Preview

Video Games vs. Children

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1760 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Video Games vs. Children
English 1120
10 March 2006
Video Games vs. Children The promotion of violence by today’s media, especially video games, has caused violence and aggression in reality to become a major concern. As gaming graphics and special effects are becoming more realistic, this portrayal of violence is one of the many important concerns in society. These days, a person can pick up a controller, move a joystick around, press a few buttons, and totally devastate an entire city. The recent uproar about this kind of entertainment is based on the debate of whether or not violence is affecting children who spend countless hours playing violent video games. Some people claim that the violence in the media has influenced horrible acts, such as many recent school shootings. Some people argue that these types of games are no harm to children at all. In my opinion, this type of fantasy violence acted out in today’s video games is doing a great deal of damage to children’s developing minds. I believe parents, with cooperation of the government, should find ways to increase the acceptance and availability of games that are more educational and less violent, so children today can stop filling their minds with such violence and aggressive behavior. Back in the 1970s, when video games made their first appearance, these games were not near as popular as they are today. Then in the middle 1980s, there was an up rise of video gaming obsession with the release of the Nintendo gaming system (Casarone). Since then, the graphics of video games have become more realistic, and also more violent. They have become more violent in the sense of the portrayal of violence against humans. Almost every video game made exhibits some sort of violence from one source to another. The new games today show more realistic violence against humans than ever before. From my experience, I can tell a major difference in the scale of violence in games, such as the late Mario’s World 3 compared with the



Cited: Cesarone, Benard. "Video Games and Children." Kid Source Online. 28 Feb. 2006 <http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/video.games.html>. Funk, J.B. “Reevaluating the Impact of Video Games”. Clinical Pediatrics 32. 2 February 1993. 86-90 Radford, Benjamin. “Reality Check on Video Game Violence”. Skeptical Inquirer. 4 December 2005.<http://www.livescience.com/technology/051204_vi deo_violence.html> "Violent Video Games - Psychologists Help Protect Children from Harmful Effects." Psychology Matters. 2006. American Psychological Association. 28 Feb. 2006 <http://www.psychologymatters.org/videogames.html>.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The impact that violent video games have on society is detrimental to children (Gauthier 19). This has caused an increase of real murder in which the children were committing the act (Gauthier 19). If violent video games were altered into games where they could actually learn things then future generations will be at a intelligence level that people could only dream of (McGrath 4). Violent video games must be changed from kill everything in sight to care for other people and help them (Fergusen 9). These games should not be encouraged as they could possibly be the downfall of an entire generation ofchildren’s behavior if let on by the parents (Fergusen 9). Responsible parents can stop their children from playing these games and from laughing as someone on screen gets tortured (Fergusen 9). In the near future the brain skill enforced games can recover with the support of parents so minors will be less pugnacious and more benevolent to their fellow human (Gauthier…

    • 606 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Video game consoles have made their way into the households and hearts of millions of people all around the world. New games of all different genres are continually being produced and bought by consumers from every inch of the globe, only becoming more popular as time goes on. Throughout the past couple of years technology as a whole has been on a drastic up rise. With continuous breakthroughs in the technological field the video game industry has been able to flourish into its current state. Companies now days are able to produce more and more realistic like gaming experiences. These life-like graphics and visual effects put the gamer right in the action, bringing joy to many while enraging numerous others. The way in which one views and understands the game’s contents is the way in which one perceives the video game. More often than not parents, who do not play video games, tend to focus on the negative aspects of the game, namely violence. The parents who are buying the video games for their children see only the cruelty and disgusting features making up only part of the whole. Most avid gamers would agree with the above statement, arguing the blood and gore is just a small part of the many aspects of some video games that complement the other components such as graphic quality and plot. The way in which one perceives an individual video game more often than not depends on whether or not the person is a gamer. The way in which some people perceive video games angers me because it seems as though they are over looking the big picture and viewing the game with a pessimistic point of view. By doing this, those people are doing themselves and the creators of games an injustice.…

