who is Affected?
Children and teens are the main audience for video games, with studies showing that 97% of youth ages 12-17 play video games. Boys tend to consume violent video games more frequently than girls, and many of these games contain intense violence, blood, and combat scenarios. Because of the widespread popularity of gaming, understanding its effects on young minds is extremely important.
This image shows statistics of video game usage among youth.
What are the concerns?
Studies show that violent video games may:
-Desensitize children to violence.
-Encourage aggressive behavior.
-Reduce empathy and social skills.
-Reinforce negative stereotypes and harmful actions
However, other researchers suggest that video games do not directly cause real world violence. Instead, they argue that children who already have aggressive tendencies may be drawn to violent games, rather than be influenced by them.
Where has this been studied?
There have been many studies conducted worldwide, specifically in the United States, Europe, and Japan. Organizations such as the American Acadamy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the AMerican Acadamy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) have examined the effects of violent media including video games, on child behavior. Some studies suggest a link between violent games and aggression, while others find no significant impact.
Harvard Health Publishing. "Violent Video Games and Young People." Harvard Health, 1 Oct. 2010, Harvard Health.
Council on Communications and Media. "Virtual Violence." Pediatrics, vol. 138, no. 2, 2016, American Academy of Pediatrics, doi:10.1542/peds.2016-1298.
This image shows the effect of violent video game consumption on a child's brain.
When did concerns begin?
The debate over violent video games dates back to the 1990's, when games like "Mortal Kombat" and "doom" became popular. Concerns were raised in the early 2000's following the Columbine school shootings and other large-scale acts of violence, some blaming violent video games for influencing perpetrators. Despite these concerns, federal crime statistics show that youth violence has decreased since the rise of video game popularity.
This is a photo of the original Mortal Kombat game from 1992
How do violent video games impact children?
The effects of violent games vary depending on individual factors such as personality, parenting styles, social environment. Some important findings are
-Short term aggression: Some studies suggest that children may exhibit increased aggression immediately after playing violent games.
-Long term effects: Reasearch is inconclusive on weather violent games lead to lasting behavioral changes.
-Parental influence: Experts recommend that parents monitor games content and encourage discussions about violence in media.
American Psychological Association. "Resolution on Violent Video Games." APA, APA.
This photo shows the link between video games and a child's brain development.