The Addictive Effects of Violent Videos Games

The Addictive Effects of Violent Videos Games

The relationship between gaming and violence has its controversial stances, there are those who believe playing violent video games result in violent behavior or those who believe violent behavior is an outcome of one’s social environment or upbringing. The rates of children/adolescents playing violent video games and the exposure to violent media are increasing. Although violent video games are proven to show aggression, adolescent’s violent behavior is caused by the adolescent’s personality type. Psychologists believe the more exposure to violent video games, the more aggressive the children/adolescents may become.

Video games in general are appealing to teens because of the realistic technology used to create them. Violent video games especially have better graphics, which contributes to its appeal to people. The National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center reported “that a 2001 review of the 70 top-selling video games found 49% contained serious violence”(qtd. in Media Psychology, 40 para 2). The realistic graphics and the more advanced gaming platforms, such as Xbox 360 or Playstation3, are equipped with High Definition and it performs like a computer and a DVD player, but significantly made for video games. Because the counsels have more than one function and better virtual graphics they affect what games adolescents and children in general want to buy. Some games are more realistic than others; thus, the more realistic, the higher the demand. According to Entertain Software Association, “In 2003, more than 239 million computer and video games were sold in the United States; that is almost two games for every household in the U.S.”(qtd. in Media Psychology, 40). Children Now reported, “41% of all games, violence was necessary for the protagonist to achieve their goals” (qtd. in Media Psychology, 40). Rene Weber states, “New generation violent video games contain substantial amounts of increasingly realistic portrayals of violence” (para 2, 40).

According to Kronenbeger et al., “home-based video games, for example, have increased dramatically in sophistication, realism, and prevalence during the past 20 years”(202 para.1). In between the lines, Kronenbeger et al. are stating that with newer technologies and realistic graphics, caused more people to buy more violent video games and society has adapted to this technological movement. I can see how many people would be sucked into the newer and better technologically advancements. Many people, especially teenagers and adolescents, go through phases that involve keeping up with the newest or best quality technology. They see these advancements as toys while others see them as a convenience to their business or personal use. More and more violent video games are being sold because they are the highest selling products (Farrales).

Those against violent video