Violent Video Games
Children, they should be playing outside, jumping around, socializing with friends, but
instead their cooped up inside playing a video game where they kill animated characters
on a television screen (H). Violent video games are disgusting especially for children (f).
80% of the most popular games children play feature aggressiveness or violence(5), this
is sad (F). Violent video games aren't good for the brain (B1), they cause aggressive
behavior in children (B2), and violent video games give kids the wrong message, period
(B3). These type of games are malice, they shape kids into monsters that hit other kids
just because they didn't give them some of their cookies at lunch F. Students under the
age of 18 shouldn't have access to violent video games. (T)
One of the many reasons children under the age of 18 shouldn't have access to
violent video games is because they are bad for the brain. Dr. Vincent Matthews and his
colleagues at Indiana University, who have long studied media violence did a project. They
looked at what happened in the brain in 28 students who were randomly assigned to play
either a violent, first-person shooter game or a non-violent one every day for a week (1).
At the start of the study, researchers used functional MRI to scan brain activity in the
participants, while they completed lab-based tasks involving either emotional or nonemotional content (1). Researchers found that those who played the violent video games
showed less activity in areas that involved emotions, attention and inhibition of our
impulses (1). Surely, the violent video games aren't beneficial they, change kids minds.
The violent video games make kids lack an amount of emotion, and attention span. The
games morph children into little robots instead of human beings, which shows without a
doubt that children under the age of 18 should not have access to violent video games.
Also, the study also shows that even just for two hours a day for a week is a
significant advance in understanding how young players may be affected by these
games (1). The brain changes that Matthews’ group saw were similar to those
seen in teens with destructive sociopathic disorders (1). The last thing this world
needs is psychotic children roaming the streets, and it is absolutely disgusting how
America can change and prevent this behavior, but they choose not too. Of course,
some people may think differently, but the study shows the truth. Children under the
age of 18 should not have access to violent video games!
Another one of the reasons children should not have access to violent video
games is obviously because the video games cause aggressive behavior. Children
who play more violent video games are more likely to have increased aggressive
thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and decreased prosocial helping, according to a
scientific study (Anderson & Bushman, 2001). The effect of video game violence
in kids is worsened by the games’ interactive nature (4). Also, In many games, kids
are rewarded for being more violent. The act of violence is done repeatedly. The
child is in control of the violence and experiences the violence in his own eyes
(killings, kicking, stabbing and shooting). This active participation, repetition and
reward are effective tools for learning behavior, and not in a positive way (4).
Unquestionably America can prevent this disadvantage to kids just by making a law
that children under the age of 18 shouldn't have access to violent video games.
Some people believe that this a lie, that it depends on the type of child but look at
this, the study of 3,034 primary and secondary school students here showed that
those who played more violent video games tend to be more likely over time to
commit acts of physical aggression, such as hitting someone who had angered
them (4). This is disgusting! The young men who opened fire at Columbine High
School, at the movie theater in Aurora, Colo., and in other massacres had this in
common: they were video gamers who seemed to be acting out some dark digital
fantasy. It was as if all that exposure to computerized violence gave them the idea
to go on a rampage — or at least fueled their urges (7). These kind of revolting
games cause such extreme aggressive behavior in most kids and this shouldn't
happening.
Children under the age of 18 shouldn't have access to violent video games
because they give kids the wrong message. Dr. Phil points out that violent video
games don't teach kids moral consequences. "If you shoot somebody in one of
these games, you don't go to jail, you don't get penalized in some way — you get
extra points!"(5). This is repulsive, kids should not get this kind of message from a
silly video game. Eighty percent of the most popular video games feature
aggressiveness or violence as the primary themes, and in twenty percent of these
games the aggressiveness or violence is directed toward women (5). Frankly, this is
sad when kids see something like this they are most likely to think that what the
characters are doing in the game aren't bad, after all they are just children!
Certainly, it is disturbing and a bad behavior when a child gets excited because he
or she managed to murder someone, or when she or he have fun beating a random
citizen walking in the streets, virtually or not, this is quite disturbing (6). Once again
some people believe that it depends on the type of child you have, but that is not
the case.
On the other hand, some think violent video games should not be permitted to
minors, some think otherwise even though most do not. Some believe that violent
video games are good for the brain that they teach kids strategy in a time of panic.
Also some think that playing these games helps with problem solving skills and
creativity which is a big bonus in school. If these counter claims came to an
outcome of being true, then violent video games may beneficial. But, children
shouldn't be learning skills from video games that's what school is for. Therefore,
violent video games are not beneficial and, children under the age of 18 should not
have access to them.
