent playing video games. In Study 2, laboratory exposure to a graphically violent video game increased aggressive thoughts and behavior. In both studies, men had a more hostile view of the world than did women. The results from both studies are consistent with the General Affective Aggression Model, which predicts that exposure to violent video games will increase aggressive behavior in both the short term (e.g., laboratory aggression) and the long term (e.g., delinquency).
Blaming Everything but Ourselves “Did you know that 90% of males and 40% of females play video games?” (Craig A. Anderson) Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty, and Halo are some of the most popular video games that are out right now. These video games all have something in common and that is the violence that is in them. From racing cars from the police, shooting and killing people in other ways, they can be very gory. For the most part, teen agers are playing these games. In fact, not many adults over 35 are video game players.
More ways of playing violent video games are created each year, but most of us have this question in mind. Do violent video games influence young people to act aggressively? Overplaying video games can have many disastrous effects on teen limiting gameplay can have multiple positive effects. Sitting in front of a TV screen shooting people can incite young players to act violently. Repetitive killing can train them to act aggressively.
We hold on to stress and anxiety instead of getting rid of it with enjoyment. Seven out of ten adults in the United States say they experience stress or anxiety daily, and most say it interferes with their lives as reported by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). Video games can provide that fun for us all. Or can be an escape from reality. When it was eight years old my parents went through many custody battles over my brother and me.