My Persausive Essay

Violent Video Games and Childhood Aggression

Yolanda Williams

Post University

I have heard all my life that violent video games can lead to childhood aggression. I have researched this fact and found that this statement is unfounded. There was a study done by a man named Ferguson, he noted that violent crime in the United States and other developed nations where video games are played have decreased over the decades. Although it is suggested that violent video games (VVGs) are the sole cause of violence, this does not mean they cannot be wrong about VVGs having any meaningful effect at all. (Arabia, 2000)

In 2008, Dr. Cheryl K. Olson and Dr. Lawrence Kunter, co-founder and director of the Harvard Medical School Center for Mental Health and Media conducted a study on young teenagers and their families in real situations. They found that the strong link between video game violence and real world violence, and the conclusion that video games lead to social isolation and poor interpersonal skills are drawn from bad or irrelevant research.

There was a study done by two German Universities that showed aggressive children between the ages of eight and twelve preferred violent computer and video games. It found that games preferred by problem boys and girls and those who were seen as high risk were more violent than those of their less- troublesome peers. However, as the research continued the concluded that there was no evidence found that these games lead to increased aggression in real life. (DPA. 2011).

Golden Eye: 007, Turok: Seeds of Evil, Duke Nukem, Grand Thief Auto: Vice City and Call of Duty are just a few of the violent video games that my children, grandchildren and nephews have played and does play today. I have monitored my children when they play these games and I have not witnessed any aggression in them during or after play.

I do not believe violent video games causes aggression in children. When children are aggressive there can be a...