HOW CAN VIDEO GAMES AFFECT CHILDREN?

Video game violence has been a wildly debated topic since the beginnings of the industry. Violent video games have a major impact on a child's thinking, action and behavior. And the effect of violence in video games is becoming more serious everyday. Because children are having access to all games and the manufacturers are adding more violence to the games, and also titling their games with increasingly violent titles. Playing violent video games like Doom, Wolfenstein 3D or Mortal Kombat can increase a person's aggressive thoughts, feelings and behavior both in laboratory settings and in actual life. And what makes video games even dangerous in having a more negative impact than television and movies on people is because video games is interactive. For example when my 10 years old brother play WWE VIDEO GAMES he repeats the fighters action and fights at home with members of the family, or at school with his friends. And that is because he doesn't realise that this is a bad behavior, what he knows is that he is imitating his idol. Adolescents who are exposed to great amounts of video game violence are more hostile than teenagers who don't interact for a long time with video games , they are also reported getting into arguments with teachers, were more likely to be involved in physical fights, and having low grades.

Negative side of violence in video games also leads to:

• Games can confuse reality and fantasy.
  
• Many games do not offer action that requires independent thought or creativity.
• Women are often portrayed as weaker characters that are helpless or sexually provocative.
  
• Practicing violent acts may contribute more to aggressive behavior than passive television watching.
  
• Over-dependence on video games could foster social isolation, as they are often played alone.

And what makes video games more encouraging to be violent, or participate in bad acts like hitting your friend, smoking, and stealing. Is that in video games children are rewarded for doing such actions.

Here are some tips to decrease the amount of violence.

• LIMIT game playing time.
• CHECK the age game ratings and descriptors on the box.
• DO NOT PUT video game consoles or computers in children's bedrooms.

DORIS