Is Playing Violent Video Games Connected With Actual Acts Of Violence (Essay Sample)

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Is Playing Violent Video Games Connected With Actual Acts Of Violence?
Over the past few decades, there have been unprecedented emotional debates regarding the link between violent gaming and actual acts of violence. Some of the current studies on the impact of violent-gaming indicate that violent video games increase an individual’s level of aggressiveness and violent behavior while others suggest that violent-gaming plays a crucial role in improving an individual’s problem-solving and planning skills. For instance, according to Cunningham, Engelstatter and Ward, violent video games are a risk factor for poor pro-social behaviors, high sensitivity to aggression, and decreases in empathy (pg.1248). Many psychologists agree with this argument because most of the people who engage in violent gaming tend to exhibit the behaviors portrayed in the games whenever they encounter frustrating situations. This paper seeks to explore the argument that violent video games contribute to actual acts of violence by making people to believe that violence is an appropriate way of resolving disputes, increasing aggressive thoughts among the players, and by requiring players to simulate violent acts such as shooting, stabbing, and dismembering people using crude weapons.