Youth Violence and Video Games (World View Sociology Paper)
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.
After review of the publication, Game On, a Harvard Health Letter, I discovered that the social and cultural ramifications of video games are of high debate upon many parents and adults. Games are played by people of all ages and sexes but the vast majority of “gamers” are teenage boys. This is worry some considering they are attracted to action games with bloodshed, violence and explicit content. In Grand Theft Auto, a best seller, the players sell drugs on the streets while shooting at gangs and buying prostitutes, what we in America consider violent behavior. Thirty years of research prove that media violence promotes aggressive behavior in young people however, due to the amount of additional underlying factors which can be ruled in such as substance abuse, cultural beliefs, abusive parents and innate personalities, it is very hard to establish a direct connection between the violence stemming from these games and other things. Through research of brain scans they have proven that thoughts of aggression and violent shooter games will activate the brain in a similar way however, directly showing a link to the games and violence in the real world has not yet occurred. Although some claim that games have real benefits it seems they are more so to promote aggressive behavior. With more and more people becoming addicted to the games, game “detox” has erupted to help the one in twelve young people affected by
After review of the publication, Game On, a Harvard Health Letter, I discovered that the social and cultural ramifications of video games are of high debate upon many parents and adults. Games are played by people of all ages and sexes but the vast majority of “gamers” are teenage boys. This is worry some considering they are attracted to action games with bloodshed, violence and explicit content. In Grand Theft Auto, a best seller, the players sell drugs on the streets while shooting at gangs and buying prostitutes, what we in America consider violent behavior. Thirty years of research prove that media violence promotes aggressive behavior in young people however, due to the amount of additional underlying factors which can be ruled in such as substance abuse, cultural beliefs, abusive parents and innate personalities, it is very hard to establish a direct connection between the violence stemming from these games and other things. Through research of brain scans they have proven that thoughts of aggression and violent shooter games will activate the brain in a similar way however, directly showing a link to the games and violence in the real world has not yet occurred. Although some claim that games have real benefits it seems they are more so to promote aggressive behavior. With more and more people becoming addicted to the games, game “detox” has erupted to help the one in twelve young people affected by
References: Children And Violent Video Games Received from URL http://drphil.com Ferris, D (2004, July 01) CAUTION: Chldren at Play – The Truth About Violent Video Games, Received from URL http://gamerevolution.com/ Game On. (2009 October 01) Harvard Health Letter Received from URL https://ic.galegroup.com Is Exposure To Media Violence A Public Health Risk? (2008 April 05) Received from URL http://search.proquest.com Leung, R. (2009, February 11) Can A Video Game Lead To Murder? CBS News, Received from URL http://cbsnews.com/