Do Video Games Affect A Teenager Conduct Positively or Negatively ?

i think they can be both. i have nephews and even my own kids who had played all kind of games are straight A's students. the parents must teach thier kids they different bewtween make belive and real life with these games. but i wouldnt allow a 5 yr to play grand theft auto or some of the other games like this until they are older. or depend on the kids.

I guess some video games like GTA the one you picked on does affect negatively on kids...And i do know that some of them plays the game that their already 18 years old siblings bought. I guess we should also play a part in preventing them from getting the opportunities of playing such games...Keep the games somewhere they won't find it..But then they could always go ahead and download this game from somewhere and play them so i guess we should all keep a tab at our kids' activities especially when it comes to video games...=\

They do have positive and negative effects. Aside from the three negative effects that you mentioned, certain video games also teach kids immoral things. For example, Grand Theft Auto: San Andres is an r18 video game but I saw young kids playing the games (who would check, right?) - this game teaches kids that violence is the best way to solve problems and that killing people, hurting them, stealing cars and wrecking things is cool and fun. Positive aspect of video games (the ones that are good for a certain stage, especially those that involve education) prove effective to improve a child's hand and eye coordination :) Thanks for the response on my discussion!

I'm a big video game fan but I must admit that there are certain games which are not suitable for kids or even teenager. The people distributing those adult games like GTA should be responsible, and also the parents of those kids. After all, kids and teenagers cannot really differentiate the right stuff from the wrong stuff. To them, it's just one word - fun. But little do they know that their definition of fun is actually wrecking havoc on the life of others. I used to be an avid gamer ever since I was 6 or 7 and I must say it's not very pleasant. I was constantly thinking about the video game and not my books. However, my mum did a superb job monitoring my progress and she would only allow me to play the video game if I've completed whatever she has asked me to do. Otherwise, she would just lock the video game away. That's why I think parents and the video game distributors do play an important role in this. Kids or teenagers cannot really tell the difference and it is up to the adults to be responsible. I still believe that there are games which affect the kids positively, but most of them will be negative if no proper control is enforced.

Razor- When you look at the "research" you're going to find those for, those against, and those neutral to your question. I'm assumming by research you meant you looked at studies published in reputable journals and not the latest write up in a popular magazine such as "Family Circle", or on some website that any John Smith could author. It's not an area of study for me, so I don't have the latest research studies, though I'm sure I could find them if I did a search later. As a parent and user of video games I think they no more contribute to violence in America than songs, movies, or so forth. Human nature is human nature. Psychologists have been studying the human mind for centuries and we still do not know just what causes people to become violent one or the other. It's why we have such an industry in the study still. In short, I don't think they have the "negative" effects some of the more popular articles written state. I think that they have become a scape-goat for many of societies issues from poor parenting to just plain sociopaths. My husband and I own both a Wii and Xbox (saving for the Xbox360)and don't play games all that often, only when we've got a few extra moments. Our son tries to play the Star Wars with us, but he's too young to really know what to do. I doubt him playing such games will turn him into anything other than what he was already, a kind, generous, compassionate young man. (Though, his life journey will be his own). I think we can and should be spending time as parents focusing on our quality time, our life lessons we share, and so forth then worrying about what game or song may turn out child into a violent person. One person already mentioned moderation, and that is a good advise. So many parents today want to not monitor anything their does, let their child have a game box in their room, a pc in their room, a cell phone in their room, a television in their room, and then want to complain about how bad these shows, songs, etc are, yet it is easily solved by doing things as a family. Do I think there needs to be discretion? You bet. As a parent there are movies my children will never watch until they are adults and can make up their mind. That is just part of being a parent. However, do I think that those movies if they saw them as adults will make them suddenly bad people? No. Great topic, by the way. Namaste-Anora

I ignore homework and sleep but I never ignore food. I make sure I have more than enough time for that.

