Essay on The Negative Effects of Violent Video Games

Video games have been a rapidly expanding industry since their inception in the 1970s. Along with their growth have come concerns about violent video games and their effects on aggression and violence in young people. The many school shootings have pushed this issue to the forefront, since the two shooters were avid players of video games. These events brought about the question: do violent video games induce aggression in youth? That’s the question I set out to answer by looking at research. The research shows that there is a link between playing video games and increases in aggression in adolescents. What implications does this fact have ethically? It means that video game producers and distributors need to be held responsible†¦show more content†¦Moreover, 68% of the most popular video games contain violence (Tamborini 336). So it is clear that many children have access to violent video games and they have a big impact on their lives simply because of the a mount of time spent playing them. The shooters at Columbine high school, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold frequently played violent video games such as Doom, and Harris even created a modification for the game. The modification allowed two shooters to use a large arsenal weapons to shoot unarmed civilians (Anderson 353). Is seems eerily close to the actual events that took place. But just because individuals who were involved in school shootings frequently played violent video games, it does not mean that video games increase aggression in people. We have to look to research to see if a link between the two exists. Unlike television and motion pictures, violent video games are a relatively new invention and studies on their impact are not as numerous. There has been a lot of such research on the effects of movies and television. Over five decades, research has shown that â€Å"even brief exposure to violent TV or movie scenes causes significant increases in aggression, that repeated exposure of children to media violence increases their aggressiveness as young adults, and that media violence is a significant risk factor in youth violence† (Anderson 354). These types of media do increase aggression and violence, but how do violentShow MoreRelatedNegative Effects Of Violent Video Games1895 Words   |  8 PagesHow can violence within a video game benefit the player and what differences within other types of video games demonstrated to have beneficial factors? Introduction Today, entertainment surrounds people through their televisions, computers, phones and video games. Essentially, video games developed into several various genres causing today’s entertainment to crave an unique experience. But, violent video games, regarded as a controversial genre, causes more negative controversy within modernRead MoreNegative Effects Of Violent Video Games1869 Words   |  8 Pagesphones and video games. Essentially, video games developed into several various genres causing today’s entertainment to crave a unique experience. But, violent video games, regarded as a controversial genre, causes more negative controversy within modern society due to its glorified scenes of blood, killing, sexual context, and language than its counterparts. Not only does this minimize their favorable factors, but additionally, it generates a believable correlation between violent video games and aggressiveRead MoreNegative Effects Of Violent Video Games796 Words    |  4 Pagesparticular, 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 beliefRead MoreNegative Effects Of Violent Video Games1045 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Violent video games in particular are extremely popular in the United States. Many of these games are designed for adults but wind up in the hands of children. We have to ask ourselves what impact violent video games have on the adolescent brain. Two lawyers debate in the Case of Brown vs. Entertainment Merchants Association, US Supreme Court (2010). Prosecutor Steven F. Gruel argues that there is a substantial amount of evidence to make the conclusion that violent video games cause adolescentsRead MoreViolent Video Games Have Negative Effects904 Words   |  4 PagesViolent Video Games Have Negative Effects For years gaming industries have been aiming towards entertaining people of all ages, especially children and adolescents. However, the definition of entertainment has changed drastically, from playing dodge ball outside to watching and playing video games in which people pretend to annihilate each other. Video game violence attracts and addicts young players, by affecting their behavior, and their development of social skills, to even affect their abilityRead MoreNegative Effects Of Violent Video Games712 Words   |  3 PagesHave you heard? Many people are debating whether or not Violent Video Games cause kids to be aggressive and violent. While others, like myself agree violent video games aren’t the problem of violence, real-life violence is. And therefore, you should to why, because Violent Video games allow kids especially boys to let out anger and relax themselves from emotions. It also helps entertain kids. And creates less real-world aggression. Kids already know the difference between virtual and reality byRead MoreThe Negative Effects of Violent Video Games Essays1274 Words   |  6 Pagessociety, and technology. All of these improvements have brought with them positive effects. Warfare has allowed oppressed people to rule themselves; medicine has saved countless lives with vaccines and treatment programs; education of societies has allowed people to make their dreams come true; and, advancements in technology have made the previous three possible. With these positive effects also come negative effects, which are seen on a grand scale. Advancement in warfare has caused numerous deathsRead MoreEssay on The Negative Effects of Violent Video Games on Children1990 Words   |  8 Pagesâ€Å"Life is a video game. No matter how good you get, you are always zapped in the end† (â€Å"Video Game Quotes† 1). Over time researchers, psychiatrists, and parents have often wondered how damaging violent video games can be to the yout h in society. This is an important matter to people with children in their personal lives or work environment. These games have become a large risk factor for aggressive behavior in children. Researchers have been saying that video games do affect adults as well; howeverRead MoreEssay on The Negative Effects of Violent Video Games1529 Words   |  7 Pagesor what inspired these attacks on these innocent victims? This question has become an epidemic in our country. We live in a violent world and young people have easy access to it whether its on television, in music or on the Internet. But with the explosion of media entertainment in recent years, video games have come under scrutiny as to whether or not violence in video games numbs children and teens to the consequences of real-life violence. The answer to this question is yes. Young children andRead MoreViolent Video Games : Positive And Negative Effects On Children And Adolescents774 Words   |  4 Pagesgaming systems, viol ent video games have become well-liked by children and adolescents. The playing of violent video games has always been a controversial topic, but in recent years it has become a heated debate. Whether the playing of these games desensitize the player or not. Video games have been around since the late 1970s, however violent video games were introduced in the 1990s. In recent years the violence in games have increased along with the enhanced graphics making the games more realistic