How Video Games Contribute to Aggressive Behavior Among Children - Research Paper Example

?Full 18November, Video Games contribute to aggressive behavior among children With the advent of video gamesin 1970’s, a revolution occurred in the entertainment world. Video games overpowered the existing sources of entertainment and now it has become one of the most influential industries earning in billions on daily basis. As the video games have become part of everyday life especially for teenagers, its impacts on its users is becoming a great source of concern. The most controversial topic regarding video games is whether it contributes to aggressive behavior among children or not. Extensive studies have been conducted to come to a conclusion whether video game is really the cause behind the aggression of children these days. Many studies regarding conducted to examine the impacts of violence in video games on children have varied conclusions. However, majority of these studies reveal the fact that the violence in video games does create aggression and frustration while many on the other hand conclude that it does not affect children’s behavior in any way. In fact, these studies postulates that video games are a source of expression for the children and help them let out their frustration as well. The analysis of different studies regarding the problem of violence in video games contributing to aggression among children, conducted by Craig A. Anderson and Brad J. Bushman reveal that playing violent video game does increase the level of aggression in children as well as adults. However, there analysis shows that the aggression was usually heightened in case of inanimate objects as compared to real person. There studies also supported the fact that the healthy social behavior is also affected by the exposure to violence in video games. They however insisted on the fact that the studies they analyzed were missing a significant research which may yield different results from the ones postulated. (Anderson, 2001) Panel study conducted by four members of Tokyo University with elementary school children, however revealed a different result. Students of fifth grade from different Japanese elementary schools were the subjects of this study. Survey was conducted twice, and final data of 780 students was analyzed. Their conclusion was that they did not find any adverse affects of video games contributing in heightening aggression; on the other hand the social behavior was defiantly affected by it. (Ihori et al 2007) Both these studies validate the fact that pro-social behavior is highly affected by the video game usage. There are other health problems related to video games as well such as obesity, Long hours spent in playing video games making children addicted which in turn affects not only their eye-sight but their academic performance as well as making them isolated and non-social. The excitement caused by the video games can ultimately become hazardous as the players get so involved in the games that they lose control over their behavior for that particular period when they are engrossed in the game. This makes them irritable and frustrated when they are disturbed during the game. Some children become so addicted to the games that they lose track of time and end up playing for hours without realizing it. (Berger, 2002) The question of aggression, on the other hand is not only controversial but also both sides are debated quite strongly. There are people who believe that the aggression is not the outcome of playing violent video games, rather video games may become as an outlet for aggression. There are majority of children who are addicted to video games and prefer to play games that involve hunting down and shooting opponents yet they stay quite passive in their interaction with other people. The fact that video games teach cannot be denied. They teach regardless of their content (Vorderer et al 2006). Even the most violent video games teach. It depends upon the player what he understands and comprehends of the thing he is using or chose to play. The video games “teach whatever they inspire the game player to rehearse mentally and behaviorally” (Vorderer et al 2006). Implementing whatever is learned depends on a lot of other factors such as home environment, upbringing, parent’s relationship as well as social factors. It also depends upon the situation that one encounters and his reaction to that particular reaction. For example, a rich child plays violent video games yet he never faces any violent circumstances, while on the other hand a not so privileged child plays violent games and has circumstances of violence around him, he is very likely to act violently. He may have his father in prison or his brother involved in drugs or robbery. Violent game may be enhancing his circumstances or these games may become the last straws left to ultimately try out something violent. There are in fact a lot of gamers for whom playing video games has become more than just a hobby. They take it more like professional thing, and they still manage to stay normal and have normal social as well as personal relations with people. Yet at the same time long term exposure to the violent video games may increase the level of aggression in individuals. As we become insensitive and numb if we are shown a massacred or brutally murdered body