Debate: Violent computer games are responsible for aggressive behaviour in teenagers
Side: Responsible

I agree with the debate motion stating that violent video games are responsible for aggressive behavior in teenagers. One of the main concerns that has constantly been raised against video games is that most of the games feature aggressive elements. This has led many people to assert that this may have a detrimental effect on individuals who play such games. The one consistent finding is that the majority of the studies on very young children—as opposed to those in their teens upwards—tend to show that children do become more aggressive after either playing or watching a violent video games.Video games have been available to consumers for the last 30 years. They are unique because they encourage players to become a part of the game's script. Players are encouraged to actively participate as a character by choosing how they will interact with other characters including which weapons will be used while fighting or attacking other characters. Weapons often include guns, knives, pipes, bombs, etc. Due to consumer demand over the last three decades, most video games produced and sold today are violent. Today's sophisticated video games require players to pay constant attention to the game as compared to passively watching television or a movie. As active participants in the game's script players strongly identify with violent characters portrayed in violent video games. This identification with characters in video games increases a player's ability to learn and retain aggressive thoughts and behaviors they see portrayed in violent games. Further research has suggested that exposure to violent video games may increase angry and hostile feelings while interacting with peers, teachers, and adults. Violent video game exposure may decrease compassionate feelings for others with whom they interact. In addition, the National Television Violence Study (1996) determined that 73 percent of violent video games reward violence as an effective way to handle conflict. Studies conducted by Bandura and Berkowitz have found that rewarding violent behavior is conducive to learning. As a result, players who are continually rewarded for violent responses may experience an increase in their aggressive behavior and/or their perception of aggressive behavior (Bandura, 1977; Berkowitz, 1993). This might in turn make these people think that they would somehow be 'rewarded' for doing things like killing due to them being rewarded in those games itself in the first place. This can also make them think that this is 'the right thing' to do. We are being punished for our various wrong-doings. However, instead of being punished in those games, they are being rewarded and praised! This can thus feel that by doing all these acts, they might feel rewarded and superior. Hence, an increase in violent behaviors and thoughtless actions.In their book, Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents. Anderson, Gentile, and Buckley provide an in depth analysis some recent studies they conducted.The first study was a cross-sectional correlational study of media habits, aggression-related individual difference variables, and aggressive behaviors of an adolescent population. 189 high school students completed surveys about their violent TV, movie, and video game exposure, attitudes towards violence, and perceived norms about violent behavior and personality traits. After statistically controlling for sex, total screen time and aggressive beliefs and attitudes, the authors found that playing violent video games predicted heightened physically aggressive behavior and violent behavior in the real world in a long-term context.In the next study, Anderson et al conducted a longitudinal study of elementary school students to examine if violent video game exposure resulted in increases in aggressive behavior over time. Surveys were given to 430 third, fourth, and fifth graders, their peers, and their teachers at two times during a school year. The survey assessed both media habits and their attitudes about violence. Results indicated that children who played more violent video games early in a school year changed to see the world in a more aggressive way and also changed to become more verbally and physically aggressive later in the school year. Changes in attitude were noticed by both peers and teachers.Thus, I conclude that violent video games ARE responsible for aggressive behavior in teenagers.