A hotly contested question is whether children in Texas become more aggressive if they are allowed to play violent video games. The short answer, according to researchers, is that it depends on the child’s nature.
Aggression and video games
Several studies have tried to determine if playing violent video games makes children more violent. Generally, those studies have found that if a child is kind, playing violent video games does not affect their behavior. On the other hand, if a child tends to be aggressive, playing violent games may elicit more violent behaviors.
Setting healthy limits
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, young children should not be exposed to violent crime in any form because they cannot separate reality from fantasy. Parents should remain in control of what games their child plays and closely monitor the child’s behavior. Playing games with the child and discussing how they make the child feel is one way of gauging a child’s emotional response to the game. Additionally, parents should set limits on screen time.
What causes violent behavior
There can be many causes of violent behavior. Children who were victims of violence early in their lives tend to be more aggressive. Healthy families tend to raise kids who are better adjusted, while the opposite is also true. Children who hang out with peers who are not committed to school are more aggressive. Aggressive children usually grow up in low-income communities or communities with little interaction between neighbors.
Violent video games are only one cause of aggressive behavior in children who tend to be aggressive anyway, but surrounding the child with loving adults and a healthy home life will often overcome the aggression.
