Angelina Aguirre By Angelina Aguirre
Video games have been around for years and keep progressing as times goes by. As technology improves so do video games and they are now more lifelike than ever. An example is Virtual Reality, also known as VR. Statistics continue to show that video games which include violence and the use of weapons are the most popular games. These types of video games have raised a very big question for people, especially parents. Are these games capable of turning kids into violent people and completely changing their way of being?
Violent games can cause kids to become more aggressive due to frustration and aggravation. In an article by Robert Preidt, he mentions how research shows that playing these types of games doesn’t actually trigger any real life violence in children. The violent video games only cause players to become agitated and maybe use foul language, but once they stop playing the effect doesn’t carry over into their daily lives. The American Psychological Association concurs that video games and violent behavior have no real connection.
Although video games may not cause any long term violence, it doesn’t mean they should be played on a regular basis or for excessive hours. Playing video games too much can cause a shift in children’s attitudes and possibly make them stubborn or misbehave, but it’s highly unlikely that behaviors will ever be more than just that. Another issue that may come from playing video games for too long is weakness in fingers and arms due to overusing them and not giving them a break. The recommended amount of screen time for children on a school night is no more than 2 hours, and it’s better if it’s less than that.
Overall, the short answer to “do video games make kids violent” is, no. Video games bring up aggression in kids but don’t leave any permanent damage. Immediate side effects may include weakness to arms and fingers. Video games, especially violent ones, should be carefully scrutinized by parents before being purchased to ensure appropriateness. Along with monitoring what games their kids are playing, they should also put a time limit on screen time, not to exceed two hours.