In the end, violent video games are not beneficial (f). These games are not
good for the brain (B1),they cause aggressive behavior in kids (B2), and they give
kids the wrong message (B3). Think about it this way, would you rather have kids
playing outside or killing someone on a TV screen? (F) Children under the age of
18 should not have access to violent video games.(t)
Violent video games shouldn't be sold to children
because it is not good for the brain.
• Dr. Vincent Matthews and his colleagues at Indiana University, who have long
studied media violence, looked at what happened in the brain in 28 students
who were randomly assigned to play either a violent, first-person shooter game
or a non-violent one every day for a week. None of the participants had much
previous gaming experience. (1)
• At the start of the study, researchers used functional MRI to scan brain activity
in the participants, while they completed lab-based tasks involving either
emotional or non-emotional content. The participants were then scanned again
while they repeated the same tasks, after a week of playing the video games.
(1)
• Researchers found that those who played the violent video games showed less
activity in areas that involved emotions, attention and inhibition of our impulses.
“Behavioral studies have shown an increase in aggressive behavior after violent
video games, and what we show is the physiological explanation for what the
behavioral studies are showing,” says Matthews. “We’re showing that there are
changes in brain function that are likely related to that behavior.” (1)
• When Matthews brought the participants back after a week of not playing video
games, their brain activity had changed again, reverting to more normal
reactions, but their brain functions still weren’t quite the same as before they
were exposed to the violent games. (1)
• Most of the bad effects of video games are blamed on the violence they
contain.(3)
• The brain changes don’t appear to be permanent, but documenting that the
brain does change in response to playing a violent game — even just for two
hours a day for a week — is a significant advance in understanding how young
players may be affected by these games. The brain changes that Matthews’
Kids shouldn't be allowed violent
video games because they cause
aggressive behavior.
group saw were similar to those seen in teens with destructive sociopathic
disorders, (2)
• Children who play more violent video games are more likely to have increased
aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and decreased prosocial helping,
according to a scientific study (Anderson & Bushman, 2001). The effect of
video game violence in kids is worsened by the games’ interactive nature.(4)
• In many games, kids are rewarded for being more violent. The act of violence
is done repeatedly. The child is in control of the violence and experiences the
violence in his own eyes (killings, kicking, stabbing and shooting). This active
participation, repetition and reward are effective tools for learning behavior.(4)
• many studies seem to indicate that violent video games may be related to
aggressive behavior (such as Anderson & Dill, 2000; Gentile, Lynch & Walsh,
2004). However, the evidence is not consistent and this issue is far from
settled. Many experts including Henry Jenkins of Massachusetts Institute of
Technology have noted that there is a decreased rate of juvenile crime whch
coincides with the popularity of games such as Death Race, Mortal Kombat,
Doom and Grand Theft auto. (4)
• Some video games teach kids the wrong values. Violent behavior, vengeance
and aggression are rewarded. Negotiating and other nonviolent solutions are
often not options. Women are often portrayed as weaker characters that are
helpless or sexually provocative. (4)
• The study of 3,034 primary and secondary school students here showed that
those who played more violent video games tend to be more likely over time to
commit acts of physical aggression, such as hitting someone who had angered
them. (4)
• The young men who opened fire at Columbine High School, at the movie
theater in Aurora, Colo., and in other massacres had this in common: they were
video gamers who seemed to be acting out some dark digital fantasy. It was as
if all that exposure to computerized violence gave them the idea to go on a
rampage — or at least fueled their urges. (7)
Violent video games give kids the
wrong message.
• Dr. Phil points out that violent video games don't teach kids moral
consequences. "If you shoot somebody in one of these games, you don't go to
jail, you don't get penalized in some way — you get extra points!" This doesn't
mean that your child will go out into the world and shoot someone. "But they do
use more aggressive language, they do use more aggressive images. (5)
• Eighty percent of the most popular video games feature aggressiveness or
violence as the primary themes, and in twenty percent of these games the
aggressiveness or violence is directed toward women.(5)
• I find it disturbing and a bad behavior when a child gets excited because he or
she managed to murder someone, or when she or he have fun beating a
random citizen walking in the streets, virtually or not, this is quite disturbing. (6)
1. http://healthland.time.com/2011/12/02/how-playing-violent-video-games-maychange-the-brain/ 2. https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/issue_briefs/brain_development/how.cfm 3. http://www.raisesmartkid.com/3-to-6-years-old/4-articles/34-the-good-and-badeffects-of-video-games 4. http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/violent-video-gameslinked-aggressive-thoughts-behaviour-20140329
5. http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/parenting/child-rearing-and-development/videogame-violence
6. http://www.debate.org/opinions/does-playing-video-games-lead-to-bad-behavior-inchildren
7. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/12/science/studying-the-effects-of-playing-violentvideo-games.html?_r=0