A correlation between violence in video games and teen violence

Contents

1. Introduction
2. Influence of violent video games
3. Surveys and researches
4. The popularity of violent video games
5. The process of forming violence
6. Methods of prevention
7. Conclusion

Introduction
Video games are becoming really dangerous now as their violence and blood-thirst affect thoughts and behavior of teenagers. People from 4 to 45 years are fond of video games and their state of irritation, depression and even aggression can be provoked by them. The statistic shows that every third child in his early teens plays video games and 7% of children spend 30 hours a week playing video games. Moreover, these games can cause a real addiction and it’s very difficult to get rid of it. Such games as Mortal Combat, Marvel Vs. Capcom, Doom and others are full of blood and murder, their main aim is killing all the opponents. One of the latest and most popular video games is “25 To Life”. Its popularity in the market of video games is very big and growth with every day. In fact this game is the most atrocious variant of violent games and looks like has no other aim as preparing gangsters and murders out of people who pay it. What can such games give to a child? How will they influence his inner world?
Influence of violent video games
The video games producers put such labels on their production: "Real-life violence" and "Violence level - not recommended for children under age of 12". It doesn’t stop customers; on the contrary, such games are in a great demand. In addition, shop assistant will most probably sell such a game to a kid without any hesitation. Even the latest scientific researches, which proved the addictive effect of video games don’t stop partents from buy their beloved kids new “bloody” game.
Strong correlation between the violent nature of video games and their players is traced. The results of the cruelty of video games are evident and its consequences can’t be left without attention. Cruel games give rise to cruel behavior and now we even have terrible examples of it: in the year 1999 two boys, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebord organized an assassination on High School in Littleton. The result is 13 men killed and 23 wounded and two suicides of these boys. We can’t determine the exact aims and motives of boys’ actions but it’s known about boys’ passion to gorier video game called Doom. Harris even created his web site where he placed a video similar to action of the game. In this video two men, dressed and armed like the chracters of Doom video game were shouting at defenseless people. In less than a year they brought their terrible video to real life. Such reality is terrible and frustrating.
Influence of video games is unpredictable: some children feel frustration and stress, some become very aggressive and can bring mental, emotional or even physical harm to their surrounding. The increase of aggressive attacks and behavior of teenagers led to the necessity of finding the reason and methods of its discontinuance.
Surveys and researches
Calvert and Tan (Calvert, Sandra L., & Tan, Siu-Lan, 1994). who compared the effects of different video games made a number of tests and researches in order to find out the influence of video games on the metal processes and feelings of teenagers. Finally, they found out that violent games influence the state of health very much: they cause insomnia, high blood pressure, disgust, giddiness, heart rate becomes higher. Teenagers who play violent games are oftener haunted by aggressive and cruel thoughts. The influence of nonviolent games is much weaker and doesn’t affect average level of our health. Another group of researchers compared second-grade boys playing aggressive and non-aggressive games. The first showed inadequate reaction and physical aggression to other objects. The third investigation was made by Kirsh (Calvert, Sandra L., & Tan, Siu-Lan). He quizzed third- and fourth-graders after playing violent games about literary characters. Student’s estimation of main characters’ behavior was more negative than before playing these games. A study made by Karen E. Dill, Ph.D. & Craig A. Anderson, Ph.D (Anderson, C. A. & Bushman, B. J.) ascertained the stronger influence of violent games than violent movies or TV programs because in the first case the person is an active participator of the game and it causes the increasing of aggression. Even brief passion for blood video games leaves an indelible trace in person’s life. The research was made between 227 college students with aggressive behavior. They all used to play violent games and depending on the time of playing the behavior was more aggressive. Playing video games affect the level of progress in studies. Low academic grades mean appearance of frustration and anger. Dr Anderson explored the effects of violent video games played for a short period of time. He made such a conclusion: "Violent video games provide a forum for learning and practicing aggressive solutions to conflict situations. It the short run, playing a violent video game appears to affect aggression by priming aggressive thoughts." (Grossman).
The results of all these tests and statistics show that violent video games form hostile attitude of children to other people and reality.
The popularity of violent video games
The increase of video games’ popularity can’t stay in shadow and makes worried the parents of inveterate players. In the rating of popularity video games occupy the second place after television, but their harm, especially of violent games, takes first place. More then a half of children and teenagers have video play stations or computers that give them an opportunity to kill and shoot in virtual reality and to transfer these negative emotions to real world. It is a common practice that parents’ rules concerning the computers playhours are less strict than according to TV programs and movies. It’s also known that parents extremely rarely control what type of video games their child plays and realize the existent danger of such dereliction. Eighty percent of video games are characterized by violent and brutal tendencies and in twenty percent the aggressive actions are aimed against women and even children (Grossman).
