Video Games: Can They Change You?

I agree with you that young children should have limited access. However, I would even go as far as saying young children (I would say children before the age of 10) do not benefit from these games or any time in front of a computer or TV screen in general. While it isn't necessarily a detriment to their cognitive/social development, I believe the more a child is encouraged to play outside and use their imaginations while interacting directly (face to face) with other peers, the more conducive the environment to healthy interactions and a healthy lifestyle.

I also agree, I wouldn't say that video games cause violence, they may even let some children vent built up anger that could explode into violent acts. Not to say I recommend an eight year old to play Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto, though, I believe there is an age where it wouldn't be a harm for them to witness violence in video games. Although, ultimately, I believe it's the parents decision on what their kid plays and doesn't play.

I think some of the problem with video games as well as t.v. and the computers are the amount of screen time. Screens have an almost constant refresh rate of flickers which create an intense stimulus to the reptilian part of the brain that triggers a fight or flight response. And I mean if you think about even surfing the internet or playing video games you are constantly having to figure out "is this important?" or "Should I attack this or run away?" and that's just on a conscience level, not including how your brain responds subconsciously...

What then happens is your brain thinks it is constantly under assault and similar to pancreatic stress leading to diabetes, the reptilian part of the brain no longer functions normally and we wind up with more anxiety, stress, and emotional disorders and problems. Poor brain.

BUT that being said, the complexities needed to navigate and play video games and watch t.v. shows etc. have also made us smarter and more able to readily adapt and analyze than in any other era.

So yeah...mixed bag.

I completely agree with you. Just because someone plays Call of Duty does not mean that they are going to go kill someone, if that happens, maybe they were aggressive to begin with and that is why they enjoyed playing such a violent video game. One of my calmest friends is a huge fan of games like Call of Duty and Halo. But he wouldn't hurt a fly in real life (or maybe that's pushing it, but you get the point). However, I believe that violent video games to influence behavior to a certain age. I babysit a 7 year old and a 10 year old. Their parents don't mind if they play these video games, however, I do. Once they're done playing they become very hyper and start wrestling each other and one of them ends up getting hurt. However, that may happen even if they're not playing. But what I'm trying to say is that blood and gore on television may not affect teenagers or young adults as much as it influences younger kids because they are more likely to mimic new things that they are exposed to.

Being a non video gamer I find this topic actually quite interesting. I can see why you would say that you land on both sides of the argument and I think I agree with you for the most part. Especially with the younger a child is the more the violent video game can effect them, they have more plastic, moldable minds and tend to very much replicate what they are exposed to. I think though that violent video games have more of an effect on teens and adults than you think, maybe not with longterm aggression to other matters but more so health and the emotional and physical stress it can cause? I've seen a lot of young adults and teens get irrationally aggravated and to be honest quite have scary tantrums when they don't accomplish something in the game.

I think that the desensitizing you mention is really important when talking about violent video games and violet shows on TV. It concerns me to think that my 5 year old niece has probably already seen people die on TV when it is something that she has not experienced in real life. I agree that parents should always keep an eye on what their children are exposed to on television and video games.