Video Game Violence

1
Video Game Violence

• By Rebecca Eveland

2
Today I will be discussing violence in video
games and the impact it has on gamers.
3
ESRB Ratings

• The Entertainment Software rating board
  independently assigns ratings to software.
• ESRB Ratings Guide

4
ESRB Ratings (cont.)

• Although games are now strictly rated, the ESRB
  has no control over the individual vendors
  selling policies, especially when it comes to
  selling games to minors.

5
Impact The Pros

• Gaming
• Can relieve stress
• Can improve coordination and spatial skills, as
  well as improve problem solving
• Is a form of healthy competition
• Is a multi-billion dollar industry providing
  thousands of jobs
• Is for the most part a social activity

6
Impact The cons

• Gaming
• Can cause eye, neck, wrist, and back strains/pain
  as well as headaches
• Is sedentary
• Can contain very violent material
• People who are emotionally disturbed should not
  play video games

7
Myths Debunked

• Video game play is desensitizing
• The normal person can discern play from reality.
  Most studies that assert gaming is desensitizing
  are inconclusive and normally approached
  methodologically.

8
Myths Debunked

• The large availability of video games has led to
  a surge of youth violence
• The rates of juvenile crime are at a 30-year low.
• Violent crime, particularly among the young, has
  decreased dramatically since the early 1990s
  while video games have steadily increased in
  popularity and use.

9
Conclusion

• For many, video games are a healthy outlet and a
  way to have fun and socially interact with
  others.
• But, excessive gaming can be detrimental to your
  health, and prolonged exposure to violent imagery
  is not good for your mental health.

10
References

• Sternheimer, Karen. Video game violence. Game
  Informer, Issue 129, March 2007
• Jenkins, Henry. ESRB ratings. 2007.
  ltwww.ESRB.orggt
• Jones, Gerard. Killing Monsters Why Children
  Need Fantasy, Super Heroes, and Make-believe
  Violence. New York Basic, 2002.