The Effects of Video Game Violence on Children

Finally, the player must pass through the entire warehouse shooting and bombing the Germans until reaching a final face-off. This final scene contains even more blood, shooting, and graphic picture than the rest of the game. A win will result if the player successfully kills the rest of the Germans without being killed first in a gruesome battle.
             Since this game mirrors a battle from World War II, it attracts mostly young American males many of which who have a previous knowledge about World War II. This war game evokes anger and aggression in them because they know what happened during the war. Players are left feeling angry or mad about the situation leading to violent actions that range from hatred towards other nationalities to wanting to kill other to make them pay for what happened. Now that the players learned that killing, and other violence, is the answer to what they need to move onto the next step they take that out in the real world.
             To further prove this example, video games like "Medal of Honor" which teach shooting skills to children can lead them to violence. Michael Carneal, a fourteen year old male, had never fired a gun before until he caused a fatal shooting. Carneal took a pistol to school and shot eight children in the head and in the upper torso killing most of them. Carneal had gotten his shooting skill from video games that he has played numerous times. Without these games, Carneal would not have gained the shooting skill he acquired (Grossman, 2001, p. 70-71). Although it is not proven that Carneal ever played "Medal of Honor" it is just the fact his actions and behavior are very similar to the actions that the characters in the game use and portray. Which other children imitate their favorite violent video game as well. Video games are teaching children how to use firearms which is causing bad behavior in them. Leonard Eron, a psychologist at the University of Michigan, has done numerous studies on violence and the effect on children, and he concurs that violence is being taught to children.