Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Monday, January 14, 2008
Citations for the Essay:
http://www.mediaed.org/handouts/pdfs/ChildrenMedia.pdf
http://www.democracynow.org/2003/12/24/dc_sniper_lee_boyd_malvo_sentenced
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=351962&in_page_id=1774
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20040114/Feature1.asp
http://www.apa.org/releases/videogames.html
http://www.democracynow.org/2003/12/24/dc_sniper_lee_boyd_malvo_sentenced
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=351962&in_page_id=1774
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20040114/Feature1.asp
http://www.apa.org/releases/videogames.html
Essay
Ever since the 1990’s, when video games were first introduced into the modern world of technology, violence has been a major concern. Violent video games have had a negative affect on those playing, especially younger children. They also set bad examples for young people as the reach their goal of winning the game; studies have been conducted to prove this point.
Manhunt, Assassin’s Creed, and Grand Theft Auto are three of the many violent video game titles out there. These types of violent games are producing aggressive thoughts and actions in those playing. Although many may not think it, violent video games have a powerful affect on one’s thoughts. Players who play these games often show less sensitivity towards everyday violence. More so, they tend to think that nothing is wrong with the crimes being committed in everyday life. Video games also have a negative affect on the brain. The section of the brain that controls decision making and behavior is not fully developed until the age of twenty-one. This part is affected greatly due to the constant exposure to the violent video games. These people gravitate toward thinking that it is okay to kill people, the same way the character does.
One of the main consequences of violence in gaming is the examples that they set for children. One of the most brutal games, Manhunt, had caused a media stir for this reason. Because a child’s brain is like a sponge, it absorbs everything it can. If they see the previews or are exposed to family members playing games like Manhunt, the brain takes in all of the violence. This shows to be prominent in very young children. There brains are being molded to imitate their parents -those buying the games- or even the characters in the game. It is even more apparent when children themselves are playing these games. When a person interacts as a character in a game, they try to impersonate or embody the character they are role-playing. To use an example that these games have a dissenting affect on the mind, a seventeen year old male, labeled the “DC sniper”, was trained on Halo. This young man, named Lee Boyd Malvo was sent to prison in 2003 for killing ten individuals in Washington, D.C.
A study was done in the Indiana University School of Medicine. Forty-four teenagers were set into groups: Twenty-two playing "Need for Speed: Underground" and Twenty-two playing "Medal of Honor: Frontline". After 30 minutes, MRI's of the kid's brains were taken. It showed that the teens who played "Medal of Honor" had negative effects on the brain that were not present in those who played "Need for Speed". This study also exemplified that those playing Medal of Honor acted aggressively to opposing players. Statistics show that video game violence is especially damaging to children under the age of eight because these children often cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is fantasy.
Violent video games have a great affect on the people in today’s society, especially toward little kids. These games are setting bad examples for young people as well as old.
Manhunt, Assassin’s Creed, and Grand Theft Auto are three of the many violent video game titles out there. These types of violent games are producing aggressive thoughts and actions in those playing. Although many may not think it, violent video games have a powerful affect on one’s thoughts. Players who play these games often show less sensitivity towards everyday violence. More so, they tend to think that nothing is wrong with the crimes being committed in everyday life. Video games also have a negative affect on the brain. The section of the brain that controls decision making and behavior is not fully developed until the age of twenty-one. This part is affected greatly due to the constant exposure to the violent video games. These people gravitate toward thinking that it is okay to kill people, the same way the character does.
One of the main consequences of violence in gaming is the examples that they set for children. One of the most brutal games, Manhunt, had caused a media stir for this reason. Because a child’s brain is like a sponge, it absorbs everything it can. If they see the previews or are exposed to family members playing games like Manhunt, the brain takes in all of the violence. This shows to be prominent in very young children. There brains are being molded to imitate their parents -those buying the games- or even the characters in the game. It is even more apparent when children themselves are playing these games. When a person interacts as a character in a game, they try to impersonate or embody the character they are role-playing. To use an example that these games have a dissenting affect on the mind, a seventeen year old male, labeled the “DC sniper”, was trained on Halo. This young man, named Lee Boyd Malvo was sent to prison in 2003 for killing ten individuals in Washington, D.C.
A study was done in the Indiana University School of Medicine. Forty-four teenagers were set into groups: Twenty-two playing "Need for Speed: Underground" and Twenty-two playing "Medal of Honor: Frontline". After 30 minutes, MRI's of the kid's brains were taken. It showed that the teens who played "Medal of Honor" had negative effects on the brain that were not present in those who played "Need for Speed". This study also exemplified that those playing Medal of Honor acted aggressively to opposing players. Statistics show that video game violence is especially damaging to children under the age of eight because these children often cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is fantasy.
Violent video games have a great affect on the people in today’s society, especially toward little kids. These games are setting bad examples for young people as well as old.
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