Over the past three decades, video games have become a massive pop culture sensation among younger individuals. As David Deutsch, author of “Playing Video Games Benefits Children,” explains, “They provide something for which most of human history was not available, namely an interactive complex entity that is accessible at low cost and zero risk” (2). Stated in “Excessive Video Game Playing Can Adversely Affect Children's Health,” video games are a part of a growing industry that is bigger than television and film combined, growing and becoming stronger throughout the years and reaching further into the lives of teens and children (2).
Although the future holds only promise for growth of the industry, controversy revolving around younger people playing video games has arisen not only in the United States but also around the world. In recent years, research has revealed many concerns involving the negative effects of this pastime, grabbing the attention of both parents and school officials alike, but with responsible playing and management of a healthy lifestyle, video games can be a harmless and fun recreational experience.
Because video games offer a world of their own, hours upon hours can be poured into a game, consequently leaving a noticeable effect on the user's social life. Shao-I, Jie-Zhi and Der-Hsiang report in “Video Game Addiction In Children And Teenagers In Taiwan,” that 77% of teenagers play video games regularly, spending thirty minutes to an hour per session (2). What is surprising is not the amount of teenagers that play but for how many hours these youth play. Many teenagers spend as much time as four hours per day or 140 hours per month online playing games, earning the characteristic of “abnormal behavior” (Shao-I, Jie-Zhi, and Der-Hsiang 1). Aaron Boyce says in “Effect Of Videogame
Play And Extracurricular Activities On Parent Perceived Socio-Emotional Functioning In Children And Adolescents,” students who spend more time in front of a screen and less time with others suffer socially. (Boyce, et al 7). This has been proven though research of younger college students. Boyce also says that, “Undergraduate students who spent more time playing computer videogames evidenced a higher degree of social anxiety” (6).
Exceptions to social anxiety accompanying video games do exist. One, for example, is the use of prosocial games where the user interacts with other players to reach an in-game goal. When tested, students who played more prosocial video games engaged in more positive social interactions (Boyce, et al 8).
Prosocial games also increased interpersonal empathy among students (Boyce, et 8). According to Douglas Gentile, of the authors of “Effects Of Prosocial, Neutral, And Violent Video Games On Children's Helpful And Hurtful Behaviors,” “in terms of prosocial video game effects, the only published longitudinal study found that prosocial video game exposure significantly predicted prosocial behavior 4-5 months later, even after statistically controlling for other relevant variables (2). Another exception to the social anxiety experienced alongside video games is participation in extracurricular activities, such as sports or school clubs. Aaron Boyce states:
Participation in extracurricular activities may act as a buffering point for playing violent videogames and the potential impact on socio-emotional functioning. That is, individuals who engage in more extracurricular activities may offset some of the potential impacts of playing video games. (9)
These discoveries through research are evidence that video games do have a social impact on the user, especially when used excessively. However, when a healthy balance is applied, video games can be beneficial to social situations. One characteristic that traverses through several different genres and, depending on its extent, grants games the popular M-rating for mature players only is violence. Violence is more prevalent in allforms of media, but it especially has a strong foothold in video games. After all, when surveyed in 2004, 49% of 7th and 8th grade students preferred violent games as opposed to sport-type, general recreational, and educational (Shao-I, Jie-Zhi, and Der-Hsiang 4).
In fact, many hard-core players of the most violent and realistic games kill up to 1,000 on-screen characters in one night of playing (“Excessive Video... Health” 1). Violence in video games is an impor
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