Video Games and Violence

Video Games and Violence Violent video games have had an effect on children and teens for many years now. Children and teens who play video games most of the time play for fun or entertainment purposes. However, what the parents do not understand about this era’s violent video games is that the violence in today’s video games is worst then what they think it is. Some people believe that violent video games are influencing the children and teens to commit violent crimes and are the cause for many of the crimes that are committed today. Others believe the total opposite. They believe that violent video games reduce the violence in children and teens. Children and teens that play violent video games may or may not have a case of confusion, aggression, or behavioral problems. According to Gentile and Anderson (2003) playing video games with violence in them can cause aggression in children or teens to increase. Children and teens that spends most of their time playing violent video games are believed to develop aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (Anderson & Bushman, 2001). Some researchers even say that watching violence on television has a negative effect on children and teens (Huesman and Eron, 1986). Anti-social video games can also evoke aggressive thoughts, which can lead to a child or teen doing aggressive acts (Greitemeyer and Osswald, 2011). Playing violent video games may at first be about having a good time but playing an excessive amount at a time can have a negative effect on children and teens. Violent video games may also cause a case of confusion when children or teens play violent video games. Instead of teaching them that violence is wrong and not acceptable behavior but in the eyes of children and teens that are playing, it teaches them that violence is a way to resolve their conflicts and problems, to run away from their issues (Carll, 2007). Therefore, children and teens will most likely confuse them into believing that fantasy violence and real life violence is one and the same. Without having the mind for making ethical decisions, they may end up copying what they see when they are playing the violent video game (Susan Villani, Cheryl Olson, and Michael Jellinek, 2005). Many scientist and people believe that violence in video games is not the cause of aggressive behavior in children and in teens. Just because there is violence in video game does not mean that they will have aggressive or behavioral problems. Most children and teens who plays violent video games for their own entertainment purposes and just to have something to do. Children and teens who plays violent video games will most likely end up becoming afraid of the games because all of the violence that is in the video game. Other children and teens that play violent video games play them to relieve some of their frustration, anger, and aggression. Children or teens who play violent video games and have aggressive thoughts, does not meant that they will act upon them. According to Salonius-Pasternak and Gelfond (2005) violent video games provide a safe and healthy opportunity for children and teens to see the rules and the consequences of doing violent acts without getting into trouble in real life. In conclusion, no one really knows for sure if playing violent video games is the cause for aggression or behavioral problems in children and in teens. Violent video games maybe one of the cause for aggressive behavior in children and in teens but people know that it is not the only cause of aggressive or behavioral problems. Aggressive or behavioral problems can be cause by many things, such as a dysfunctional family, peer influence, a mental illness, child abuse, rape, PTSD, etc…. Playing violent video games has a different effect on children and teens. Basically, it depends on the child or teen who is playing the video game. Some think violent video games are the cause for all the bad things that happens. Others believe that violent video games can be helpful to children and teens. It helps them understand that their actions always have consequences. No one really truly knows that violent video games are the cause for aggressive and behavioral problems in children and teens. All some people have are theories and others only believe that violent video games is the cause. Even through studies done and experiments, there is no solid evidence to prove that playing violent video games can cause aggression or behavioral problems in children and teens.

References
Susan Villani , Cheryl Olson, and Michael Jellinek, "Media Literacy for Clinicians and Parents," Child Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, July 2005
Elizabeth Carll, "Violent Video Games: Rehearsing Aggression," Chronicle of Higher Education, July 2007
Bushman, B. & Anderson, C. (2001). Violent Video Games and Hostile Expectations: A Test of the General Aggression Model. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28, 1679-1686.
Gentile, D. A. & Anderson, C. A. (2003). Violent video games: The newest media violence hazard. In D. A. Gentile (Ed.), Media violence and children. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishing.
Huesmann, L. R., & Eron, L. D. (1986). Television and the aggressive child: A cross-national comparison. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Greitemeyer, T., & Osswald, S. (2011). Playing Prosocial Video Games Increases the Accessibility of Prosocial Thoughts. Journal Of Social Psychology, 151(2), 121-128. doi:10.1080/00224540903365588

References: Susan Villani , Cheryl Olson, and Michael Jellinek, "Media Literacy for Clinicians and Parents," Child Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, July 2005 Elizabeth Carll, "Violent Video Games: Rehearsing Aggression," Chronicle of Higher Education, July 2007 Bushman, B. & Anderson, C. (2001). Violent Video Games and Hostile Expectations: A Test of the General Aggression Model. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28, 1679-1686. Gentile, D. A. & Anderson, C. A. (2003). Violent video games: The newest media violence hazard. In D. A. Gentile (Ed.), Media violence and children. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishing. Huesmann, L. R., & Eron, L. D. (1986). Television and the aggressive child: A cross-national comparison. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Greitemeyer, T., & Osswald, S. (2011). Playing Prosocial Video Games Increases the Accessibility of Prosocial Thoughts. Journal Of Social Psychology, 151(2), 121-128. doi:10.1080/00224540903365588