    • 1476 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Video Game Violence

    • 1521 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Violence in video games has been around for many years and many kids have played them. Some people believe that these video games change the kids’ minds and make them killers while others feel that it does nothing to them. Although no outcome has been decided yet, studies have shown that the violence in videogames can change the way that kids think, some bad like killing and others good like problem solving. As technology gets more advanced and the graphics get better, the video games become more violent. However, there has also been a rise in sports and puzzle games allowing kids to problem solve and maybe get motivated to play a sport. Violent video games can be an issue to the society because of the kids that play them, but violent videogames could help us train kids to be more focused.…

    • 1521 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Video Games Cause Violence

    • 1009 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Video games have always been a great landmark in the history of the human race and how great and advanced they’ve become since their creation. Video games also have their own timeline and certain points in time in which major controversy has arisen. Newscasters have made full reports on how video games are the major contributor to thoughts and actions of violence in the minds of all who have purchased them, either being adults and all the way down to children of all ages. Even though newscasters and reporters may be seen as respected and credible sources this topic has always pinned video games as the culprit but they were never the ones to blame.…

    • 1009 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    A problem challenging the world today is the scientific linkage to video games and violence in today’s youth. As the mother of a pre-teen boy I chose to investigate the surrounding evidence to educate myself and my peers on this seemingly growing problem which I believe connects violent game play with youth aggression. I hope to learn whether or not the games put out on today’s market need to be removed from the shelves and furthermore, I would like to know if they are teaching the children the wrong things and corrupting their minds at early ages.…

    • 2257 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    In my most recent essay I wrote of the violence attributed to video games in light of various shootings and other tragedies that occurred in the past year or so. In this essay I argued that despite their violent content, video games are not completely to blame for acts of violence committed by children. Throughout this essay I tried to convince the reader by, first, establishing my own credibility with video games, then sharing my own experiences with violent games, and providing both empirical data and valuable insight from trusted sources.…

    • 1740 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Video games around the world have become immensely popular, a multi-billion dollar industry. An industry which revolves around the wants and desires of children and teens. An industry with a creation of unique entertainment like no other. An industry that continues to grow rapidly. Hours and hours are spent each day by youths playing these games, but are they really good for them? Are they educational? Games which educate a child’s mind exist but they wouldn’t be as popular as your top seller shooting game. Nowhere even close. Here I am today to tell, to inform, and to enlighten parents on the dangers of letting your child play these violent games.…

    • 557 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    In the article "Violence in Video Games," (Anonymous, found on 123helpme.com) the writer is adamant about the fact that violence in video games/music/movies is not to blame for violence in society. He/she believes that the violence in games actually decreases violent tendencies in individuals by allowing people to vent their frustrations without hurting anyone. Also the media is just latching on to the idea that violence in games promotes violence in real life to gain ratings, because it's an easy scapegoat. The media glorification of the psychopathic violence that sometimes occurs (and is supposedly related to video games) actually gives the perpetrators the attention they want.…

    • 3576 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    my one point presentation

    • 429 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Video games have been in existed since the 1970’s, but it was not until the 1990’s that violent games came of age. Due to the numerous school shootings since the 1990’s, it attracted the attention of nation. Over the years, violent video games used both by children and adults have increased.…

    • 429 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Body Paragraphs

    • 933 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In recent years, we’ve heard on the news of youth crime increasing. According to Cheryl K. Olson, M.P.H., S.D., “it is impossible to know exactly what caused these teens to attack their own classmates and teachers … one possible contributing factor is violent video games.” It 's very difficult to document whether video and computer games contribute to violence such as criminal assault. However, we can conduct a study on how violent games may contribute to some types of violence and aggression and to the beliefs, attitudes, and interpretations of behavior that support them. “Another issue is whether and how the effects of video game violence might be compounded by exposure to violence in other media. Cautious interpretation is necessary, since there is always the risk of confusing cause and effect or correlation with causation.” (Nov/Dec 2002). Technology is constantly changing and advancing, with Internet and console gaming, so researchers have to make intervention efforts more resultant, and to focus on which children are at risk of such behavior. We must focus on developing direct educational and policy interventions based on solid…

