Should Teens Play Violent Video Games? Pros and Cons

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Student by (Name)
Institution

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Argument
Should Teens Play Violent Video Games?
Introduction
The issue of whether teenage children should be allowed or restricted from playing
violent video games has over the recent past created a heated debate. This is because a group of
the world population believes that violent video games increase results into aggressive behavior
among the teens while the side of the group believe that violent began a long time before the
development of video games1. The argument of by the side which believed that violent video
games should not be allowed has been supported by a various psychologist. However, other
researchers also believe that video game should be allowed so long teens play with boundaries.
The content of this paper, therefore, analyses both arguments and conclude on whether the teens
should be allowed to play violent games2.
Should Teens not play violent video games?
Violent video games have become so popular among the teenagers in the United States
and across the continent. Based on the current rate of teenage children associated with violent
video games, the issue of whether teens should play violent video games or not has come to the
1 Breuer, Johannes, Jens Vogelgesang, Thorsten Quandt, and Ruth Festl. "Violent video games and physical
aggression: Evidence for a selection effect among adolescents." Psychology of Popular Media Culture 4, no. 4
(2015): 305
2 Breuer, Johannes, Jens Vogelgesang, Thorsten Quandt, and Ruth Festl. "Violent video games and physical
aggression: Evidence for a selection effect among adolescents." Psychology of Popular Media Culture 4, no. 4
(2015): 305.

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public’s attention. Various psychological and crime control organizations have come up with
various research studies giving reasons as to why violent video games should not be allowed to
the teens. Indisputably, teenagers should not be restricted from playing violent video games
based on the approved psychological effects of the video games on teens3. The Task Force on
Violent Media came into conclusion that exposure of teens to violent video games has a link to
aggression behaviors among teens, thoughts of resolving issues with violence and without
empathy.
I concur with the view that violent video games increase aggression behaviors, thoughts
of violence and feelings among children as revealed by according the American Psychological
Association's report. According to Dr. Phil McGraw explanation, teens should not play violent
video games because violent video games leads to desensitization among teenagers making them
see violence and aggression as the most appropriate way to resolve conflicts at the expense of
prosocial behaviors such as peaceful conflict resolutions, offering help to others in need as well
as the ability to understand others4. .
3 Calvert, Sandra L., Mark Appelbaum, Kenneth A. Dodge, Sandra Graham, Gordon C. Nagayama Hall,
Sherry Hamby, Lauren G. Fasig-Caldwell, Martyna Citkowicz, Daniel P. Galloway, and Larry V. Hedges.
"The American Psychological Association Task Force assessment of violent video games: Science in the
service of public interest." American Psychologist 72, no. 2 (2017): 126.
4 Engelhardt, Christopher R., Joseph Hilgard, and Bruce D. Bartholow. "Acute exposure to difficult (but not
violent) video games dysregulates cognitive control." Computers in human behavior 45 (2015): 85-92.

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Moreover, teens should not play violent video games based on the way a child may
perceive virtual experience and real life. It has been noted by various crime experts and
psychologist that violent video games perform the first-hand role in the killing process. This is
because teenagers cannot control themselves to think outside the video games because of the
uniquely human brain development. Violent video games give teenagers the first person role in
the video game killing process. Video game developers give children the main character in the
video game adventures an experience which becomes more meaning and deadly to teenagers in
real life situations.
This experience becomes, even more, meaning and worse for children and teens, who
usually have rich imaginations. “If teenager would impassively watch violent video game, the
effect would be less compared to acting as a character who controls the game adventure by
murdering people and destroying what's in the character's path. This situation gets real and
meaningful to children and teens as their brain forms new connections with violence every day
as they learn and memorize what is going on in their favorite games5. Video game developers
with the current technology are currently developing violent video games with amazing graphics
which makes it difficult for children to differentiate between virtual experiences and real daily
life. The inability to differentiate between real life and virtual experience has increased
aggression among children as they also tend to bring their violent video game roles into real life.
5 Ferguson, Christopher J., Hayley Barr, Grace Figueroa, Kimberly Foley, Alexander Gallimore, Rachel
LaQuea, Alexandra Merritt et al. "Digital poison? Three studies examining the influence of violent video
games on youth." Computers in Human Behavior 50 (2015): 399-410.