Winning a game activates a cerebral reward center, in a way that 'teaches' players to be violent in a Pavlovian way, so the players associate acting violently with gaining a reward. This thesis has been supported by recent MRI scanning research examining the brains of children who have just played violent video games: "A new study employing state-of-the-art brain-scanning technology…say that brain scans of kids who played a violent video game showed an increase in emotional arousal -- and a corresponding decrease of activity in brain areas involved in self-control, inhibition and attention" (Kalning 2006). Rather than enhancing the types of personality traits that are desirable in a harmonious society, video games numb the qualities that make us social animals.

Advocates of video games, however, note that the games have been used in positive ways: "Several studies cited by the ESA [Entertainment Software Association] point to games' potential benefits for...
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