Video Games Foster Violent Behavior by David S. Bickham. Violent video games contribute to violent behavior in children. Violent video games influence children negatively by making them react aggressively and believe that violence is a suitable way of settling scores. These negative effects can last for a very long period in a player’s life after a long-time exposure to violent video games. Violent video games often have understated effects that may lead to dramatic concerns for some children. They tend to solve most of their problems aggressively. Certain characteristics make some children more vulnerable to media effects compared to others. For example, children who identify with the criminal in the game are highly likely to become aggressive. Additionally, although cognitive and emotional maturity tends to increase children’s resistance to effects of violent video games, no factors have been confirmed to protect them from the negative impacts of the games.
Politicians Blame Video Games for Latest Shootings, an Old Claim not Backed by Research by Timothy Bella. Politicians across America blame violent video games for increased cases of mass shootings in the country. Politicians such as Kevin McCarthy, Patrick Crusius, and Dan Patrick think that mass shootings in United States are fueled by the extremely violent video games played by children. However, the article cites Secret Service and the Education Department’s 2004 report that indicated that only 12 percent of perpetrators in more than three dozen school shootings were video games enthusiasts. Researchers have also dismissed the supposed relation between violence among teenagers and children and violent video games. The demonstrated effects are both minimal and indistinguishable from effects of other video games. There has been a lot of debate on whether violent video games should be banned or not.
Hillary on Video Games by Henry Johnson. Children tend to imitate behavior. When they watch violence in violent video games, they practice whatever they have seen or even perfect the action. Prolonged exposure of children to such violence can induce aggression. Additionally, although unable to gather credible evidence proving that violent video games trigger delinquency in children, lawmakers in America have suggested parent engagement in controlling home video games. Parents need to involve themselves in regulating the games and the time their children spend on playing. Moreover, they should be updated with the current ratings on video games to be able to know suitable games for their children.
Bickam argues that many people believe that video Games harm children despite the lack of research that shows a direct connection between exposure to Violent Video Games and violent behavior; based on this the government need to pass laws that restrict children from accessing violent video games. Bella indicates that achieving restriction of violent video games by the government will be a tough task since researchers at Oxford University found that there was no correlation between the times spent playing video games and aggressive behavior in teenagers and children. Johnson says that access to violent video games should be restricted to prevent children from accessing them. Despite tests indicating that playing video games can improve the coordination of hands and eyes, children should be restricted from playing violent video games. Enforcing the rating systems on video games is a step in the right direction.
Works Cited
Bickham, David S. “Video Games Foster Violent Behavior.” Media Violence, edited by David M. Haugen and Susan Musser, Greenhaven Press, 2009.
“Hillary on video games.” Washington Times [Washington, DC], 1 Apr. 2006, p. A12.
Bella, Timothy. “Politicians blame video games for latest shootings, an old claim not backed by research.” Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2019.