Courtney DiSciorio

Roxanna Dewey

English 101

3 May 2019

Final Draft

Many critics have been trying to find the cause of violent behavior. Video games are one of the

main concerns towards the cause of violence, but that is not the case today. Violent video games

are created to form a fantasized virtual world that people can live in online. They are virtual,

which means they are not real. Many people of all ages play these games daily and continue

achieving higher and higher levels. Video games can be extremely addicting, but are not the

cause of outside violent behavior.

Critics may argue that violent video games cause bullying. Schools struggle daily with

aggravated children. Violent people commit violent acts regardless of a virtual game. It also has

a lot to do with parenting, in which adults must act upon. Parents should remind their children

that games are fake, just like one’s favorite action movie. Other people might argue that shooting

virtual guns will result in real life behavior, but this is also untrue. When one goes and sees an

action movie, aren’t there guns and violence? Do people go and commit violence afterwards?

Even though there are “real” guns being portrayed in the film? The answer is no. There is no

difference at all. You see, violence has everything to do with the mind. Some children may go

through traumatic experiences growing up, and that kind of effect is what creates future violence

and abnormal behavior. There are other things children and young adults struggle with living in
their own homes that may be the cause to violent behavior. Video games actually help occupy

the mind.

Statistics prove that violent video games help teens and adults with the mind. Researchers

had surveyed roughly 1000 14- and 15 year old adolescents of both genders and their parents.

The parents were asked to answer whether or not the violent video games caused a progression

towards aggressiveness. “They reported that neither of the teens nor parents noticed any increase

of aggressive behavior that could be tied to violent video games”(Yirka 1). This goes to show

that violent behavior is caused from something else.

What is aggressive behavior? “Aggressive behavior can cause physical or emotional

harm to others”(Erickson, Jewell 1). “Aggressive behavior violates social boundaries” (Erickson,

Jewell). There are many other acts to blame for this kind of behavior. This includes physical

health, mental health, family structure, work or school environment, and relationships with

others. All of these things can lead up to violence. It all depends on what affects one’s actions.

As children get older, they are more likely to remain feeling the same way about certain acts.

Many health issues can cause such behavior, including bipolar disorder, stroke, or head injuries.

Teens today struggle with anxiety, and social events. Without video games, some

kids/young adults would never know how to make friends. Friendships that are formed online

help form alliance groups, and headsets were created to allow one another to communicate.

There have been many cool stories of people meeting their online friends in person and having

amazing unbreakable bonds. Some kids go to violent video games to just get away from the real

world because we all know how tough life can be.

 When kids are allowed to play online, their minds will be occupied in the virtual world.

There are kids that look up to playing his/her game after a long day at school every single day.

Taking this away would cause more aggravation with boredom, and could possibly cause

negative effects. Unhappy teens only grow worse as they grow older, and more statistics can

prove it. Online friends not only help with anxiety, but forming friends actually boosts the

average player towards accomplishing more! Little achievements such as moving up a level or

two really affects someone’s behavior.

Violence will never truly go away, and there will always be reasoning to why that is.

Violent video games have been statistically proven that it is NOT the reasoning. Still, critics may

argue on that stance. Critics will always try and blame certain things for one’s actions. People

will never fully agree to this being the truth, but hopefully seeing numbers from surveys prove

the point. There will always be violent people that commit violent crimes, and our history can

prove that. The world will always be filled with the good and the bad. Violent video games will

continue to grow in numbers and be turned to when bored and lonely. Video games are not to

blame for one’s behavior! Video games help sooth the mind, and will continue rising friendships

built online. Video games are an awesome way to help leave the real world for a few hours in the

virtual. It is a good thing to keep the mind occupied, and stay violence free!
 Works Cited Page

Yirka, Bob. "New Study Shows Violent Video Games Do Not Make Teens More Aggressive."

Google. Google, n.d. Web. 03 May 2019

“ What Is Aggressive Behavior?” Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, Ph.D., PMHNP-BC

on March 7, 2016 — Written by Amber Erickson Gabbey and Tim Jewell