Video games should not include so much violence

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Table of Contents
Overview........................................................................................................................................3
Analysis.........................................................................................................................................3
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................9
References..................................................................................................................................10
 Video games should not include so much violence

Overview
With the help of these developments, video games have become a mainstream

entertainment option that has captured the attention of people all over the world. Video games

have been accused of corrupting the brains of young people because they reward players for

engaging in violent behavior in simulations. However, advocates for video games argue that

research showing detrimental effects of gaming are inaccurate and that there is no correlation

between playing video games and violent behavior in real life. The sector's growth may be

attributed in large part to technological advances, compelling storytelling, and photorealistic

graphics. However, there is ongoing debate over the effects of video game violence, especially

on young people, and their participation in the industry. The purpose of this paper is to consider

the arguments against include gratuitous violence in video games, with an eye toward

encouraging responsible design and weighing the potential consequences for individuals and

society at large.

Analysis
These days, teenagers often pass the time playing video games. The vast majority of kids

between the ages of 8 and 18 spend at least 8 hours a week playing video games, as reported by

Anderson and Warburton (2012). The writers recognize that there are both beneficial and

harmful outcomes associated with playing video games when young. They believe that one of

the advantages of virtual games is that they help children to engage with their peers, which is a

crucial aspect of social maturation. But they also think that kids' morals have been weakened by

playing too much video games on computers. Researchers draw a connection between video
games and real-world violence because they feel that players are encouraged to behave violently

in order to earn in-game currency. As a result of the sense of fulfillment it provides, the

participants find this activity to be intriguing. The young gamers will pick up the idea that using

force to win games is acceptable and may even be necessary in real life. Scientists have noted

that when players are rewarded for their violent actions in games, they are more likely to engage

in real-world hostile behaviors like bullying. To be sure, not every violent video game breed

aggressive player. Some of these games are less violent than others, and they sometimes penalize

rather than promote aggressive play. These games can't have any negative effects on kids'

conduct.

Gaming may have both beneficial and bad results for the player. Nonetheless, these

games come in many forms, such as strategy, learning, trivia, action, and sports. Jones (2018)

looked at the link between video games and violence and found that characteristics including

hostility, rage, and competition were major contributors. He insists that the children's

competitive spirit is not limited to the games they play, but is present in many aspects of their

lives, even those that have no negative indicators or links to violence. Jones also investigated the

link between violent video games and hostility and aggressiveness, concluding that aggressive

behavior in certain players may be attributed to personality factors associated with rage (Jones,

2018).

Not all experts agree with the assumption that the playing of video games leads to

behaviors of hostility, rage, and competition, as claimed by Jones. Griffiths (1999) contrasts this

by narrowing down on one of these traits, aggression, and argues that playing violent video

games is only linked to aggressive conduct and not actual violence. While his findings are

interesting, Griffiths (1999) argues that they are insufficient since they are dependent on the
findings of a single study approach. As a corollary, he came to the realization that aggressive

conduct is something only pre-adolescent kids do. The children and teens studied by Griffith

were those who watched or played violent video games; the study did not examine any other

kind of electronic entertainment. These results help to shed light on how the world is altering at

such a dizzying rate, exposing children and teenagers to gun violence and other forms of lethal

force at an increasingly impressionable age.

Azad (2019) disagrees with the government's theory that violent video games contribute

to a spike in mass shootings. As Azad explains, fresh insights on the study have emerged from

the contributions of specialists who claim violent video games have no effect on aggressive

behavior. The only thing that has changed, he continues, is that there is more variety in both the

games and the players, and that the games themselves have become clearer and more visually

appealing as a result. The expansion of numerous types of computer games has also supplied the

players with a selection of games from which to pick the most suited one to play. Researchers

like Azad (2019) draw the conclusion that video games are not related to aggressive behavior

since such effects are the consequence of variables unrelated to video games. What this means is

that the criminals' actions stem from underlying mental health or other problems.

Many scholars and professionals, in contrast to Azad and others who share his ideas, feel

that young people's conduct is affected by their addiction to playing violent video games. Using

violent video games like Mortal Kombat and Doom as an example, Sherry (2001) shows how

young kids are exposed to graphic depictions of violence at an alarmingly young age. Children's

exposure to violent content in video games, either as observers or participants, may have a

negative impact on their own development of prosocial traits and social skills. Sherry's viewpoint

clarifies the effects of violence and reveals that it is a direct result of engaging in such conduct
when seeing or participating in violent media. Young gamers frequently internalize the game's

aggressiveness and behave similarly.

Other sources further highlight the correlation between video games, and particularly

violent video games, and aggressiveness and violence, giving weight to the nearly definite

assertions that such games lead to aggressive conduct. Shao and Wang (2019) further elaborate

on the link between the violence, aggressive conduct, and video games, claiming that many

families today are scared about their children's behavior in the near and far future, because of

their addiction to playing violent video games. In an effort to shield their children from the

potentially negative effects of violent media, some parents place restrictions on their children's

access to particular genres of video games. Researches have looked at the effects of these games

on kids, and they found some interesting differences, especially for kids who played violent

games. Shao and Wang (2019) suggest that children who are nurtured in a home context with

high moral values report less incidences of juvenile aggressiveness. This is due to the fact that

youngsters raised in such households are protected from seeing an abundance of hostile and

violent actions. On the other side, children exhibit greater aggressive behavior in households

where children have more choice to choose their own entertainment (Shao & Wang, 2019).

There is little doubt that the home environment plays a crucial role in shaping an individual's

propensity toward aggressive or violent conduct.

