Do Video Games Cause Violence in Children?

Video games are everywhere. In most homes you can find at least one game system, and often more. Kids are exposed to all genres of games in many different circumstances. Most video games contain some sort of violence. Due to this exposure, many are complaining that video games cause an increase in violence among children. Is this really true?

In defense of video game publishers, there is a visible rating system used on games. This is similar to the rating system for movies. This gives parents an insight into a game’s contents before purchase.

Ultimately, the decision lies in the parent’s hands. They are responsible for what they allow their children to play or watch. If they do not feel their child is mature enough to play a game, then they can make the decision to not allow them to have it.

So can a violent video game cause children to be violent? While it is true that kids are influenced by what they are exposed to, I do not feel that video games in and of them selves cause violence. If a child has no natural violent tendencies, then playing a game should not cause violence. If a child is already violent beyond normal measures, then perhaps their parents should be careful not to expose them to any more violence. This responsibility still lies in the hands of parents.

I am the mother of three boys who love video games. They play all different types of games, and we generally only restrict them from playing games with too much adult content. They have played shooter games where the sole purpose is strictly to kill everyone else. Yet my children are not violent. They are boys, so the roughhouse and horseplay with each other, but no more than is normal for their ages. They have never been in physical fights, and are not any more aggressive than they were before exposure to video games. The only game related problem we have with them is sticking to time limits!

Other parents I have talked to express the same views. We have seen no indication of video games causing violence in our children. Yet we also pay attention to what our children are playing. We help them select fun, appropriate games. We often play these games with them. We pay attention to their behavior, both while playing the games and after. If we feel there is a problem with their attitude or behavior, we discuss it with them. We also make sure they realize that video games are not real, and that just because you do it in a game doesn’t mean that it is okay to do in real life.

We cannot blame video games for the growing violence among children. While games could be a contributor if not closely monitored, they alone do not cause violent behavior. If a child becomes violent after playing a game, then it is a parent’s responsibility to deal with the situation. Chances are that the root of the problem lies somewhere other than video games. Games are just the current scapegoat for violence in children.