do you think that violent video games are the source of violent behavior in children under the age of 17?

Question

this will be used in my final report for my english class thanks for you help and i will be sure to give you all credit.

thanks for your opinions but just so you remember, there are studys that say that violent video games foster greater violence in people that have a violent nature already. this is my second revamp of the details so I,ll just restate that I will be using this in my final english report.

Answer 1

I think that it greatly depends on the child, speaking from experience. I've played games like doom since they came out. I am now 22, work as a social studies teacher, and am married.... and still spend time every now and then playing violent games such as half life 2, doom 3, halo, ect...

I never had any problems with violence when I was in school. I never started any fights or anything. I just thought that games like doom were fun. I did know kids though who tried to act out games like mortal combat or street fighter and got themselves seriously hurt. (One of my buddies broke his thumb trying to do Ryu from streetfighter's Haducken (sp?)). So clearly that was a direct result of playing Street Fighter, but of course the same argument can be made from movies or TV... kids and even adults like to act like their media heros, so I guess you could argue that it wasnt just the fact it was a video game.

In terms of more subtle influences of video games, that takes more of an argument. Yeah, the kids who caused the Columbine Massacre played violent video games... but what caused what? Did the violent video games they played cause them to be violent people, or were they naturally attracted to violent video games because were violent people? School shootings happened before the advent of video games. Look up a school shooting that happened in texas in I believe 1966... the shooter's name was Charles Whitman (I think). Anyways, this was long before violent video games came around.

I am not an advocate of kids playing violent games. I probably should not have been allowed to play a lot of the games I did when I was a kid, but I guess I turned out alright. If you'd like some more information on the history of violent video games, you can read a paper I wrote for college. Check it out at this link:
www.ilstu.edu/~splando/papers/soph/spring/videogames.doc
At the very least it will give you some more sources to check out.
Bottom line is, I believe, that kids who are impressionable... yes, they are influenced. Kids who are taught strong values and know right from wrong are not.
Good luck with your paper.

Answer 2

No, I don't think so. My children have been around video games all their life. They are normal well behaved kids. Politicians and the like want to use any explanation to make anything seem "bad". Since a violent person played a violent game, then it must be the cause. That is not the case most of the time. Yes, violent people play video games, but they were drawn to that game due to the violence. But I am a mother of 3 and I play violent video games. Does that men I am a violent person? No. The game does not make the person. They have to already have that inner spark of violence. A poor home life, and unproper discipline is what makes some people the way they are, and some are just born with that insane gene in their head.

Answer 3

Here Goes:

First of all violent behavior first orgiants at a much earlier age than video games can effect. If you are 3 and watching your abusive father beat your mother, violent games will be a paradise. If you live in an area will selling drugs is a regular job, violent games would be a vacation. If your 15 and your parents are to busy living their own life to teach you right from wrong, games are your big brother. Games are nothing more than dreams that a person has. They have meaning if you play them, but they don't represent who we are as a person. If we didn't care for the gameplay we wouldn't play it. If it was to violent and the graphics were weak, we wouldn't want to play it. Besides the worlds a violent place, games are a lot less violent then say middle east.

Answer 4

Scientifically, there is no evidence that violent video games can add to aggression or otehr violence. There is a correlation between teh two things but scientists have been unable to proof that video games lead to more voilence as it is just as possible that players with violent tendencies will choose more violent games.

In addition, parents play a big role in this as well. Parents that watch what their children play and explain the difference between games and reality as more likely to se less violent behavior. It comes down to "more parents, less people with kids" on that one though. Parents need to be responsible for what young children are watching and playing.

If you want to use some fancy words in your report, mention that video games do correlate with violence but cannot be proven as the cause of the violence.

Consider this for your report as well, take a sample (or use all of them) of your classmates. Ask them if they play games and if they consider themselves to be violent. Record what they say. This isn't science but I would guess most of your game playing friends wouldn't call themslves a violent person although some will.

Answer 5

I've played many violent video games. I've played Halo, Halo 2, GTA 3, GTA: Vice City, GTA: San Andreas, some 007 games, and a few others. I am 14 years old and have never been in a real fight in my life. I have played all those violent video games and I haven't been affected at all. I don't think parenting has much to do with it either. My mom didn't even know Halo was rated "M" until I asked for Halo 2 for Christmas. I think some kids might be affected by video games because they think it is so cool. I personally said to myself while playing those games "Dang, are they stupid or something? They could get killed."

Answer 6

Not at all. I'm very hardly violent whatsoever. But I freakin' love violent video games. Halo, Halo 2, all those first person shooters. I like fighting games as well. Mortal Kombat, Tekken, Street Fighter. I'm a very reasonable person who only uses violence when necessary.

Answer 7

No, violent video games isn't the source of violent behavior. There is no psychological link between the two.

If anything, the violence rates have dropped globally this century compared to previous centuries. Video games help people vent their frustrations in a sandbox game so they wouldn't do anything violent in the real world.

Jack Thompson is wrong. I am right.

If you want to credit me, my name is: Ninja HD. If you want more info, email me.

Answer 8

*sigh* look, simulated violence is basically that: simulated. Even at 10 a classic baby is familiar with what's genuine and what isn't. in addition they understand the version between taking photos somebody in genuine existence and taking photos somebody in a game if the father and mom are in any respect in contact in coaching their baby. no person looks to furnish toddlers credit for having any intelligence anymore. they are basically as sensible as you're, they in basic terms lack adventure. it incredibly is the place parenting is supplied in. If gaming is taken moderately there are not any actual risks and a few advantages. It develops hand coordination and concept skills. backside-line is this: too a brilliant number of something is undesirable. Get your toddlers exterior to play. Mentally there are basically risks in the adventure that your baby is developmentally challenged in some way, or has a psychological imbalance. As I pronounced in the past, familiar toddlers at 10 can distinguish myth from certainty. Its basically going to inspire genuine existence violence if the baby is predisposed to violent habit, has a affliction that outcomes empathy, or is mentally slowed adequate to no longer have the means to understand myth from certainty. understand your baby and act properly. in the event that they might handle it, then enable it. in the event that they can't, then do no longer. on the positives checklist video games inspire rapid thinking and decision making skills alongside with problem fixing skills. Even the "violent" ones. I wont assign a minimum age requirement because of the fact each baby is diverse. it incredibly is as much as the father and mom to make that decision. individually ill permit my young toddlers play video games whilst they are sufficiently previous to understand that what they are seeing isn't genuine. as quickly as that's defined and valuable genuine existence habit is bolstered this is not an argument. It wasnt for me, and that i began playing video games very youthful.

Answer 9

No i asked a question similar to this about 3 weeks ago and in my opinion it is the parents responsibility to teach the children video games are not real and also to monitor what their children are playing/watching. I grew up watching Jason Michael Meyers Freddy Kruger and I didn't become an axe murderer, because my mother taught me it was fake. Now will I let my 4 year old play grand Theft Auto. He** No, but that is where the responsibility of the parents come in

Answer 10

No. A child has to have that severely aggressive character in them, in order for them to act in such a manner. Adults watch violent movies all the time, and we can't blame what we watch on how we conduct ourselves. The same holds true for children and what they play or watch. :)