Do Violent Video Games Cause Behavior Problems
Do Violent Video Games Cause Behavior Problems
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Social scientists have revealed that a significant number of kids between twelve and
seventeen years play various kinds of gaming. However, it was shocking to notice that over 60 %
of the kids engaging in video games prefer the action and adventure genre, which in most cases,
involves violent content (Khalil et al. 131). Additionally, over 90 % of electronic games that
have been approved to be suitable for kids may contain violent scenes. The worrying statistics
have made mental health specialists and psychologists reveal that exposure to video games with
violent content negatively affects kids' behavior. There are different video games available,
ranging from action, puzzle, racing, and advanced adventurous. School-going kids are
associated with lethal violence, criminal behavior, and increases the potential of later
delinquency. In this context, the paper discusses that statistics have caused psychologists and
mental health specialists to state that exposure to video games with violent content negatively
Parents play an essential responsibility in video games played by their kids. Parents
purchase video games for their kids and fail to monitor how they play the games (Rillera et al.
180). Violent video games have various effects on school attending adolescents. Children who
participate in playing brutal videos can sometimes be aggressive and violent. Video games act as
entertainment medium for school kids but have also gained admiration among most individuals.
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Boys participate more in video gaming at a tender age than girls. Besides, most boys prefer
intense electronic games while girls engage in playing racing games. Boys are more likely to
part6icipate in video games for long hours as compared to girls. Boys can take approximately 3-5
hours while girls 2-3 hours (Khalil et al. 333). While girls prefer video gaming on phones, boys
prefer play stations. The interference from parents while playing violent video games makes kids
transformations are likely to occur to these aggressive tendencies hence affecting the children
school performance and pro-social behaviors (Rillera et al. 180). However, this problem is
mostly encountered in boys than in girls sine they are the most likely to participate in violent
games. Parents need to adopt stringent procedures to confirm that the games played by their kids
do not involve violent content. Besides, parents should never purchase intense electronic games
to potentially save their children from adopting hostile behavior, which results in negative
impacts on psychological development. Since gaming is essential to the children growth, parents
need to set aside sometime for the children to play the non-violent games hence improving their
brain development (Rillera et al. 181). Also, should emphasize more on school activities to assist
their children in improving their academic performance. Children should be prevented from
Ratings play a significant part in video games played by kids. In most cases, children fail
to read the ratings of a specific video game and instead gain interest in popular and infamous
games (Scott, David and Simecka 605). Video games bought from stores must be assessed by
the Electronic Software Ratings Board and rates to ensure that their content is appropriate for
teens and children. The ratings must also be included conspicuously on the game packing.
Children should not play games with content made for individuals above the age of eighteen.
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Such video games contain prolonged scenes of intense violence, graphic nudity and sexual
content. Other video games include strong language that should not be seen by children.
Nevertheless, most ratings reveal that a specific video game's peculiar traits demonstrate that it
contains violent content. When kids are exposed to such violent media, they become numb to
violence, express aggressive behavior, and imitate violence. Violent images influence young kids
and those with learning, behavioral and emotional challenges. Children ought to be adequately
trained to view the ratings of a particular video game before participating in playing.
Online gaming for kids is associated with various advantages and disadvantages. One of
the benefits is that children get to play and connect with their friends online in a secure manner.
Children perceive video gaming as a social activity that establishes a common ground for them
to make friends, hang out, and get structured time. Some video games promote problem-solving,
learning, and assist in the advancement of excellent motor skills and coordination. Besides, the
content in some video games such as Age of Empires and Age of Mythology inspire the interest of
children in international relations, geography, world history, and ancient cultures. Additionally,
some video games encourage children to participate in physical exercise, which is essential for
their health. Video games also allow children to share the joy of competition. Moreover, video
games spark creativity among children. The moral behavior of a child can be affected is a child
engages in video gaming with strangers (Scott, David and Simecka 608). Linking to the internet
allows adolescents and children to participate in video gaming and engage in deliberations with
unidentified peers and adults. Most popular video games stress undesirable themes promoting
foul dialect and indecent signs, violence and sexual exploitation towards women, criminal
behavior and disrespect for the law and power, and the abuse and use of alcohol and other drugs.
