| Games are not just for fun they have an effect | | | | Studies show: |
| on the player. Studies have shown that games do | | | | • Playing violent games teach the gamer |
| have a positive side and that they promote | | | | that success can be had from being violent. |
| learning as well as help heal. On the other hand | | | | • That since gaming rewards violence, |
| games are known to become an addiction just | | | | gamers tend to start believing that violence can |
| like alcoholism or drugs and affect the mind in a | | | | be rewarding. The positive outcome of violence in |
| negative way. | | | | games increases the impact in the minds of |
| Research indicates that playing violent games like | | | | gamers especially kids. |
| Doom or Mortal Combat increases aggression in | | | | • That playing games hone point and |
| players in both everyday settings and laboratory | | | | shoot techniques and soon a child or adult gamer |
| studies. Since games are interactive they involve | | | | will have no second thoughts in pointing and |
| participation of the player and this tends to | | | | shooting should such a situation arise in real life. |
| influence thinking as well as intuitive reactions. This | | | | Repeated point and shoot actions in gaming helps |
| being so, violent games are more harmful than | | | | humans overcome the hesitation or reluctance to |
| violence in movies or television. | | | | point and shoot. |
| Psychologists like Craig Anderson and Karen Dill | | | | • That violence in gaming tends to teach |
| have noted that aggression escalates in players | | | | gamers that violence is the way to solve |
| who already have an in born tendency to | | | | differences or conflict. Repeated gaming increases |
| aggressive behavior and that repeated exposure | | | | a gamer's aggression and tendency to fight, |
| to violence is like a conditioning and over time, the | | | | argue, and use physical force to win an argument |
| person becomes trained or conditioned to be | | | | or settle differences in real life. |
| violent. Craig Anderson is dedicated to the issue | | | | Rene Weber of Michigan State University has |
| and in depth information on different aspects of | | | | presented an in depth study of violence and |
| gaming can be found at . | | | | gaming in Media Psychology in January 2006. In |
| Violent games and the creation of violent behavior | | | | the work she explores the influence of violent |
| has received mixed reactions from researchers | | | | games on brain function and thought and |
| but when analyzed using meta-analytic techniques | | | | concludes that although gaming has a positive side |
| the result is consistent in that playing violent | | | | such as enhancing learning, social skills, and |
| games leads to " increased aggressive behavior, | | | | improvement of physical abilities it is imperative |
| thoughts, increased physiological arousal and | | | | for society to examine in detail and thoroughly |
| decreased levels of helping behavior." It is an | | | | the negative side of gaming. According to |
| established fact that consistent exposure to | | | | statistics, of 70 odd top selling games more than |
| violent games leads to delinquency, fighting in | | | | 49 per cent contained serious violence and in the |
| school and outside, as well as criminal behavior. | | | | US every child and adult plays video and |
| John Murray of Kansas State University found | | | | computer games for at least 30 minutes every |
| that gamers became less sensitive to violence | | | | day. |
| after repeated exposure and that exposure to | | | | Gaming has two sides and one must be aware of |
| violence activated the amygdale a small part of | | | | the positive as well as negative affects. |
| the human brain that controls fight/flight impulses. | | | | |