Violent game play may empower kids

Far from being the cause of real crime and violence, violent video games (among other forms of action entertainment) may actually be good for you. In his book Killing Monsters: Why Children Need Fantasy, Super Heroes, and Make-Believe Violence (Basic Books, 2002), Gerard Jones suggests that the notion of video games as harmful is, in part, the creation of adults who want to believe there is a causal relationship between media violence and actual violence. Parents and critics see what they want to see, ignoring contradictory evidence.

"What our kids are doing with their video games is playing, and they know it," Jones writes. One of the functions of play, he says, is to help us gain control over what frightens us, which explains the reason appetite for violent entertainment actually rises when people are concerned about violence in real life (Jones cites the post-Vietnam period, and the early '80s when inner-city violence peaked), and fades when that fear abates.

We all use play and fantasy to acquire experience, to discover how to solve complex problems, and to gain a sense of empowerment. This is especially true of children, who have very little control over their environment, and adolescents, who are dealing with traumatic physical and emotional changes. Play and fantasy allow for the cathartic release of feelings, and permit children to learn how to deal with their emotions, anxieties, and frustrations.

Play fighting gives children the chance to practise being aggressive without endangering themselves or having to be in actual conflict. Play in all its forms teaches empowerment, which is why many children, when faced with myriad entertainment options, tend to choose violent and aggressive media and play violent games. Why do they like to play with guns? Jones suggests that it isn't really the gun that the child wants, but the power and control that guns represent. They do not share adults' anxieties about guns, and by forcing those fears onto children, I would argue that we do more harm than a toy gun or a violent video game would. When adults impose their worries about the real world onto the fantasy worlds of children, children's imaginations suffer.

The thing about video games is that you don't watch them, you play them. Children have an active role in video games, which boosts their sense of control over the fantasy environments they're immersed in and provides a measure of control they can then bring back to their own real lives.

Helen Smith, a forensic psychologist quoted in the book, states that "Not one young person in my experience has ever been made violent by media influence. Young people who are already inclined to be violent do feel that violent media speaks to them. A few do get dangerous ideas from it. But more of them find it to be a way to deal with their rage."

What will ensure that violent media helps, and not hinders, is the influence of active and engaging adult role models who can provide context and support without judgment. It's as Dr. Spock advised: "Feed 'em, love 'em, and leave 'em alone."