Such themes are likely to result to mental health concerns hence affecting the child development
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(Scott, David and Simecka 609). Parents can use the parental settings to ensure that their kids
only benefit from video games and guide them to avoid developing aggressive behavior. They
should guide their kids on what they should play and have a proper check on the video game
Advancement in expertise eased the procedures for underage children to access adult
video games. Most parents purchase video games for their children without considering the
content available in the video game and its impact on the child (Rillera et al. 181). Children are
exposed to nudity, use of drugs, mature humor, and violence at a very tender age when open to
video game rated for adults. Besides, some store associates allow children to buy adult games
without checking their identification and fail to notify the parents of those kids. Parents should
be informed to monitor what their kids play and advise them accordingly. Children should not be
allowed to play games meant for individuals over their age. Additionally, most kids just enjoy
video gaming as long as it fun to them. They do not consider whether the content in the game
affects them. Children should only be allowed to play games rated for their age, which does not
Children can develop violent behavior once they mimic characters in video games. Some
of the kids assume that impersonating their favorite characters is acceptable in society. Violent
video games result in aggressive attitudes among teens, which worsens with time as kids
regularly play video games. Video gaming is also associated with diminishing the sense of
empathy among teenagers. Most of the children who engage in video gaming have low levels of
understanding, which is associated with aggression and social maladjustment (Rillera et al. 182).
Video games that contain prosocial content result in prosocial behavior, making children select
such video games frequently. They believe that what they see characters do in video games is
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acceptable in the community and can develop such characteristics and behaviors. Other children
go to the extent of coping with the modes of dressing and other traits from the video game
characters. Kids construct their behavior while playing through what they observe around them.
When children spend most of their time playing violent video games, it damages their behavior
and results in adverse effects. The mental health status of a child can also be impacted by gaming
since the results of every game affects the mood of the child directly (Scott, David and Simecka
611). Some of them become angry after losing a game and may end up behaving abnormally.
Besides, children learn through copying what they see while playing, which makes them imitate
and copy acts in video games. Video games involving fighting make kids repeat the fighting
techniques they observe in the game in their healthy lives. Video game conventions have been
established where children can cosplay. Gaming conventions enables individuals to view the
latest reveals, get to play demos for upcoming games, and meet a person with the same love of
the medium as them. Most video game conventions require participants to ensure that they have
a pair of pro-gaming style computer glasses so that the blue light does not ruin their convention
experience. Video gaming conventions are all about competition. Some of the biggest video
game conventions worldwide include PAX, Electronic Entertainment Expo (E 3), Gamescom,
Tokyo Game Show, Blizzcon, and Dreamhack. The video game conventions have huge prizes
exposure to violent games leads to violent behavior. Parents and ratings play an essential role in
determining whether children engage in extreme video gaming. Some children go to the extent of
mimicking their favorite video game characters and may hurt other kids. Stakeholders must take
an active part and curb the continuous use of violent video games by underage children.
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Works Cited
Khalil, Salman, Farheen Sultana, Farzana Alim, Khursheed Muzammil, Nazim Nasir, Atiq ul
Hassan, and Syed Esam Mahmood.“Impact of Playing Violent Video Games Among
School Going Children.” Indian Journal of Community Health, vol. 31, no. 3, July 2019,
pp. 331–337.
Rillera Marzo, Roy, Amaluddin Ahmad, Sudip Bhattacharya, Fong Yee Mun, Johari Abdul
Rahman, Shihnas Bte Anwar Batcha, Sharveenie Rajiswaran, and Lew Chin Hon.“Effects
Malaysia.” Indian Journal of Community Health, vol. 31, no. 2, Apr. 2019, pp. 179–184.
Scott, David, Simecka B.“Mental Health Concerns in the Digital Age.” International Journal of
Mental Health & Addiction, vol. 15, no. 3, June 2017, pp. 604–613.