Since the development of video games in the 1960s, some of the first games promoted good moral values or were simply fun. Other games, however, have become increasingly violent and more realistic. Game developers have created content where people can kill zombies, experience shooting from the first game, and hurt or kill the "enemy" without mercy or remorse. These types of games can cause players to feel overly aggressive and have a negative impact on both their personal conscience and their environmental environment. Craig Anderson, director of the Center for the Study of Violence, highlights the behavioral changes that can emerge from playing violent video games. He claims to have "...found clues that violent video games can cause children to react." He is an advocate of the beneficial use of video games. This disagreement raises the question: How do video games influence violent behavior? Based on current literature, I argue that violent video games have the potential to cause behavioral problems in children and adolescents and negatively affect their lives. Violent video games can affect a player's brain by simulating real life, consciously or unconsciously. In his New York Times article, “Shooting in the Dark,” Benedict Carey wrote: “The young men who opened fire at Columbine High School. . . they were gamers who seemed to be starring in some dark digital fantasy” (1). Games that display excessive violence are Jack Flanagan, the author of “Violent Video Games Promote Antisocial behaviors” discusses how video games are related to everything we do, which leads to his thesis that “video games mean trouble.” He argues: “Violent video games are linked to real-world violence and we should stop pretending otherwise.” Flanagan adds: “Sitting at your console, it might be hard to believe that what you do next might actually have an impact on who you become in the real world.” Most children and adolescents appreciate and want praise for the things they do. Most games give a sense of satisfaction and easy success. Players say things like "Nice shot!" and talk about the numbers in a kill streak. Praise and repetition can be a harmful combination because the more praise a player receives for a certain behavior, the more likely the behavior will be repeated. This cycle of praise and success can lead to a game. And, even more disturbingly, researchers are finding that violent video games can desensitize you to real violence. Jeanne Brockmyer, clinical child psychologist and professor emerita at the University of Toledo, concludes that “research is becoming increasingly effective”.
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