M for Mature: The Effects of Violent Video Games and Internet Disorders
Shelby Hersem
Class of 2020
Mrs. Mustain
Abstract
As the gaming industry gains popularity each year with new titles and story lines, violence, gore, and vulgar language have grown to be a major concern of parents, political figures, and those who study adolescent behavior. In her thesis, Ms. Hersem's voice in the conversation closely examines the effects of violent and excessive media on children, adolescents, and adults. Abuse of time spent online may lead to Internet Gaming Disorder or Video Game Addiction, which is addressed through in-patient care to restore the patient's neglected social sphere, home life, and schoolwork. The effects of video games and violent media are oft claimed to be aggression, psychological problems, and rifts between household members but such claims are misunderstandings.
Senior Biography
Shelby Hersem is a detail-oriented writer with a passion for research. She has spent two years at Wakefield and has loved every moment of her education there. Shelby will be attending Virginia Commonwealth University in the fall of 2020 to study science with an interest in neuroscience. She enjoys reading, piano, baking, and visual arts.
Shelby's decision to gain a deeper understanding of violence in video games and its effects on the gaming community began after observing the public's distrust towards video games in 2019. Although video games have been a parental concern for decades, recent publishing and President Donald Trump's online attacks against violent media determined Shelby's goal to prove the positive intentions of gaming.
