Do Violent Video Games Encourage Negative Behavior

DO VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES ENCOURAGE NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR IN CHILDREN? HEATHER E. BANWART COMPOSITION II NATIONAL AMERICAN UNIVERSITY November 13, 2014 Abstract The following paper is inspired by my own observations of my youngest child after he’s been playing a violent video game. The information gathered and presented in this paper is to show how violent video games may encourage negative behaviors in a child after exposure. There have been a number of studies conducted to support the argument that children are influenced by the games. However, you will also see there is also little concern for what may be considered â€Å"long term damage† to a child’s development and very little evidence showing these types of games change a person†¦show more content†¦One in particular is called â€Å"God of War†. This is about a man, Kratos that commits suicide by jumping off a cliff after his wife and child are murdered by the God of War. In the plot, Zeus gives Kratos powers to fight the God of War as the God has now declared war upon all mankind. In the game, you play Kratos and fight your way out of the de pths of hell, battle demons and monsters that the God has released and then eventually battle the God himself. It is an incredibly well made, entertaining game. For adults. Each weekend my son comes home after spending hours on end slaughtering monsters and having sex with prostitutes in this game and beats up his sisters over every dispute for the next two or so days. My argument? Video games have a negative impact on our youth’s behavior. Statistically, it is difficult to correlate a direct behavioral effect of playing violent video games. Effectively evaluating violent behavior in children after playing video games has a great number of variables including environmental and cultural influences. Violence is no new concept to human beings regardless of age. Until recent years when school shootings and other extreme violent acts appeared in the media, no one was paying attention in great detail. Now society seeks a scapegoat for their children’s behavior and poor choices. The blame seems to have shifted from the parents and toward the teachers,