Surveys show that typical American boys who reached 18-19 years have already seen 40 thousand murders and 200 acts of aggressiveness. On the one hand it won’t be a deep shock for them if they confront such things in reality. On the other hand their hearts can so harden and get used to them, that will except them as normal situations or even worse – to resort to some acts of violence.
The process of forming violence
Influence and correlation between virtual and real violence was reflected in Lieutenant Grossman’s book, Stop Teaching Our Kids to Kill. The author, who is also a psychologist of Arkansas State University, examines the nature of the wish to kill. He explains it by the disappearance of sensitiveness. Person stops feeling disgust for murders and seeing repeated actions of violence get accustomed to them. Violent video games provide this habituation and Grossman has even invented his own games in order to teach soldiers to kill. Killing another person is not a natural action and it needs special training. According to Grossman program the soldiers of the Martine Corp use the cruelest versions of video games to be ready to kill people. They “are used to develop the "will to kill" by repeatedly rehearsing the act until it feels natural”(Grossman). So it’s even difficult to imagine what such games can do with unstable psychic of teens if they can influence grown-up soldiers.
Surrounding provokes violence in children. Children are not born to be violent but they can easily reach this state if we’ll continue to use the same methods of upbringing children and soldiers. The limited production or even prohibition of violent video games is necessary if we want the normal development of further generations. Everything that happens influences human thinking especially if the action is repeated and causes strong emotions. Just the same affect have video games.
Seeing cruelty every day in games children start developing immunity to real cruelty. At first violence is unnatural for kids and in games they accept it just as fun and kind of entertainment. Then the feeling of its natural origin comes. Such process is called “AVIDS - acquired violence immune deficiency syndrome” by Colonel Grossman. Violence is accepted by children as the main characteristic of the main character of the games and later they want to adopt this patterns to their own behavior.
It was found out that children with low self-certification and no power in the family are more influenced by the violent video games, trying to compensate the lack of something in real life. These games help them to find the way out and to feel masters at least in virtual world. Very often these children yield to temptation to take the same place in the real society. They know no other effective method but violence taken from the games. The role of violent character in role-playing games pleases young boys and girls, but these roles are not suitable for the real life, it’s not funny but harmful and dangerous. These powerful, strong, cool and violent characters turn into aggressive children that can’t control their emotions and behavior.
The child should see the world in bright and mild colors while violent video games portray it as something brutal, fearful and violent. So boys and girls in their teens are set against each other and the entire world. The American Academy of Pediatrics treats screen violence as a kind of disease being at the same level as cancer and smoking. It’s necessary to cure serious forms of video games’ dependence and now methods are working out. The Academy also advises to take a media history during check-ups at school.
Methods of prevention
Practically the only people who can influence the teenagers and enclose them from the violence of video games are their parents. The methods may be different depending on the character of the child. They can just make a list of forbidden things and violent video games must be on the first place. Another way would be to involve children in other actives that are useful, such as sport, singing, dancing and others. All teenagers have hidden natural capacities that need to be developed and realized. It will also raise their self-certification. Parents should discuss violence on TV and in video games and explain how harmful and dangerous it can be and allow playing only limited time weekly. Mothers and fathers should control what types of games their child plays and preview them. It’s necessary to pay attention to ratings: "EC" (early childhood), "E" (everyone), "T" (teens), "M" (mature), and "adults only," which are forbidden for people younger than 18 years. Caution is also very important because rating not always correspond with indications. There are also special labels: yellow or red labels suggest that game can contain violence, bad language or sexual scenes; green label signs that the game is suitable even for small children. Being closer with own children and sharing their interests and hobbies can help a lot. William Shakespeare mentioned it many years ago: “It’s a wise father that knows his own child.”
Conclusion
Violence children meet in everyday life turns to serious social problems in the future. Video games, becoming more and more popular among teens, are among the main sources, which give children the opportunity to meet violence. Unfortunately, in a rush for wealth, producers of video games forget about harmful and even dangerous effect of the repeated scenes of violence to the unstable psychics of teenagers.
Teenagers got accustomed to brutality and murders. What is more dangerous, they get active roles in the games, which can be even more dangerous than watching violent movies, where children get the passive role of observer. Such games are full of blood, broken bones, corpses and acts of violence and all this influence inner world of young boys and girls. Sometimes both children and grown-ups can’t differ reality from virtual video life and project the scenes of games into real life. New means and methods should be found out in order to oppose the destructive power of violence of video games.

Bibliography
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