A topic that has left many in the dark regarding the safety of their children seems to resurface in the tabloids from time to time. Coincidentally, violence in video games has been considered a negative influence on child development. However, the pendulum swings in both directions. On one side of the argument, Cheryl K. Olson of the New York Times reports, "In fact, such games (in moderation) can actually have some positive effects on developing minds" (Olson A23). On the other hand, Karen Becker-Olsen and Patricia Norberg of the Journal of Advertising said: Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayThomas et al. (1977) also suggest that desensitization occurs when initial arousal to violent stimuli is reduced and thus changes an individual's current internal state. Similarly, systematic desensitization has been shown to reduce avoidance behavior, and when there is no direct negative consequence of fear-provoking behavior, there is an opportunity for fear extinction (Olsen & Norberg 84) . Without certainty about who may or may not be right. , the evidence on the negative effects of video game violence outweighs the positive ones. Desensitization occurs when overexposure to certain stimuli causes the senses to behave the same way, regardless of the situation. For example, children who spend days playing video games containing graphic material may be affected, whereas violence in the media or in reality does not provoke a response. Additionally, Marilynn Larkin discusses the negative side effects of violent video game exposure on the amygdala, a gland in the brain responsible for anxiety and responses to fear-inducing situations. He states: The amygdala isn't just there to mediate fear and anxiety, as many people think. It is a fundamental learning device that mediates associations between stimuli and reinforcers, regardless of whether they are good or bad, and therefore the impact of these conditioned stimuli on future behavior (Larkin 268). Not only does the amygdala serve as a receptor for fear and anxiety, but the gland also contributes to conditioned learning patterns. Children who neglect homework and daily activities can hinder their social and educational development over time. Several Nature Reviews Neuroscience authors reported: At the same time, it should be noted that daily time spent playing video games in school-aged children has been shown to be inversely related to academic performance, likely because time spent playing video games is stolen time. to reading and academic study related to the curriculum (Bavelier, Gentile, Green, Han, Merzenich, Renshaw 763) While some children may find time to balance schoolwork and playing video games, most prefer to choose the latter. Additionally, children who have become desensitized to video game violence may choose to neglect other needs without fear of future repercussions. In an attempt to counter these arguments, Cheryl K. Olson makes ridiculous statements such as: "Many people assume that video game violence is consistently and unspeakably terrible; little Jacob spends most afternoons torturing victims to death. But these people they haven't played a lot of video games" (Olson A23). No one has assumed that video games containing violent material can cause children to behave psychopathicly. In fact, most psychoses are genetically predisposed,.