To understand the problem of the influence of violent games on the psyche of children, it makes sense to first talk about the role of aggression in our lives. It seems to me that this is precisely what the main arguments in defense of the permissibility of cruel games are based on. Indeed, aggression is a natural human state. We experience anger, irritation, dissatisfaction in response to someone’s behavior (insulting, creating obstacles), due to our own physical condition (hot, tired, hungry) or due to unmet needs (wanted something, but didn’t get it) . However, society seeks to limit the manifestation of direct destructive aggression. Articles of the criminal and civil code are prescribed, adults prohibit children from fighting, rude behavior is considered unethical. At the same time, society offers alternative forms, various “indirect” ways of expressing one’s aggression. For example, various sports, amateur hunting and fishing, male fights in compliance with the code of honor, role-playing games with elements of aggression. If you look at it, jokes, satire, and black humor serve the same purpose. Since childhood, we are taught to express our dissatisfaction correctly, diplomatically, or as it is now fashionable to say “constructively.” Even in ancient times, various methods of self-regulation, achieving a calm state, and relieving stress were discovered: all kinds of meditations, physical activity, herbal infusions, self-hypnosis. What not! And all in order to live among people safely, and at the same time, natural emotion received a way out. After all, it is quite rightly said that the suppression of aggression leads to its accumulation, and then an explosion in the form of nervous breakdowns, affects (and even close to murder) or psychosomatic diseases (ulcers, asthma, oncology). Yes, aggression is a natural, biological emotion, but the forms of its manifestation in human society must still be cultural, and not only because abstract morality requires it, but primarily for the sake of our safety. Manufacturers of violent computer games often speculate precisely on the fact that people need a way to release aggression and thanks to games this happens. But they forget that there are many nuances in this matter. More precisely, they don’t forget, but it’s simply beneficial for them to “turn a blind eye to it.” Such games also have a negative impact on the psyche of an adult, but if there are no specific problems, then he will not become dependent, will play from time to time and there will be no great harm from violent games. If there are deep psychological problems, the types of computer games discussed will have a destructive effect even on an adult. But here we are talking more about children. Will the boundaries between the virtual and real world protect children? The boundaries between the realities of life and play are very fragile for a child. Our psyche actually doesn’t care whether events actually happen or whether our eyes just see them, our ears hear them, or we even imagined them, or saw them in a dream. All the information that comes to us little by little does its job: the positive builds us up, the negative destroys us. In the United States in the middle of the last century, extensive research was carried out on the influence of the media on behavior and it was proven that children copy what they see and then use it in games and in relationships with peers. For example, I urge parents to ensure that their children watch less films with scenes of violence. But when watching films, the child takes at least a passive position, while in computer games he is active and can influence what is happening: it is he who swings an ax and cuts off the head of a person or a chicken. And for the psyche this is equivalent to a real action; it has already written down its algorithm and on an unconscious level perceives it as really perfect. Finding himself in various difficult communication situations, the child already has a certain program: “swing an ax and chop off your head.” It’s good if it never works in its pure form, but, nevertheless, ita destructive scheme can manifest itself in high conflict, the desire to harm another person by any means. And the worst thing is that in this case there is often no self-criticism towards one’s behavior, but there is a feeling of being completely right. How does violence in games affect children? A child’s worldview is, one might say, a mosaic of his life events. And if violent games take up significant space and time, then the child’s picture of the world will be built from their fragments: scenarios, laws, values. The “familiar” gradually becomes a character... In the old days in the Scandinavian countries, boys were given live chicks as toys so that the children would tear them apart and get used to the blood. The cruelty of their warriors knew no bounds. Nobody insists that children be raised in hothouse conditions. There is cruelty and danger in the world, of course, children need to know about them and need to be able to protect themselves. But you must agree that in a normal karate section children will not be turned into moral invalids; they teach self-defense, taking into account the situation and the degree of danger, and at the same time they develop moral qualities, without which a person cannot be called a “human”. Gambling addiction as a drug addiction? Abuse of virtual games leads to addiction. Gambling addiction is one of the most severe forms of addiction; it also “rips” a person out of life and has a destructive effect on his psyche like drugs and alcohol. Why do children play? There are several mechanisms that are usually linked to each other. Firstly, of course, this is a property of the games themselves - they are addictive. This happens something like with Pavlov’s dogs: pictures flash, there is a voiceover, light bulbs flicker - and now the reflex is ready... At the training level... a person is in a trap. I personally have the experience of “falling into the trap” of one harmless computer game; all I had to do was relax and three months of summer vacation simply went to waste, but in “that world” castles were built and new lands were conquered!!! But I was already quite an adult. Secondly, if the child’s reality does not suit him, if it is boring or overly charged with negativity, he just wants to forget himself in a world where he can do whatever he wants, and if he made a mistake, then replay the stage... And it’s as if the problem never happened. Is being away from the computer the only way out? What is the way out of this whole, dare I say it, “dangerous” situation? Separate from the computer? Completely - it won’t work, and there’s no point... The computer and the virtual world are a powerful resource where, as in life, there is both dangerous and useful (information, communication). Modern children must be proficient in computer technology. In addition, games have a developmental effect; even simple “walkers” train attention. Arguments are an important thing; talking about the dangers of such games, of course, is necessary. But it should be remembered that even in adolescence, logical argumentation is still of little importance. Or “Yes, I understand – it’s harmful, but it’s so compelling that I can’t resist. I’ll play a little” and... until the next morning... I can’t get around the now banal recommendation: “Parents, pay attention to your children!” Support your children emotionally, speak to them in an understanding tone, spend weekends with them, share their interests, be proud of your children and be happy every day that you have them. From such a world - understanding and warm, no one will leave for the world of blood and cruelty. Civilization is developing at a frantic pace, the world is not becoming kinder... Modern technologies bring both good and evil... The most reliable way out in this labyrinth is human spirituality... It is spirituality that provides a moral choice from everything that the world around us offers in its “menu”. My The answer as a psychologist to the question of how to protect children from cruel computer games is this: it is necessary to develop spirituality and morality, but not through the notations “it is possible or not”, but through real parental love, understanding and support, and of course by your own example... More details about the actions of parents who want to influence the child and reduce=55610