    • 933 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the past 20 years society has fallen victim to mass murders perpetrated by children, even though overall crime is down. In order to better understand this; social scientists are conducting studies on whether violent video games contribute to this cycle of violence or are they just a tragic coincidence. In “violent Video Games: Dogma, Fear, and Pseudoscience” Christopher Ferguson argues that there is no significant contribution to video game violence and the up-tick in youth violence seen today. However, David Grossmann in “Trained to kill (children who kill)” argues that video game violence not only contributes, but also trains children how to…

    • 768 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Today, children, teenagers, and adults are exposed to violence throughout their lives. They are exposed through television shows, movies, maybe even on the streets, but what researchers and scientists have proved to be an increasing factor of violence in children and adults is their being exposed to violent video games in which “they can produce violence, emotional outbursts, and inappropriate language”. According to Violent Video Games: The Newest Media Violence Hazard, about 85% or more video games include violent content. Violent content includes: blood and gore, killing, inappropriate language, and sexual content. Since then, many people have been saying that these games promote bad behavior and cause people to be more violent.…

    • 727 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Nowadays, it became a statement of good state, on the part of Bible thumpers and those who refer to themselves as “conservatives,” to think of violent video games as such that encourage young people to indulge in anti-social behavior. For instance, the article “Violent Video Games can Increase Aggression”, which is available on the website of American Psychological Association, implies that it is such games that result in more and more young Americans being deprived of understanding of what the concept of social integrity stands for: “Playing violent video games like Doom, Wolfenstein 3D or Mortal Kombat can increase a person's aggressive thoughts, feelings and behavior both in laboratory settings and in actual life”(APA, 2000). However, Video games do not make kids violent because violence is part of human nature and kids experience much more violence in school and near violence is symptomatic of larger cultural problems.…

    • 878 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    After a recent shooting, the media screams “BLAME VIOLENT GAMES!” Recently video games have been blamed as the main cause of violence in today’s society. Video games have been a main source of entertainment since 1957 when professors used them for simulations to prove their research. Many famous video game characters have come out since then like Mario, Luigi, Sonic, and many, many more. I have been playing games since I was 4 years old and I have never once been violent or thought of being violent since then. I believe games can improve certain aspects of your mind. My paper is over whether videogames cause violence and in my paper I will discuss what my topic is over, why the media believes games cause violence, and how videogames help develop our brains or help study/learn better.…

    • 831 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Since the 1999 merciless shooting of students in Colorado High School by their fellow students, a lot questions have risen on the effect of violent video games on people’s overall behavior. This is because, as per investigations, the two used to play numerous violent games such as Wolfenstein 3D and Mortal combat. The recent shooting of students at Sandy Hook made this scenario worse, because according to the preliminary report of the team that was formulated to investigate the matter, the shooter was acting out of a video game fantasy. Therefore, although video games are very enjoyable and some of them can help somebody to learn some important life concepts, the violence in some video games has made many to question their overall effect on people’s behavior. As compared to some few years ago, nowadays it is very rare to find a child without a video game or who is not actively involved in playing some form of video game. This is because, nowadays even if you do not own a game console, one can play most of the video games online, as long as one has access to the internet or a local network. As of 2001, research studies showed that over 79% of American teens actively played video games. This has made many to question how such exposure may translate to peoples’ behavioral change. When looking at this subject, the first assumption one gets, especially when the question is posed in its entirety, is that a violent game should naturally attract violent tendencies from the one playing the game, as this assumption is supported by the ever-increasing cases of violent and antisocial behavior of majority of those who play these video games (Anderson and Bushman 353-359). This paper is going to explore how exposure to video games can cause behavioral changes in individuals.…

    • 1544 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays