I like to think of the psychological effects that video
games have on children is similar to a football locker room. Plenty of players
psych themselves up before the match. They go into that huddle and shout at
each other and do other manly things. They will stay psyched up for a little
while, it may last until they hit the showers, maybe it takes until they get
home and go to bed. The point is, the psychological effects do not wear off
right away. Video games also psych people up and that is a testament to the
potential of video games. They have managed to achieve a certain level of
realism. People are able to connect with video games the same way they would
with real life interactions. Real life interactions are not just aggression and
rage so do not be concerned too much about video games, to truly emulate real
life video game designers try to include the entire range of emotions.
Most parents are worried about the psychological effects
video games have on their kids. Most forms of media have some effect on people.
Something to keep in mind is every time a new form of media comes out there is
always an initial resistance and blaming of the new media as a source of
problems. Despite all of the claims and studies saying that video games are
causing problems, crime rate has been going down quite steadily over time.
If you are worried about your kids having issues with
aggression consider this. In less modern times, people may have punched bags,
chopped wood, wrestled with friends, or found other outlets for their
frustrations. Now if kids want to vent their frustrations they have video
games. Video games give kids something they do not have in real life. It gives
them control. Parents have control over their kids. They choose what the child
does. One of the sources of frustration for the kid is that control is not
fair. And it’s true, it's not fair. Children need parents, but that does not
change the fact that it is still an unequal relationship. What video games
offer children are safe outlets to unload the emotions left over from the
relationships.
However, even if it is a vent for their frustrations that
does not mean it is healthy for them. Playing video games will boost a child's
aggression levels temporarily. A study by Chris Barlett found that
"...there was a significant increase in aggressive thoughts, feelings, and
arousal from pre- to post video game play. This effect stabilizes after the
initial increase in aggression...there is no additional effect of continued
violent video game play" [1]. These studies basically say that there
will be an increase in aggression but it will not get worse the longer you
play. There are similar studies saying that this aggression does not linger.
References
[1]. Barlett, Christopher.
(2009). How Long Do the Short-Term Violent Video Game Effects Last? Aggressive
Behavior. Retrieved from http://videogames.procon.org/sourcefiles/shorttermplaying.pdf
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