Free «Research Proposal: Video Games and Violence» Essay

Introduction: This project will explore the effects of excessive playing video games. The games have become vastly popular as they are available on game consoles, computers, hand-held devices, and mobile phones. Therefore, it is possible to play them practically everywhere where one can operate an electronic device: homes, schools, and automobiles. A majority of adolescents and children commit dozens of hours in gaming every week. Consequently, there is an increase in the concern about the impact of the games on the players, especially those who indulge in violent games.

While I have personal experience with the games, I will maintain objectivity in examining the issue. I believe that exposure of children to violent games at a young age can introduce violent behavior in them. The study will assist in developing knowledge on this issue to determine whether such effects exist.

The study aims at developing a claim about the effects of violent games on the behavior of children who play the games. Consequently, I will present a position on the background of video games and evaluate their effect on behavior. Most research studies focus on the effects of academic performance, social behavior, and physical activity. Therefore, I will develop an academic paper and a presentation on the impact on children’s behavior. The paper will be available in print and online to allow readers to examine my reasoning and access it when it is necessary. I will provide the reference sources to enable interested parties to interrogate the study and explore it further. Consequently, the presentation will adopt a non-academic stance to improve understandability for all readers. The paper will start with a description of the evolution of the video games to assist the readers to understand the current situation. Consequently, I will explore the behavioral impact of particular violent video games on children.

Research question: What are the effects of playing violent video games on children’s behavior?

Review of Literature: One of the materials that aroused my interest inthis area was Singer’s and Jerome’s Handbook of Children and the Media, which explores the antisocial, prosocial, and other impacts of excessive playing of video games. Various publications such as those by APA and AACAP state that there is an apparent association between playing violent video games and increased aggression and aggressive behavior in children. ProCon’s Do Violent Video Games Contribute to Youth Violence? takes a balanced and detailed evaluation of various conflicting views to advance knowledge in the area.

Search Plan and Relevant Sources: There is a need to evaluate more views on the behavioral impact of violent video games to develop a strong claim. I will conduct an intervention study to determine whether children who play violent games exhibit behavioral changes. I will also actively seek to interview a psychologist to provide an expert opinion on the observed effects. I have identified numerous academic literature, professional journal articles, and news articles that analyze this issue. I will expand my search for literature to include gaming industry reports and regulatory agency reports to get more insight.

Project Timeline: I have about six weeks to complete the project. I have identified various sources that will be helpful in completing my background paper in the next week. I will then conduct a comprehensive literature review, the intervention study, and the interview to prepare my first draft in the next two weeks. After getting feedback, I will incorporate any revisions for submission on the due date. Subsequently, I will prepare a simplified outline of the study for presentation.

Key Challenges: Although I have described a methodical way to conduct the research, there is a risk that personal bias may influence it. Also, it will be difficult to contact and schedule an interview with a psychology expert in the short period even though I have sought the assistance of various individuals to secure this part of research. Also, there is limited time to conduct the intervention study.