How Does Playing Violent Video Games Lead To Violent Behavior?

Does playing violent video games lead to violent behaviour? There are many arguments both agreeing and disagreeing with this statement, in my own opinion, I believe that playing such games does have a negative impact on player based on the research I have done for this essay. Video games are becoming more easily accessible to both children and adolescents. Nearly every major leading supermarkets sell the top rated video games of all genres, including violence. Although the recommended age ratings on these games may prevent adults from purchasing these games, it does not stop both children and adolescents from playing them online or at their friend’s houses. Due to the fact that these games can be so easily obtained, it is obviously a growing concern for parents, governments and psychologist if these games are having any effect on their children. In this essay I would like to discuss the following: how to tell if a video game is violent, what is considered a violent video game, the different forms and theories of aggression, some real life examples of the negative effects video games have on the player and finally some links between violent video games and behaviour, all focused on children and adolescents being the players.

How do we know if a video game is violent or not? More often than not, the recommended age rating (g, pg., 12, 15, 16, and 18)
According to Richard J.Gerrig (2013), aggression is behaviours that cause psychological or physical harm to another individual. It differs from other social behaviours as there is an intention to harm someone. You can differentiate ‘horse-play’ from true aggression by measuring the extent of the victim’s injuries for example: a swollen lip or a black eye. There are many factors that lead to aggression such as frustration, childhood experiences, and exposure to violence, physiological factors (men have higher levels of testosterone which can lead to aggression), cognitive factors and provocation