Portfolio Two

Criterion A.
I have based my research on a research paper produced by Rutgers University. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081119122632.htm
Researches into the effects of violent media like video games have been going on for over 10 years. Recently released study shows that media violence does indeed have a negative impact on children. Research indicates that media violence has not just increased in quantity; it has also become more graphic, sexual, and sadistic. A recent research carried out in September 2000 by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) showed that 80 percent of “R” rated games, 70 percent of restricted video games, and 100 percent of music with “explicit content” warning labels were being marketed to children under 17. This means that by the time the normal average child is 18, they would have witnessed they will have witnessed 200,000 acts of violence and 16,000 murders. Media violence especially has a damaging effect on children below the age of eight because they cannot tell the difference between fantasy ad realities. For example, the highly criticized video game: Grand Theft Auto 3(GTA 3) was totally dominated by violence. It was banned in Australia for its highly graphic violence and sexual content. In the United States, the game grossed on average $300 million by the end of 2002. (M.E.F.).
This constant increase and appreciation for violence in all aspects of media posses a huge threat on the future of this generation.



























Criterion B.
Entertainment in the form of video games has been used as a form of leisure for almost 2 decades. As advances in media technology were made during the late 90s, graphic violence in video games became more and more prominent. Games like Grand Theft Auto and Mortal Kombat became increasingly popular. Their highly Graphic content and Gore made them the core of video gaming today. This sudden interest in video games by children and adolescents started “the age of gaming”. All video games consist of
· User control interface
· CPU
· RAM
· Software kernel
· Storage medium for games
· Video output
· Audio output
· Power supply
The user control interface allows the player to communicate with the game through controllers. The R.A.M (Random Access Memory) provides a temporary storage for the game. The software kernel is the games operating system that allows programmes to be written on it. The storage medium is simply a CD or cartridge where the games are stored on. The video out put and audio input are the medium through which we can see and hear the game on our TV.

The above diagram shows the stimulation of aggression in a Childs brain after playing a video game that contains a lot of violence. Their violence stimuli become quite high. The above information suggests that children who play highly violent games can become violent and aggressive themselves.




Criterion C.
Ubisoft, Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo are popular game makers. They make game
Consoles and also CDs. This makes them a particular target for people who want to buy
Shares. For example a company like Microsoft has over $32 billion worth of shares. Most
Of this money originated from their world-wide best consoles X-box and X-box 360. Violence in games can also make children more and more hostile. They won’t be very social and will tend to get into fights more and more pertaining to the fact that they play it on their consoles almost every time and it has become registered in their brains. Psychological effects of violence can also occur especially in young children whose brains are still developing. They will not be able to differentiate between reality and fantasy. They learn by observing and imitating. It might get stuck in their brains that it’s okay to kill or hurt someone. The overall impact of violence on children is enormous. If violence in video games keeps coming at a constant rate, a generation of aggressive people will be born and in recent years crime rates will climb higher than ever. A 2001 review of the 70 top-selling video games found 89% contained some kind of violence. Almost half of all games (49%) contained serious violence, while 40% contained comic violence (Rutgers University, 2008). In 41% of the games, violence was necessary for the protagonists to achieve their goals. In 17% of the games, violence was the primary focus of the game itself. (Rutgers University, 2008) A more recent survey of families with school-age children found that 74% of families with school-age children own video game equipment and school-age children play video games an average of 53 minutes per day. Parents are less likely to supervise their children's use of video games than they are to supervise their use of television. (Walsh 2008) While most parents (88%) report regularly supervising their children's use of television, only about 48% report regularly supervising their children's use of video games. (Walsh 2008)



















Criterion D.
The only feasible solution to curb the problem of violence in gaming goes to the parents. The parents are the solution. They always have access to the child and can keep an eye on what the child does periodically. If this can be done, video game violence and its influence on children can be reduced drastically.


Criterion E.
Rutgers University. "Media Violence Cited As 'Critical Risk Factor' For Aggression."ScienceDaily 20 November 2008. 28 February 2009 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081119122632.htm
Rutgers University. "Media Violence Cited As 'Critical Risk Factor' For Aggression."ScienceDaily 20 November 2008. 28 February 2009
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081119122632.htm
Safe Youth. 26 Aug. 2008. Safe Youth. 28 Feb. 2009 http://www.safeyouth.org/scripts/faq/mediaviolstats.asp
Surette, Ray. "MEDIA, VIOLENCE, YOUTH, AND SOCIETY." WORLDANDI. 26 Feb. 2009 http://www.worldandi.com/public/1994/july/mt2.cfm
University of Michigan. "Violent Media Numb Viewers To The Pain Of Others." ScienceDaily20 February 2009. 28 February 2009 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090219202831.htm
Walsh, David. National Institute on Media and Family. National Institute on Media and Family. 28 Feb. 2009 http://www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_vlent.shtml