Desensitization In Video Games

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Most of the behaviors that people display are learned, either deliberately or inadvertently, though the influence of example (Bandura, 1971). Behavior is learned from the environment through the process of observational learning. Children observe the people around them, especially adults and older children, behaving in various ways and then imitate that behavior without knowledge of whether the behavior is acceptable (Bandura, 1977). If children were to watch violent video games, after a period of time they would start to imitate the behavior expressed by the main character in the game without knowing that what they are doing is wrong. A child watching a video game with high levels of realism in the setting and actions of its characters may perceive…show more content…
Constantly viewing violence may cause children to become desensitized to the pain and sufferings of others; they may become more fearful of the world around them, and they may be more likely to be aggressive and harmful toward others (National Institute of Mental Health, 1982; Singer, 1984; Singer, & Rapaczynski, 1984; Rule & Ferguson, 1986; Simon, 1989). Desensitization and increased fear may be dangerous to individuals as they would stand out and wouldn't conform to societies regulations and may start to feel isolated. If a child becomes desensitized to the pain and suffering of others, the child will have no sense of empathy and will not know how to react to the situation. While violent games do cause an increase in aggression because of the content displayed, violent video games also can lead to the development of an increasingly aggressive personality due to repeated exposure of the games. Thinking about the games, its gruesome content and violent characters influences people to participate in violent activities and can teach them to become more aggressive towards

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