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 non-

emotional 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)

• 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’

Violent video games shouldn't be sold to children because it is not good for the brain.

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-may-change-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-bad-

effects-of-video-games 4. http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/violent-video-games-

linked-aggressive-thoughts-behaviour-20140329 5. http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/parenting/child-rearing-and-development/video-

game-violence 6. http://www.debate.org/opinions/does-playing-video-games-lead-to-bad-behavior-in-

children 7. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/12/science/studying-the-effects-of-playing-violent-

video-games.html?_r=0