Your position on an issue.

Develop an argument to convince your reader that your position is right. Your
argument should contain at least 3 strong points to support your position.
Your points need to be backed up with facts, evidence and details. You must
also have a counter argument ready for the opposing opinions. Your conclusion must summarize the key
points with a call of action.
Do violent video games cause behavior problems?
In this modern era, technological and media forces widely influence the public. Apart from the primary
function of these advancements, which is to provide an efficient and more convenient quality of life, they also serve
their purpose in entertainment. In fact, since the early 1970s up to the present years, video games have maintained
its popularity and demand from the people, allowing this industry to thrive. Hence, the scientific and research
communities sought to identify the influence of this media on its increasing number of users over time. However,
today, there are existing competing theories about the advantages and disadvantages of video gameplay to the
mental capability and behavior of individuals engaging in this activity. On the other hand, with the intensive research
made, I was able to substantiate that video games have an impact on individuals' but not the major acting factor to
blame for behavior problems.

In 2014, Bueslow, Okdie, and Cooper conducted a study regarding the impact of active video gameplay on
executive functions in both male and female undergraduate students. Executive functions refer to higher-order
cognitive capacity, associated with the frontal lobes of the brain, involved during video gameplay. Also, they refer to
the working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control of a person that is essential for learning, working, and
managing daily lives (The Understood Team, 2019). Moreover, the result of the study presented that the participants
of the study showed improved performance on decision making and problem-solving. Similarly, exposure to different
critical situations in the game also enables individuals to adapt to circumstances that demand immediate
assessment. Thus, proving that video gameplay impacts the improvement of executive functions.

Also, the findings stated were further supported by Kuhn et al. (2013) with the presentation of increased
gray matter in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex after playing video games through neuroimaging studies, which is an
area in the brain concerned with abstract reasoning and problem-solving, measured by the Winscon Card Sorting
Test (WCST). Furthermore, this increased amount of grey matter implies improved learning capabilities, memory, and
a sense of self-awareness.

Furthermore, the impact of playing video games is not merely restricted to a person's interpersonal
cognitive development, but also to the individual's intrapersonal capability. According to Mazurek et al. (2015),
playing video games provide adults with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) opportunity to experience social
relatedness despite the fact that the central feature of ASD is social impairment. Hence, through this activity, they
were able to learn and experience social interactions while compensating for their social difficulties.

Therefore, the aforementioned scientific studies and evidence cogently conferred the fact that video games
do not contribute to the occurrence of behavior problems. Besides, it is observable that the impact of playing video
games varies from user's discretion and discipline in the engagement in this activity are the major components
responsible.
 References
Buelow, M. T., Okdie, B. M., & Cooper, A. B. (2015). The influence of video games on executive functions in
college students. Computers in Human Behavior, 45, 228–234. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.12.029

Kühn, S., Gleich, T., Lorenz, R. et al. Playing Super Mario induces structural brain plasticity: gray matter
changes resulting from training with a commercial video game. Mol Psychiatry 19, 265–271 (2014).
https://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2013.120

Mazurek, M. O., Engelhardt, C. R., & Clark, K. E. (2015). Video games from the perspective of adults with
autism spectrum disorder. Computers in Human Behavior, 51, 122–130.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.04.062

The Understood Team. (2019, October 23). What Are Executive Functioning Skills? Understood.Org;
Understood. https://www.understood.org/en/learning-thinking-differences/child-learning-disabilities/executive-
functioning-issues/what-is-executive-function
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