Are violent video games a good outlet for anger

With the advent of technology, developers have been able to design and integrate games into digital content which also comprises video games. Video games can be categorized into sports games, shooter, racing, arcade, adventure fighting and family entertainment. Despite the broad categorization, video games generally can either be violent or non-violent. The purpose of this essay is to analyze violent video games and their role in anger management among users. Anger management is a broad subject that involves a series of measures to actualize it. Additionally, the findings suggest that competitive video games are a good distraction to people who may be tempted to participate in true violence or are faced with frustrating tasks and require a way of letting out their anger non-violently.

Several arguments have been made as to whether violent video games do help with anger management. In as much as there has been no consensus on the role that video games play towards increasing or reducing anger, several compelling research findings indicate that video games are a good outlet for anger. According to Ferguson (2573-2578), violent video games reduce depression as well as hostile feelings of a player through mood management. In his research, Ferguson engaged 103 young adults. Therefore, violent video games are mostly an entertainment avenue through which individuals can release their anger on virtual beings as opposed to practicing it out there on real tangible surroundings. Violent video games are a real outlet for anger, according to (Gee 2007), the power of video games is not just in what they are, but their true potential lies in what we can do with them if we want to innovate.

By themselves, video games are neither good nor bad; what matters most is the contexts within which they are played. Statistics show that video games can connect to the psychological part of an individual. As a result, a person who keeps on winning while playing video games is more likely to develop a winning mentality in his or her normal life. Through social learning theories, Berkowitz highlights that behavior can be learned by observation of the aggression and violence in the environment. In his article, he highlights the frequent exposure to violent video games on fuels anger among the young people since they are mostly at their developmental stages leading to the expression of aggression and violence. Anger within violent video games is more often than not quenched by violence and destruction or revenge.

Most violent video games do name some of their missions as revenge missions. (Woolley and Van Reet 1778–1793), state that young people are most susceptible to video and media content due to their immature and lack of proper understanding of maturity. In a study involving school going children, the study revealed that students exposed to violent video games were more likely to be summoned to the disciplinary office for engaging in fights. The study figures indicated that 4. 8% of students who played non-violent video games were summoned to the disciplinary office as compared to 9% who reported to have been playing violent video games more frequently, (Moyer 2018). It is therefore highly unlikely that violent video games are a good outlet for anger from their research findings.

The relationship between violent video games cannot, however, be viewed in isolation. Evidence also points towards the role of ethnicity in shaping the relationship between violent video games and the resultant expression of aggression behavior. The varying impact of games is consequently linked to how much the American culture influences young children. Some of the players may, therefore, choose to identify with the aggressors rather than the victims strongly. This may eventually affect their sympathy towards the virtual victims and even to real life values and behavior outside of the game. Opposers of the idea that violent video games to act as a good anger outlet have their belief rooted in the sense that they contribute to increased anger and aggression.

Some violent video game contents are suitable for mature teenagers while others can be for general consumptions. Therefore, policy regulation, parental controls and video game rating will play a significant role in regulation. Overall, violent video games play an essential role in anger management and should not be out rightly condemned. Works Cited. Berkowitz, L. Peter Lang, 2007. Huffpost Is Now Part of Oath. " Huffpost. com. N. "Yes, Violent Video Games Trigger Aggression, But Debate Lingers. " Scientific American. N. p. Web. Legg, CRNP. "Controlling Anger: Tips, Treatments, And Methods. " Medical News Today. N. p. N. p. Web. 28 Apr. The History of Video Games/How Do Video Games Affect Society? /Video Games and Youth/Video Games, Violence, and Crime- Oklahoma State University. , pp.