- Question
Do video games cause violence?
For decades, parents, psychologists, and neuroscientists have studied the potential connection between violent video games and the level of real-world violence displayed by the children and young adults who play them, especially those shown on the national stage for criminal activity and mass shootings. A plethora of research and academic study has erupted from this debate, contributing to our growing knowledge of how the brain works when interacting with video games and why further research into the topic is important. So, as we traverse a new world of technological advancement and even more complex immersion into video games, do video games cause violence?
No, video games do not cause violence
This position holds that video games do not cause violence. It argues that no reliable link has been found between violent games and real-world violent crime, and that frequent gaming in fact brings measurable cognitive benefits.
Yes, video games do cause violence
This position holds that video games do cause violence. It argues that, with gore and violence central to many of today's most popular titles, children are increasingly exposed to dangerous material — and that gaming can produce devastating pathological side-effects.
Results are inconclusive
This position holds that the evidence on whether video games cause violence is inconclusive. It argues that the scientific research is too mixed and contested to support a firm consensus either way, leaving the question genuinely open rather than settled.