by different Medias again and again, similarly we are prone to become insensitive to the violence and brutality in the games which has impacts on our real lives as well (Harding, 2008).At the same time the desire to see violence may also increase as the level of sensitivity towards violence and sympathy towards the victim decreases. The fact that with the passage of time the violence in video games is increasing is also very alarming. In these times when the world is facing so many sour subjects of violence on everyday basis the alarming increase of violence in video games is a great matter of concern. Such acts are making our future generations desensitized from the childhood. The aggressive behavior cannot be related with video games. They may be one of the factors in an already aggressed behavior yet video games cannot be considered as the only cause of aggression. As Tim Buckley says that “if someone plays a video game, and then goes out and harms another human being, or themselves because of what they just saw in the video game, they were screwed up in the head long before they got their hands on a controller” (Vitka, 2009). If otherwise would have been true than majority of video game players especially the teenagers should have been out there shooting or killing others or hurting themselves. Yet, it is not the case. An already aggressive and troubled mind would prefer using violence to make his point. However, an average person with a sound mind would only play the game for the entertainment purpose. He would be perfectly able to distinguish the game character or scenario from real life. Just like in any other media, The viewer can distinguish between the unreal and at times exaggerated events, similarly in video games a player can distinguish between the real and fantasy world. However, the thing with video games is that the player is personified as the character as it includes physical involvement for playing. The player while playing gets so involved in the whole game scenario that he at times forgets that it’s just a game and he can play it again if lost. But same is the case with any other sport. Winning is the main objective to be achieved and not only players of other sport become excited while playing, the viewer of that particular sport also becomes excited and desperate for the win. The fans and players of football lash out at each other during every world cup, which does not mean that football, make them violent or aggressive. Same is the case with every other sport. Violent video games in fact teach how to protect yourself in different situations as well as to be watchful in dangerous circumstances. But this too depends upon the player, whether he gets inspired by the different strategies used in different situations or the violence used to kill the opponent and the bloodshed. The ultimate responsibility definitely rests with parents to maintain check and balance in their children’s life. Playing video games cannot be considered as negative yet excess of anything is harmful. Parents also need to understand their children’s temperament and let them play video games accordingly. An already aggressive person tends to prefer violent games more as compared to non-aggressive person. And violence in his life in any form, from a violent video game to a violent parent, sibling or any other factor, increases the tendency to commit violence in his life. But playing video game cannot be considered as the main factor in contributing violence among children or adults. This is very well supported by a very famous and most quoted saying of Marcus Brigstocke that “if Pac-man had affected us as kids, we’d all be running around in dark rooms, munching pills and listening to repetitive electronic music”. (Goodreads) Works Cited 1. Anderson, Craig A, and Brad J. Bushman. Effects of Violent Video Games on Aggressive Behavior, Aggressive Cognition, Aggressive Affect, Physiological Arousal, and Prosocial Behavior: A Meta-Analytic Review of the Scientific Literature. Iowa State University. American Psychological Society, Vol. 12, No. 5, September 2001.Retrieved from http://www.psychology.iastate.edu/faculty/caa/abstracts/2000-2004/01ab.pdf 2. Berger, Arthur A. Video Games: A Popular Culture Phenomenon. New Brunswick, N.J: Transaction, 2002. Print 3. Harding, Anne. Violent video games linked to child aggression. CNN Health, November 03, 2008.Retrieved from 4. http://articles.cnn.com/2008-11-03/health/healthmag.violent.video.kids_1_violent-video-video-games-game-genres/2?_s=PM:HEALTH 5. Ihori, Nobuko, Akira Sakamoto, Akiko Shibuya and Shintaro Yukawa. Effect of Video Games on Children’ s Aggressive Behavior and Pro-social Behavior: A Panel Study with Elementary School Students. Situated Play: Proceedings of the 2007 Digital Games Research Association Conference. The University of Tokyo, 2007. Retrieved from http://www.digra.org/dl/db/07312.31554.pdf 6. Marcus Brigstocke Quotes retrieved from http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/2000392.Marcus_Brigstocke 7. Vitka, William. GameSpeak: Ctrl+Alt+Del. CBSNews, February 11, 2009. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/03/tech/gamecore/main677960.shtml 8. Vorderer, Peter, and Jennings Bryant. Playing Video Games: Motives, Responses, and Consequences. Mahwah, N.J: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2006. Print Read More