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ENGL202 - Week 4 Portfolio Project

This document discusses differing viewpoints on whether violent video games cause increased aggression in children and teens. Point of view A argues that video games are not the sole cause of violence in youth and other factors like parenting, abuse, and bullying have a greater influence. Point of view B claims that studies have found video games do cause increased violence, but the results are inconclusive overall. The document concludes that while video games may or may not be a contributing factor, there are too many variables to definitively link them to youth aggression.

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105 views3 pages

ENGL202 - Week 4 Portfolio Project

This document discusses differing viewpoints on whether violent video games cause increased aggression in children and teens. Point of view A argues that video games are not the sole cause of violence in youth and other factors like parenting, abuse, and bullying have a greater influence. Point of view B claims that studies have found video games do cause increased violence, but the results are inconclusive overall. The document concludes that while video games may or may not be a contributing factor, there are too many variables to definitively link them to youth aggression.

Uploaded by

tvhkhgwhsx
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The point of view that video games do not cause children and teens to become more

violent than those who do not is more valid than the point of view that video games do
cause violence among children and teens. This is because there are many other factors
in young people’s lives that contribute to violent behavior more than video games do.
These other factors are abuse, being bullied at school, inadequate parenting, and
sometimes even poverty.
I. Introduction
How are children and teens affected by video games? Should violent video games be
allowed to be used as an excuse in the court system when a child or teenager has
committed a crime? From Super Mario Bros. to Resident Evil, most games contain
some degree of violence. Whether it is aimed at cartoon monsters or depictions of
human, violence and killing are the prime objective. No matter the level of violence, the
controversy surrounding video games and the affect they have on children and teens
has been an ongoing battle between parents and video game creators. While many
experiments have been executed to determine whether video games cause children
and teens to become violent, many of them have come up with inconclusive results.
II. Point of View A
One experiment performed, by psychology experts Andrew Przybylski and Netta
Weinstein, contained results from 1004 child participants, ages 14 and 15, and an equal
number of the caretakers for these children. Both the children and the caretakers did a
survey before the experiment started, and multiple surveys throughout the entirety of
the experiment. The caretakers were involved because children do not always give
accurate information about their actions. This experiment concluded that video games
are not the sole cause of violence in children and teens.
III. Point of View B
An experiment performed by retired West Point Psychology professor, Dave Grossman,
found that video games do, in fact, cause children and teens to become violent. This
experiment was based on research from other sources, his experience as an Army
Ranger, and brain scans comparing a healthy teen with low exposure to violence to a
teen that has a high exposure to violence. This experiment did not include caretakers of
the teens, there were no firsthand observations of the experiment’s subjects.
IV. Point of View A
Among gamers, there is a wide range of players that participate in violent games. There
is a very small percentage of this group of people that agree that video games will
cause violence among children and teenagers. The common view is that the games do
not cause violence in children, it is linked more to the parenting of children that play
video games. If the parent is not teaching the child the difference between violence in a
video game and real life violence, then a link could possibly be made. This could also
be due to poor parenting, neglect, abuse, etc. Video games, according to regular
players, are not the sole cause, or even a major cause, of children and teens becoming
violent.
V. Point of View B
A study done by Jay Hull, a social psychologist at Dartmouth College, states that video
games do cause violence in children and teens. This study also states that many
results, within the experiment, were conflicting. With some of the participants in the
study showing signs of increased aggression, and others showing no effect at all, it is a
debate that psychologists may be unable to conclude with undeniable results.
VI. Point of View A
Studies by Dr. Cheryl Olson, a member of the psychiatry faculty at Harvard University,
state that there is no link between video games and violence. This conclusion was
made because youth violence numbers have declined over the last several years,
during which violent video games have become extremely popular. Dr. Olson states that
the only link between video games and violence is that video games keep children
inside and avoid violent occurrences that happen outside of the home.
VII. Point of View B
Many researchers agree that violence among children and teens can be determined by
a multitude of factors. These factors include family, friends, the neighborhood they live
in, and different traits. The aforementioned factors combined with violent video games
could potentially cause violence and aggression among children and teens, but there is
no definite answer to this observation.
VIII. Comparison/Additional Thoughts
In comparing the different points of view on whether or not video games cause children
and teens to become more aggressive, it is determined that there are no conclusive
results in this ongoing debate. Many psychologists are in disagreement when it comes
to the results of these studies.
IX. Conclusion
In conclusion, violence is not a definite effect from playing violent video games. Many
other factors play into a child or teen becoming aggressive, this could include video
games, but it could also not include video games. Since there is no definitive answer in
this debate, this should not be allowed to be an excuse in court.

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