It really depends on the people. Some of these are not suitable for adults either, as far as I am concerned. One, many of these games a person has to already have a solid understanding of What is Right and Wrong. Two, Need to clearly know the difference between Fantasy and Reality. Three, Need to watch their own behavior and thoughts if they find themselves becoming more agressive, of thinking about stealing or acting out. Then they need to take a break from those games... Some Games are fun, Other things are the games can actually for some people improved their lives. Like if a person was addicted to getting into physicals fights often.. The Game can allow them to get their fighting rush in a safe manner without getting into a real fight, and used as a good way to channel and release negative emotions, or allow their dark fantasy side to actively do something, So its nots pent in and kept inside where it festers and build till it needs to be released.. Videos games can both be hurtful and yet very therapeutic... Of course its important not to let real life responsibiles fall down the tube. Work before Play.. Work Before Play. Homework before play, Eating and Sleeping the work of Taking care of oneself and lives responsibilities need to be done before playing games in video or elsewhere. I have witnessed video games help people channel agression and negativity in a positive manner into their game, and come out being peaceful in the end, but I have also witnessed how people who can not tell the difference between fantasy and reality end up taking on the traits or imitating negative things from certain games. It really depends on the person. It can be dangerous for teens, and adults as well as children. If they do not know when to step back, stop, and what you can do and can not do based on the game. If you find yourself violance and agressive after a game, or movie, or listening to music. You need to ask yourself why.. If you do not know why, and can not control this behavior. Then you need to step back from that form of media as it is not healthy at all, for a person to repetively expose themselves to something that influences their own behavior, thoughts, or feelings in a negative way that they do not like. It is up to the individual, who plays the game. As in the end.. It is only they who know themselves, and how the game effects them. As far as children, adults, and teens. Others can observe and help them see the issue.. or tell them why they are worried about them playing this certain game. Hope that helps, - DNatureofDTrain

I don't believe it is the games that causes violence in kids but rather the parents who do not limit time on them and offer other activities for the kids. Any kid that is allowed to sit in front of a computer, tv or video game to the extent that it causes the side effects that you described has a parent or parents that are very neglectful. Simply playing a game or watching a show will not create violence in an otherwise peaceful kid. If morality and values are instilled in a kid...he is not going to up and get violent just playing a video game. In fact a well adjusted kid whose parents are paying attention and involved, would not even want to be sitting in front of the game for that long. heck...I grew up in the 60s & 70s. Cartoons were extremely violent. Old westerns...very violent. If a kid watches Grand Theft Auto and then turns into a thief....that'd be the parent's fault and not the game. Sorry I really don't agree with you on this one.

I play video games occasionally these days, and I have done a college paper regarding how video games effect an individual. From my research and personal experience, I can say without any doubt that video games will effect us in the same way as any other media. I think the bigger issue is how much a person is playing them which will directly correlate with how the game effects them. Your average person isn't going to go out on a murdering spree just from playing Grand Theft Auto. I've played that game and thoroughly enjoy it, but it is definitly fake and anyone with a functioning mind can distinguish its crazy world from our own. I think many parents complain about violent video games so much because they are not really watching what their kids are playing. They see clips on the news and make their judgments entirely on that. They don't examine how these violent moments effect the storyline (video games are like films and books). Grand Theft Auto has a storyline that has similar qualities to films like Godfather. It is a mature story, it has its share of violence and theivery; however it is still worth telling and interesting in the least. I suppose anything can really effect a person, but it is not going to just be one thing. Violent video games for me allow me to get a good adrenaline release which inadvertantly makes me a less violent person. However, anything excessive will end up doing more harm then good (think addiction). If you moderate your video gaming like you moderate how much alchohol you drink, then you should not have a problem. It is, generally, the alchoholics who are at home without a job beating their wives; not the people who occasionally drink responsibly. The same goes for anything, including video games.

I think that video games can do both. It can affect a teenager positively because it allows them to live in a world outside of their own one and allows them to improve their creativity. However, as you said, it can promote violence and leads them to do things that they should not be doing. They also can become addicted and cause them to lose interest in what is important. Video games can be both good and bad, but there is more of a negative aspect.

too much of it really make kids worse ,it isnt good for their development ,so we should control the time they spend on vedio games and let them know how to do

Maybe but the child should know how to play where and when it does not become an obsession

Games surely affect teenagers negatively,especially those games like GTA and maybe Half-Life which contains mature and horror content.GTA affects children in a way of killing stealing and stuff, while games like Half-Life or F.E.A.R affects children physiologically.I think parents should be more careful about what their children play or watch on Tv and Movies.

VIDEO games shows lot of impact on teenagers,you know even i am in teenage i have attracted a lot towards them,in teenage we doesnt knows what is right and what is wrong.really in teenage they want to do fun things,they want to paly every time more,and they doesnt care about studies these video games had changer lot of young talents to poor talents but not changed to ILLITRATES,VIDEO GAMES has both advantages and disadvantages,advantages mean that,there are some mind games which gives some knowledge,and disadvantages only belongs to teenage people teenages shows interest towards video games because it have a JOY STICK and few BUTTONS,by operating those objects are move on the screen,its really gives fun and joy to them finally my vote turns to POSITIVELY:yes Video Games affect a Teenaer