Do Video Games Really Increase High-Risk Behavior In Teens?

As computer and video games become more and more popular among younger adults and teenagers, the debates on their potentially harmful psychological impact can be heard more often. Concerned parents routinely blame violent computer games for any deviations in the behavior of their kids. Many pedagogues and academics share this opinion and express similar concerns. The connection between games and real life, however, is not so straightforward, and most of the opinions are simply too difficult to substantiate by any hard evidences.

Video games are indeed very popular among teenagers and younger adults. With the apparent increase of teen violence in the news, some are questioning whether or not these games play a role in teens adopting the aggressive and violent behavior.

On the other hand, some researchers still stand firm that the games could affect the psyche of teenagers and cause them to use violence when they would not otherwise.

The intensity of the debates surrounding the games is reflected in the fact that the state of California wanted to prohibit all minors under the age of 18 to purchase violent video games, the proposal denied by the Supreme Court.

Knowing the Difference in Real Life

There is a need, however, to clearly separate opinions and facts. While the technology available today allows people to see news more easily, and it appears from the news that teen violence is increasing, the reality is simply different. In fact, over the last several years, teen violence has declined and it continues to decline. At the same time, the number of people playing video games and the frequency of them playing these games are both increasing rather significantly.

Many researchers reasonably argue that teenagers are able to distinguish between the virtual world and real life. This means that a teenager is not going to take the experience of a first-person shooter game and actually start shooting on the streets of the real world. They further state that the interactivity helps to make the games even less harmful.

Video Games and Violent Behavior Precursors

While most researchers agree that video games do not cause teens to become violent, they do think that these games could increase the psychological precursors of violent behavior. They may be associated with bullying, and bullying is a risk factor for behavior that is far more violent. For example, a teenager may start with verbal bullying of classmates and peers and eventually finish up with physical abuse of classmates and peers.

This means that the games should still be viewed as a risk factor for developing excessive aggressiveness in kids and younger adults.

See Also: Only One Hour of Playing Video Games Makes Teenaged Boys Eat More All Day

Aggressive behavior is a multifactorial phenomenon

Researchers mostly agree that there are many factors that are at play when it comes to violent behavior. The same applies to teenagers. The influencing factors in this case revolve around families, peers, neighborhoods and individual behaviors and traits. For example, teens who live in violent neighborhood are at increased risk of exhibiting high-risk and violent behavior themselves, whereas teens who live in safer neighborhoods are less likely to be aggressive and violent.

Factors Determining Aggressive Behavior In Teenagers

Mental stability is seen as the strongest risk factors when it comes to the potential for violence. A close second is the teen's quality of home life. Some researchers feel that the hype and fear over the violent video games are actually more harmful than the video games themselves. Kids who have mental health issues may play these games as a way to escape from the problems of real life. This, however, may put adults on high alert and could actually do more harm to the kids. When an adult is acting suspicious over the fact that a teen plays these games, the teen is likely to react to these emotions and respond in a similar manner. This response is not really connected to the games, but represents a reaction to the treatment which is viewed as unreasonable and restrictive. There is also a risk that the concern of adult might be misdirected and result in the lack of treatment for possible underlying mental health issues. This allows their conditions to worsen, thus increasing the potential risk of the teenager becoming aggressive and violent with others.

Other studies looked at the association with delinquent peers and a depressed mood and how these factors may lead to a teen participating in high risk behavior. Much of the research supports that these two factors play a major role in determining how a teen reacts when they are not happy with how they are being treated.

Research into these factors also explored the potential role of game violence and they found that the games are not predictors of violence in teens.

Violent computer games might serve as outlets for excessive aggressiveness

Some research looks at how violent video games are actually beneficial for teens who are exposed to other risk factors for being engaged into violent behavior.

For many of these teenagers, these video games are the only way to do this. They know that the actions they take in the games are not actions that they can take in real life situations. Because of this, they use the games to act out violent and aggressive behavior so that they can be less violent and aggressive when they are out in the real world and interacting with both peers and adults.

See Also: Violent Video Games Sharpen Focus, But Is This A Good Thing?

Mixed conclusions and need for more research

Many researchers still disagree about whether or not video games induce aggressive and violent behavior in kids and young adults. It seems like the argument will continue on for a long time - both sides have extensive research to back their claims. As of today, it appears that certain factors could potentially make someone more prone to high-risk behavior and that video games may essentially trigger their behavior in an indirect way by potentially causing teens to adopt the precursor of bullying, which may eventually lead to physical violence. However, just as much research shows that teenagers are not psychologically affected by these games and some research even shows that violent video games could be an outlet for aggression so that it does not even enter the real world.