Video Games and Violence
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Video Games and Violence
Video games are a common word attached to the youth globally, as many youths in America play video games. Video games have been labeled to possess scenes associated with intense violence, drugs, drug abuse, blood and gore, and strong sexual content. The number of video game players and the number of video games being developed is increasing at a high rate. Playing video games that contain violent content does not affect or contribute to the violent nature of the youth since most violent behaviors are mainly connected to the individual’s character traits while scholars argue that the long term effect that the games may have on an individual’s aggressive behavior may be very minimal almost close to zero percent.
The violent nature is not independently linked to playing violent video games but is mainly related to its negative personality traits. Most of the individuals who participate in violent activities have been found to possess personality traits such as being aggressive, having psychotic problems, and having anger issues (Goldbeck, 2019). Research done on school shootings in the US stated that the individuals’ personality traits were evident before the shootings and were responsible for pushing them towards violence (Hern, 2020). This revelation makes it hard to maintain that playing violent video games amongst the youth is an independent risk factor for violence.
Playing violent video games has a very minimal effect on an individual’s aggressive nature. Research suggests that the relationship between aggression and gaming is below the threshold required to consider it positive. The number of severe violent activities related to youth has decreased since 1996 (Goodman, 2010). No evidence supports the argument that playing violent video games may accumulate small harm on the individual over the long term, leading to a change in the person’s temperament. According to Karl O’Donnell, the long-term effect of playing video games amongst the youth and its impact on the individual’s aggressive nature is almost zero (Hern, 2020). Violent video games have a very slim effect in contributing to an individual turning out to be violent; hence playing video games does not make individuals violent.
Playing violent video games amongst the youth does not lead to aggression or violent behavior since studies link the violent actions to the individual’s characteristics and further explain that there is a very minimal effect close to zero of the contribution of the violent nature of the games to the individual’s aggressive nature. With the increasing number of video games being developed, yearly parents are urged to control their children’s amount of time playing the games.
References
Alex, H. (2020). Analysis of 28 Global Studies Dating Back To 2008.
Sal, G. (2010). Violent Video Games and Young People: Harvard Mental Health Letter.
Lauren, G. (2019). Violent Video Games and Aggression. National Centre for Health Research.