Gamer Generation: The Ill Effects of Violent Video Games on Today’s Youth Michelene Thompson

The issues of today.  There have been many claims that playing video games has resulted in increased violence amongst today’s youth. (1)  Studies have shown a correlation reaffirming these suspicions. (1)

Video Game Playing in the U.S.  68% of American families play Video Games. (5)  While the average player age is 35, 25% of gamers are under 18, and more than half of them started at a very early age. (5)  60% of gamers are Male, 40% are Female. (5)  Boys (age 13-15) average 14 hours per week playing video games, while girls of the same age average 6 hours per week. (1)

The Good and Wonderful Several games provide a tool for learning. (1)  Problem solving  Reading  Mathematics

The BAD  Unintended lessons.  Children learn from what they see. What do they see? (1)  Violence

Top selling games  One of the most popular gaming consoles right now is the Xbox 360.  The top 3 games sold for the Xbox 360 are:  Halo 3 (2)  Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (3)  Gears of War (4)  All three of these games has earned an “M” Rating from the ESRB for reasons of violence, blood, and drug references.

The ESRB (7)  The Entertainment Software Rating Board issues a rating for every game published in the United States.  These ratings are a guide for consumers about the ages that games are appropriate for playing.  EC: Early Childhood – Ages 3 and older.  E: Everyone – Ages 6 and older.  E 10+: Everyone – Ages 10 and older.  T: Teen – Ages 13 and older.  M: Mature – Ages 17 and older.  AO: Adults Only – Ages 18 and older.

Restrictions on purchasing games  Retailers are prohibited from selling games with a Mature rating to anyone under the age of 17.  Retailers are also prohibited from selling Adult Only rated games to minors.  92% of the time, parents are present during the purchase of a new game.

The affects on children  Increased adolescent hostility. (1)  More verbal arguments with teachers. (1)  Detriment to school grades. (1)  A rise in physical confrontations. (1)

The Gentile Case Study (1)  th and 9 th grade students participated.  52% Male, 48% Female.  Participants rated the top 3 games they played most on a 7 point scale with respect to violence levels.  Students were also asked how much they played games and experienced other media on a weekly basis.  The students’ parents and teachers were contacted for disciplinary action info.

The Results of the Study  Positive correlation between exposure and hostility levels.  Children who were exposed more to violent video games were (1) :  More argumentative.  More verbally hostile.  Less likely to succeed in getting good grades.  Involved in more physical confrontations and fights.

Causes of the problems  Children not realizing the severity of consequences for actions in the real world.  Overexposure to violence in the media.  Lessening of face-to-face social interactions.  Absence of parental responsibility.  Not observing game ratings.  Parents not listening to restrictions on purchasing.  Lack of limiting time and exposure.

Indiana University School of Medicine’s Study (6)  44 adolescents from Indiana were divided into two groups.  Group one played the nonviolent game, “Need for Speed: Underground”  Group two played, “Medal of Honor: Frontline” a violent game.  30 minutes later the researchers took scans of the youth’s brains.

 The study showed that those playing the violent game had increased activity in the part of the brain that deals with emotional arousal.

Sources 1. Gentile, Douglas A. “The effects of violent video game habits on adolescent hostility, aggressive behaviors, and school performance.” Journal of Adolescence 27. Academic Press Sinclair, Brendan ( ). "MS: 17.7 million 360s sold". GameSpot. 3. Brightman, James ( ). "NPD: Top 10 Games Through November Reveal Nintendo Dominance". IndustryGamers. 4. Radd, David ( ). "Gears of War 2 Eclipses 4 Million Sold". GameDaily. 5. Entertainment Software Association. “Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry.” Kalning, Kristin( ). “Does Game Violence Make Teens Aggressive?” MSN Today. 7. Entertainment Software Rating Board