MORE THANGAMES Violent video games might have negative consequences by | Caroline Ward
The Huffington Post reported that studies conducted of children who had been exposed to icking up the magic marker, the preschool violence through videogames and television shows student waved it around in the air. He was have shown that they can become numb to the imagining it was a lightsaber from his favorhorror and real consequences of their violent beite show, Star Wars: The Clone havior. Wars. Turning around, he told Children may also mimic In Call of Duty his friend to grab a toy so they the violence they see and show could have a lightsaber duel. more aggressive behavior toand Battlefield They dueled throughout the ward their peers, teachers and there is quite a bit classroom, ignoring the warnparents. Some children learn of violence. You ings from the teachers and comto accept violence as a way to plaints from other students. handle problems because of shoot people and One student knocked the their exposure to violence at a blood splatters other over, causing him to get young age. hurt. “I teach preschool, everywhere. You get “At four years old, it is harder and this year I have one girl headshots and stuff. for some of these children to and two boys who have aggresregulate the intensity of sive behavior,” the preschool Garrett Baker freshman their play or to understand teacher said. “Some children or respect when a peer is seem to be less able to handle evnot enjoying the play,” said eryday frustrations and disappointa local preschool teacher who asked that her name ments, but some aggressive behaviors occur when not be used. “Sometimes the children might accichildren are acting out fighting scenes from movdentally hit a friend when they are just pretending ies or television shows.” to hit, or they hit harder than they intended to and According to the American Academy of Child the friend will get angry and hit back.” and Adolescent Psychiatry, video games also cause
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other negative traits in children such as lower social skills, poor grades and lack of exercise. Researchers disagree whether violent video games are a cause of shootings, bullying and domestic violence. Some say these games reward players for using violence, and it becomes a habit. “Once I identify aggressive children’s triggers, I try to help them avoid situations that could cause them to lose their temper and teach them social skills to better handle those situations,” the preschool teacher said. “If a child gets angry every time it’s time to clean up, then I let that child know in advance of the clean up time that there are just a couple of minutes left to play. Our school has a rule that children can’t bring toy weapons to school for show and tell, and we also discourage play fighting on the playground.” According to Science Daily, two out of every three boys and more than one in four girls between the ages of 12 and 14 have said they played at least one mature-rated video game in the past month. “I play Call of Duty, Battlefield and NBA,” freshman Garrett Baker said. “In Call of Duty and Battlefield there is quite a bit of violence. You shoot people and blood splatters everywhere. You get headshots and stuff.” Cartoon by | Alex Ginn
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