Playing violent video games might teach kids that physical force is the best way to solve

problems and get what they want quickly and easily. Researchers in the United States found that

many kids who play violent video games, especially in New York City, exclusively believe in

using violent techniques to manage their challenges (Freedman, 2009). Children who like

playing violent video games were shown to be less forgiving than those who prefer non-violent
games, according to the survey. Children under the age of 10 are the most vulnerable to the

effects of violent video games because they are so quickly influenced by the things they see.

There is a moment in every child's development when they mimic and imitate almost everything

they see and experience.

Similarly, violence in video games will alter their perspectives. Children are especially

vulnerable to mistaking fictional violence for actual danger. Since they don't have a basis for

making moral choices, they'll apply the lessons they learn in video games to real life.Video

games have been shown to have a significant impact on changing the players' views because they

demand continuous engagement and encourage the players to identify with the game's violent

characters. New controllers have improved this even further by eliminating the need for wires to

transmit information from the keyboard to the screen, making for a more intuitive and natural

gaming experience. The problem is worse now than it was before the update, since the game is

more visually engaging. It's easy to become used to seeing violence and other immoral acts in the

game because of the game's immersive and interactive features, which give the player a more

genuine experience.

Addiction to violent video games is a contributing issue since it may lead to the

aggressive behavioral script, which in turn can increase aggressive tendencies in young gamers.

Repetition influences the subconscious mind, leading to the formation of behavioral scripts.

Scripts such as "wash your hands before eating" or "get in the car, fasten your seatbelt, and start

the engine" are examples of effective and typical behavioral programs. To a similar extent,

violent video games may imprint aggressive behavioral patterns onto the minds of their users. In

extreme cases, particularly when the scripts are activated involuntarily, they may even lead to

global bloodshed.
 Playing violent video games may turn young people, or anybody else, into murderers. As

an example, the United States Marine Corps has licensed games with the express purpose of

educating Marines by exposing them to realistic warfare conditions (Hoffman 49). There are a

number of games in this genre that include graphic depictions of warfare, such as Doom 2 and

Marine Doom. Players get experience with weaponry and killing in these games, skills they may

be inspired to put to use in real life. Games like America's Army, another first-person shooter,

may also subtly influence young people to act violently because of the graphic nature of the

game's violence.

Teenage reports of bullying have been on the rise, and experts believe that this is at least

in part due to the prevalence of violent video games. Sixty percent of middle schoolers who

played any violent game ended up assaulting or beating up someone, according to Grand Theft

Childhood, a report on the study of games published in 2008. In comparison, just 39 percent of

school conflicts were connected with youngsters who did not play such sorts of games. The fact

that violent video game players are more likely to be victims of violent crime than nonplayers is

strong evidence that these games are harmful to society and contribute to the normalization of

aggressive conduct, particularly among young people.

It is vital to look at the possible long-term impacts of exposure to violent video games on

mental health, not just the immediate behavioral reactions. Long-term exposure to violent video

games has been linked to psychological consequences such increased anxiety and

desensitization. The possible negative consequences of violent video games on people'

psychological well-being must be investigated and addressed as mental health becomes an

increasingly important social problem. Gender roles and the depiction of women are seldom

discussed in relation to violent video games. Many games propagate stereotypes by depicting
women as objectified or helpless damsels. This raises concerns regarding the influence on

players' views of gender norms and the possible reinforcing of negative stereotypes. If we want

to create a more welcoming and equitable gaming community, we need to take a closer look at

the gender dynamics at play in games that include violence.

Conclusion
There are many sides to consider in the heated discussion of whether or not video games

should include realistic levels of violence. Research shows substantial disagreements between

researchers' theoretical frameworks. It is impossible to refute that exposure to violent media,

such as video games, promotes to violence and fury among young people, as is generally

concluded in this research. Though studies have shown a correlation between playing violent

video games and acting out in aggressive ways, it's crucial to emphasize the value of responsible

game design, parental engagement, and cultural sensitivity. If done well, the gaming business

can have a good impact on people's lives and the world at large. Video games may continue to

engage audiences without endangering the well-being of players, especially children, if

developers can find a middle ground between creative freedom and ethical accountability. Some

may argue that there have always been kids who act out violently, even before video games were

invented, but there's no denying that violent video games have made the problem much worse.
References
Anderson, C., & Warburton, W. (2012). The impact of violent video games: An overview, 52-84.
Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260487613_The_impact_of_violent_video_ga
mes_An_overview
Azad, A. (2019). Video games unlikely to cause real-world violence, experts say. Retrieved 3
October 2019, from https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/05/health/video-games-violence-
explainer/index.html
Griffiths, M. (1999). VIOLENT VIDEO GAMESAND AGGRESSION: A REVIEW OF THE
LITERATURE. Aggression And Violent Behavior, 4(2), 203-212. Retrieved from
https://ocw.metu.edu.tr/pluginfile.php/2352/mod_resource/content/1/
Griffiths_LitReview.pdf
Jones, G. (2018). The Effects of Violence in Video Games on Individual Levels of Hostility in
Young Adults. Masters Theses &Specialist Projects, 1-66. Retrieved from
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3582&context=theses
Shao, R., & Wang, Y. (2019). The Relation of Violent Video Games to Adolescent Aggression:
An Examination of Moderated Mediation Effect. Frontiers in Psychology, 10. doi:
10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00384
Sherry, J. (2001). The effects of violent video games on aggression. A meta-analysis. Human
Communication Research, 27(3), 409-431. doi: 10.1093/hcr/27.3.409