Introduction
Video games have greatly advanced from crude contests played a few people who are enthusiastic about them to elaboratelyengaging worlds relished by many people globally . Video games are recognized as artistic media as well as novel and effective learning materials. Due to the ever rising popularity of video games, there has been a corresponding increase in research about their effects. Significantly, research has shown that the effects of video games are not trivial. First video games are characterized by violent shooting scenes that can spark aggressive behavior. Secondly, violent video games can result in desensitization to violence and lastly, they often result in reduced pro-social attitudes and behavior . In the article, “Video games can spark aggression” the author opines that violent video games can spark aggression but believes that there are many other factors that can also contribute to the real-life society violence .
First, video games are characterized by violent shooting scenes that can increase the potential of developing aggressive behavior .Critics of video games have labeled them “murder simulators” and have pointed them out as causes of violent school shootings (Prot et al., 2014). Bushman points to the scrutiny on violent video games following the Newton shooting (Bushman, 2013). However, the author rejects the idea of putting total blame on video games for the recent shootings in schools and other public places. Rather, he believes that repeated exposure to violent video games is not healthy for young maladjusted young people.Essentially, the author is cautious in his support for the fact that violent shooting scenes in video games can spark aggression because of the fact that there are other individual factors such as upbringing that can influence the development of this aggressive behavior. Thus, I believe that the authors right because there are millions of other people who play violent video games involving shooting scenes but do not develop such aggressive behaviors.
Secondly, video games can result in desensitization to violence. In particular, most of the people who are repeatedly exposed to violent video games tend to have reduced emotional responsiveness to acts of violence within society. Bushman notes that even though there is no way that violent video games can be directly linked to societal violence, aspects of these games can contribute to aggression, particularly because repeated exposure makes individuals to get used to these violent scenes. He provides an example of a recent experiment where college students who played video games for 20 minutes at a time for three consecutive days exhibited increasing levels of aggressive behavior each day that they played. Still, I believe the author is right because he takes a cautious approach to the discussion by not entirely blaming aggression on violent video games. However, increased desensitization to violence is likely to increase aggression in individuals.
Lastly, sufficient research exists to show that violent video games result in reduced pro-social behavior and attitudes. In the article, Bushman notes that scientists that firmly believe that video games are harmful have published 48 times more studies than did those who believe that these games are not harmful. This implies that scientists who have done more work on this subject find the exposure to media violence more harmful. These forms of exposure can result in reduced pro-social behavior and attitudes, which increases aggressiveness (Gentile& Anderson, 2006). Notwithstanding, the author takes a careful approach by stating that there is more to violent crime. For instance, violent crime is complex and the result of many factors that are outside our control.
Conclusion
In summary, there has been a growing inquiry into the role of violent video games in sparking aggressive behavior. While there is compelling evidence to link violent video games to aspects such as increased shootings, increased desensitization to violence, and reduced pro-social behavior and attitudes, there is no scientific evidence to entirely link these forms of aggression on violent video games. The author has taken a more cautious approach to this contentious issue and has achieved his purpose in this study. While he has noted that violent games can spark aggressive behavior, he believes that there are other factors such as upbringing that can greatly contribute to these forms of aggression. Thus, he is of the opinion that parents should not take violent video games as an excuse to avoid protecting their children .
References
Bushman, B. (Mar, 20, 2013). “Video games can spark aggression”. Retrieved: HTTP://WWW.NYDAILYNEWS.COM/OPINION/VIDEO-GAMES-SPARK- AGGRESSION-ARTICLE-1.1293112
Gentile, D. A., & Anderson, C. A. (2006). Violent video games: Effects on youth and public policy implications. Handbook of children, culture, and violence, 225-246.
Prot, S., Anderson, C. A., Gentile, D. A., Brown, S. C., & Swing, E. L. (2014). The positive and negative effects of video game play. Media and the well-being of children and adolescents, 109.