Negative Impact of Video Games

Scientific research has discovered that video games with violence and sexual arousing content could have more negative effects on youths. 

Violent video games provide a forum for learning and practising aggressive solutions to conflict situations. The active nature of the learning environment of video games suggests that this medium is potentially more dangerous than TV and movie media.

Performing violent actions in video games may also be more conducive to children’ s aggression. Research have also shown that there is a short-term relationship between playing violent games and increased aggressive behaviour.

It was indicated that the more children practise violent acts (in video games), the more likely they are to perform violent acts. Hence, for youths, the possible negative effects are:

Possible Disadvantages of Video Games

a. Playing aggressive games display more verbal and physical aggression to inanimate objects and playmates;

b. Exhibiting more aggressive thoughts among the youths; c. More likely to attribute hostile intentions to others;

d. Correlation between aggressive delinquency and behaviour; e. Reduction of empathy for victims, leading to higher possibility of youths becoming more violent individuals; f. Desensitization to violent behaviour;

g. Less trust and increased fearfulness; h. Fall in academic performance; i. Induction of additive behaviour resulting in possible truancy and even stealing to get their “video

game fix ” ; j. Results in greater sedentary lifestyles, poorer eating habits and increased obesity; k. Reduction in physical fitness with possibility of later heart disease; l.

Affects youths’ attitudes toward gender stereotypes; m. Stresses autonomous action rather than cooperation and thus does not encourage or promote teamwork and n. Excessive or addictive use of gaming, which may be at the expense of active pastimes.

Article:	continuation: Video Games can affect the children’s life positively or negatively: