Recently, video games have become an increasingly more popular method of passing time. Video games have evolved to the point where they can now simulate everyday scenarios through the quality of graphics. Not long ago, video games had poor quality in graphics and a character would be represented by a simple alignment of pixels on the screen in the shape of a person. As time progressed, the quality of graphics changed to be more realistic and now produce images that appear to be lifelike representations of people. With those lifelike images, people now feel like they are part of the game and are experiencing an alternate reality where anything is possible. That feeling could have a negative influence in games that promote violence and are filled with criminal acts.
    The ability of the person playing the game, or player, to be able to fully immerse themselves in the game world could result in negative consequences. With the rise of video game popularity, this could result in more people committing violent or criminal acts after experiencing those actions in the video game world. The effects could be seen as a sort of “monkey see, monkey do” action, to where those who play the violent games attempt to imitate the actions thinking they are acceptable in public. The effects the games have on the mind are not just seen in the way people act, but also in the way people think during those violent outburst.
    Vince Mathews and his team of researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine conducted a study with children who played a violent and non-violent video game. During the study children played either game for 30 minutes and then were given an MRI to observe the effects of the game on the brain. They found that those who played the violent game had an increase in activity in the amygdala, which is the portion of the brain that controls anger and fear, and a decrease in activity in the areas of the brain that involve control, inhibition and attention. Nearly every child in the violent game group had more activity in the amygdala than any other portion of the brain.
    In a similar study conducted by Brad Bushman, a psychologist at Ohio State University, had people undergo a similar procedure of being introduced to violent material and then observed the effects on the mind. Bushman had people fill in the blank of certain words such as “explo_e” to see how their mind responded after being introduced to the violent material. Most of those introduced to the violent material filled in the blank with a “d” making the word “explode” while others that had not been introduced to the violent material filled in the word as “explore”.
    Along with the mental effects the material has on those at younger ages, another side to the topic is the physical effects. According to the FBI’s statistical data released in 2003, showed a spike in crime compared to previous years. At the same time as those crimes in 2003, a major game was released to the public, which happened to be “Call of Duty” which is known as a high selling “M” rated game. The game contains a mass amount of violence in the form of shooting other people.
    Finding out the long-term effects on the mind is still a large unknown, however, studies have been conducted by the American Psychological Association, APA, to figure out what those effects may be. With hundreds of studies having been conducted by the APA, a better understanding is beginning to be uncovered. What is known is that there is a strong correlation between the effects that violent material has on the mind and violence intensity. Even though all of this information may support an argument against video games entirely, that is not what should be taken away. What should be taken away is that certain violent material can have strong negative effects on the mind resulting in negative consequences, while other content can have a positive side effect. Content that is more suitable for the age of the player can help nourish the mind while educating and entertaining the consumer. In the end, parents should be cautious about the content their children observe at a young age and strive to ensure that their child receives age appropriate material as they grow older.