“Are video games harmful?” It's a question that still goes through minds today, and is a controversial subject. It's too broad to be answered, as video games have both their helpful and destructive natures.
In April of 2000, American Psychological Association's Journal of Personality and Social Psychology featured two topics on this. They both stated that aggressive video games, such as side-scrolling fighters or first-person shooters, often increased a persons aggressive feelings in both laboratory testing and in real life. While the same could possibly be said about violent movies or television shows, they also went on to state that due to the interactiveness of video games that they could be more harmful.
Why is this? People feel that it is due, in part, to players having a built-in connection with the subjects in the game. When you hit the downward, ninety-degree rotation from the right analog stick and hit "A", it is almost as if you are the one who uppercuts the foe upwards through the roof. Is this really true, though?
Video games can be just as addictive as many drugs found on the streets today, but are safer by a long shot. When children who have become addicted to these games are pried away by their mothers, and as a result become violent, is it really the video games fault? The argument is a moot point, at best, as those supporting video games will say no, while those who support parents will say yes. However, it is best to look at it from another angle.
Does a child who is pried away from a violent video game show more signs of aggression than a child who is pried away from a non-violent video game? Now the subject becomes tricky. It's not whether or not the drug is bad for you, it's which drug is worse?
To start, the child must truly be addicted. To keep psychological reasons the same, the same child must be used. Since I don't have access to a lab, nor any children to experiment on, I'm going to use my younger self as an example. I have always been a video game addict, but what I have been addicted to has changed over time.
When I was in grade school, Mortal Kombat III was the coolest thing on the block. I owned it, and everyone else wanted to. Popularity shot up as it was multi player and I could invite my friends over. Joyous day...but my parents were at a point where they would not allow me to play video games for hours on end.
When my time was ended prematurely by my mother, a tantrum was the typical result. I was still a little kid, and I was not very shy. Having a friend over wouldn't sway me to behave in the slightest.
A few years later I was completely addicted to Neo Pets, which can be found for free at neopets.com - My addiction to this game was possibly more severe, as I stayed with it much longer than I did MKIII, however, when I was pulled away the result was the same. I was no less violent, and no more. Kicking and screaming was the peak of my rage.
While this isn't opinion shattering information, it should be at least some what relevant to the topic at large. It is in my opinion that television and movies, and even books are a greater source of aggression. After watching the movie 300, for example, all my friends and I could talk about was how we -really- needed to buy a shield. While it was all in fun and games, I doubt I would have felt bad if I had just punched one of them in the gut. I was more into the movie than I have ever been in a video game.
So what is my opinion really? I feel that, when you are accustomed to something, such as video games, they have less of an effect on you. I, on the other hand, rarely watch television or go to movies, and was riveted by 300. I feel a surge of excitement every time I watch Fight Club. When I rend something to pieces in a video game, I'm having fun, but it isn't making me want to jump up and do it like a movie does.
So, to me, video games being harmful could have been a valid statement years back when not everyone had access to them, I don't feel that it is nearly as strong now. We are so used to them that they're not something new any more. When I first received my PlayStation X (I was sadly not one of the few who owned the Nintendo supporting Playstations) I was excited every time I played. Now, I receive more excitement from being invited to a tennis match, even though my addictions are just as strong now as they ever were.
