The advancement of technology is playing a crucial role in the entertainment scene. Video game receives much fame, and their growth tends to be more practical in nature. The number of teenagers involved in this kind of entertainment has also grown tremendously. However, the games nowadays are designed in a manner that portrays more violence and the killing of enemies. Video game developers continue to develop sophisticated techniques, making entertainment more attractive to teenagers. The scenario brings a genuine question to the mind of all humankind if violent video games attribute to the aggression within the youths. Many teenagers who spend more time playing violent video games show signs of irreparable damage to their behavioral pattern.
The more time a youngster spends playing violent games can easily provoke them to act in a violent manner. Being able to kill scores of enemies in a video game can influence the youths into acting in an aggressive manner when they in the real world. The ruthless killings that teenagers witness while playing video games trigger their sub-consciousness to act violently.
According to research, it shows those youths who spend much time playing violent video games view violence as fun and in many cases, they link aggression with amusement. The reward that an individual receives after completing an intense battle gives them the subconscious that they take into the real world. In a scenario where the game is played too much on the boundaries between violence and fun, means that the violence in real life can be easily crossed. The automatic weaponry they use in the game, the dead bodies and the blood they see in the video game make the youths insensitive to aggression (Fox and Jack 67). The research shows that violent video games make the minorities aggressive in nature, unsocial and very lazy.
Video games are very addictive if played without control. The actions in the game are repeated over and again in order to accomplish the mission, level, or project. In order to complete a single level, mission or battle it requires a lot of time and patience. In many occasions, it takes a number of days of regular trials for the youths to complete all levels that are there in the game (Mercer 32). The primary aim of such teenagers is to keep killing many enemies, to win the battle. Researchers believe that many youths spend a lot of time gaming in order to boost their experience in this field, therefore shifting their attention away from education. The existence of online social spot to log and fight another challenger for the championship of the game even worsen the situation because it has no particular day or time.
Another setback about the more time spent on video games is that the teenagers become unsocial and obese. Study shows that people eat a lot when playing video games than while resting or studying. Sitting and playing video games without taking any physical activity causes the imbalance of calories that result in weight related issues (Mercer 78).
Neuroscientists warn that excessive playing of violent video games causes many behavioral changes in children nowadays. Children are becoming more self-centered, more intense, have short attention periods and display instant satisfaction. Many parents are in accordance with the neuroscientist; claim that they are noticing weird behavioral changes in their kids who spend most of the time playing video games. People are more comfortable when using a computer for communication rather than communicating in person. The adverse effect of social media is that video games are designed for the fight side of the brain while the reasoning portion of the brain remains underdeveloped.
Violent video games crusaders, however, argue that many of the video games are rated for adults. It is because adults are not influenced by the games and would not show their aggressive nature (Serafini and Maureen 38). Another argument by the crusaders states that these violent games seek to satisfy the thrill and adventure in the minds of bigger teens and adults as compared to those that are offered to young children.
In conclusion, it is in order to say that violent video games have negative effects on the behavior of teenagers. Youths act very violently in the real life, and they are more socially inactive, gain weight and suffer from weight associated problems. Many teenagers spend many hours playing violent games and boast about things that are superficial. Instead, they should take their time to study and do exercise that are beneficial to their health and mind. The government should put strict measures on video games playing or ban the production of video games. Parents should take good care of their children and make sure that their kids are not playing or buying video games. Retailers should be on notice to administer judgment to the people buying video games, and their customers should not be teenagers.
- Fox, James A, and Jack Levin. Extreme Killing: Understanding Serial and Mass Murder. , 2015. Print.
- Mercer, Jean. Child Development: Myths and Misunderstandings. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2010. Print.
- Serafini, Toni, B J. Rye, and Maureen T. B. Drysdale. Taking Sides. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2013. Print.
