Do Violent Video Games Increase Aggression?

There are several age-appropriate video games thatstudents who reported played more violent video
provide hours of fun while at the same time providinggames tended to display more aggressive behaviors
practice in logic and strategizing as well as problemand were generally more violent. The amount of time
solving. However the growth and rising popularity ofthat they spent playing video games had a direct
video games has been riddled with controversy asimpact on their academic grades in college. Those
younger and younger children get exposed to thewho spent long hours playing video games almost
subset of video games that feature antisocialalways had lower grades.
behavior, violence and gore. There is rising concern onNot only did violent video games provide a conducive
the effects of violent video games on children. Theenvironment for learning aggressive solutions to
increasingly realistic nature of these games makesconflict situations, they also offered ample
them extremely popular among children of all ages,opportunity to practice and hone this particular trait.
but it is this very same realistic nature that is thePlaying violent video games for a short period
cause of great anxiety.augmented aggression by priming aggressive
Apprehension about violent video games is based onthoughts. Long-term playing had longer lasting effects
the assumption that they promote violence andas long-term players were inclined to learn and
aggression amongst young players. Extensiverehearse new scripts related to violence. The active
research has proven beyond a doubt that televisionlearning environment of violent video games makes
violence increases aggression and violence among thethem potentially more damaging than exposure to
children who watch it. Concern regarding violentviolent television and movies.
games was originally based on these studies.Social scientists hypothesize that there are four main
However later studies show that violent video gamesreasons why video games have such a profound
may be more damaging than violent televisionimpact on children.
primarily because of the interactive nature of videoChildren are more likely to mimic the behavior of any
games.individual or character that they identify with. Most
Studies show that playing violent video games tendviolent video games require the player to take the
to foster aggressive behavior, thoughts and feelingspoint of view of and enact the role of the
in young people in laboratory settings as well as inperpetrator.
actual life. Moreover, violent games are riveting andAs opposed to passive observation; the active
extremely interactive. They compel the player toparticipation that is required in violent video games
identify with the aggressor, making them morefosters aggression as second nature.
vulnerable to the aggression-enhancing effectsThe repetitive nature of the interaction, which
exposure to violent games. It is not only the habitualprovides ample opportunity for learning violent ways
players that are affected; even those who areof thinking and acting. Violent games are in effect a
briefly exposed to violent video games are inclined torehearsal for violent behavior and actions in real life.
display aggressive behavior, even if the increasedExposure to violent video games increases
aggression was only temporary.aggressive thoughts and emotions as well as
Extensive studies on the cause-effect of playingaggressive actions.
video games showed that junior and high school