Violent Video Games Create Violent Children? Do violent video games have a psychological affect on the children that play them? This debate has been contemplated ever since the first violent video games came out. The common response, which is especially popular with parents, is that violent video games will create violent children. These children are seen as more likely to commit crimes and feel a lack of empathy for their actions.
This debate often resurfaces in the media after a tragic school shooting happens. Some look to blame gun safety laws, whereas others argue that violent video games are the leading cause of these horrific events. Those against violent video games argue that there is a relationship between playing these games and an increase of aggressive behavior, followed by a decrease in empathy and prosocial behavior (Young, nwmissourinews.com). This being rooted in the fact that video games often reward players for committing violent acts, portraying them as fun and normal. This brings people to believe that children will become so desensitized that they will not realize the repercussions of their actions in the real world.
On the other side of the coin, people argue that video games have no effect on the children that play them. Supporters of violent video games preach that while the video game
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The American Psychological Association found that hostility relating to video games was found amount children with neurotic, low levels of empathy and conscientiousness (Healthline.com). This means that violent video games really only produce an increased state of aggression when this subset of children is involved. Ferguson summarizes this perfectly when he says that “Violent video games are like peanut butter…They are harmless for the vast majority of kids but are harmful to a small minority with pre-existing personality or mental health problems”