Want to play video games? Please switch to violence mode.
ISLAMABAD: Want to play video games? Please switch to violence mode. In video games such as Call of Duty, Gears of War and Saints Row, the main goal is to kill or be killed. How are these violent video games affecting the minds of children? Dr Mario Vance, a psychological researcher, conducted a seven-year study that monitored the anger and aggression levels of more than a thousand volunteers from video gaming communities. The results showed significant increases in overall aggression and violent tendencies.
A child who plays violent video games starts looking at the world as a dangerous place where violence and aggression are an appropriate response. Young children also try to copy the actions they have observed while playing video games. These actions or gestures are stored in their memories and children feel the urge to try them out in their real lives on their siblings and in schools, thus increasing bullying tendencies.
If we cannot always stop our children from playing violent video games, we can at least monitor the hours they spend on such activities. Non-violent games can prove to be a great teaching tool and can be used for educational purposes. They also improve the hand-eye coordination of children so parents should try to convince their children to play such games and divert their attention from violence. This is of utmost importance considering the violent times that we live in.
Fizzah Mansur and Sarah Waseem
Published in The Express Tribune, December 9th, 2013.
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