Free Video Games Don’t Cause Violence Essay Sample
What are video games for if I may ask? Some will say that they are for entertainment. Others say people play them to pass the time. Video games for fun may have an impact on some people which may be either positive or negative. Video games possibly are modified only to entertain, and just like drugs they are highly addictive. If one examines a child for some time, one may find that he or she may be so excited when playing a game. This interest in him may cause the child to spend hours playing the game. The next morning, the following day, the first thing the child does is not having breakfast but plays the games.
The current technology is striving to improve the gaming world not only graphically but also realistically. For example, when one looks at a sport game like Fifa, it has always been improved every year. So people would certainly like to play a game where things may be seen more real. This is what makes people addicted to the games.
Games can be played through various stations. These stations include a computer, mobile, playstation, and Nintendo among others. Games can be categorized as follows: sports, action, strategy, casino, adult etc. Most of the games children play are not always an excellent example for them. These games include brutal scenes and fights, hence, the name “action”.
What are the effects of this so called action games?
Examples of violent games include three towns: Paducah Kentucky, Jonesboro Arkansas and Littleton Colorado which experienced school shootings. The shooters were students who habitually played violent video games. The students murdered thirteen and wounded twenty-three and later killed themselves. This brought to an end the playing of extremely violent video games to avoid such cases from happening. Also, violence may be caused as some children would like to emulate the game characters and use some fighting skills on their friends. We also have witnessed children taken to juvenile due to their violent behaviors not only with their friends but also with their parents. Eighty percent of the research indicates that games are violent. This research states that exposure to violent games increases aggressive behavior in children and young adults. It is also stated that exposure to these types of games increases physiological arousal and aggressive thoughts and feelings. The games decrease prosocial behaviors. There is no doubt that violent computer games may make a child adapt violent behaviors. Research has also documented how witnessing violence and aggression in these games has lead to the negative outcomes in children. It is ironical that the same parents that take enormous pains to keep children from witnessing violence in the homes and neighborhood, do little to keep their children away from violent video games. Yet violence through games depends on an individual’s I.Q. One does not expect a child or an adult supremely intelligent to be affected by just a mere game.
Media violence does not affect youth because violent behavior has not been observed after media violence exposure. Knife fights, gun battles and other acts of violence experienced in games typically do not occur after playing the games. A game is simply modified to entertain the player. How people argue it out that it may lead to violence is mostly not realistic. Furthermore, a child having these types of games or even an adult may invite his or her friends to participate and compete in the game. This leads to better relationships among the players with only a few cases of violence reported among players. A research book called “Grand Theft Childhood” puts clearly that violence is not necessarily caused by video games. It further proves that gaming is a part of social network. In an adult or children’s setting, one can find healthy discussions on the known violent games, which strengthens an individual socially. These games may also cause people to strive to achieve his or her goals. Since an individual cannot conceit defeat, he or she concentrates on making his/her skills better. This helps to achieve their life expectations no matter what obstacle he faces.
The violence in video games causes aggression in laboratory settings but there is no evidence that games cause violence or crime. In simpler words, gamers that spend their time on violent games do not use their time shooting or violently attacking people in real life. This means that children and adults have better things to do than violent acts. They have no time to engage in violent acts in the society. Violence as most people believe depends on an individual’s character. Therefore, this violent character instigates the person to play violent games not for entertainment but to practice in real life. A person like this has an idle mind. If these violent games honestly cause the gamers to do evil deeds; a huge spike of violence would have been witnessed in almost all countries. This has, however, not been the case. There is null or approximately 1% of violent cases caused by games. In a school, students fight because they are provoked by other children. They do not meet up and decide to practice what they see in a game. It is not realistic, it is also true that laboratory experiments have not examined the effects of video games on children and other gamers yet. Studies of this type overstate the importance of video games.
In conclusion, though there are rare cases when violent video games cause violence, it is, therefore, upon on the parents to monitor their children’s habits. Parents should also advise their children on the effects of violent games. This will enable the children that play games to be keen on the games they choose. Therefore, a guardian or a parent should not worry when his or her children play violent games. However, they should be particularly keen and advise their children from time to time.