I know this has been done before, but there are still people out there who aren’t convinced.
Playing violent video games like Doom, Wolfenstein 3D or Mortal Kombat can increase a person’s aggressive thoughts, feelings and behavior both in laboratory settings and in actual life, according to two studies appearing in the April issue of the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Furthermore, violent video games may be more harmful than violent television and movies because they are interactive, very engrossing and require the player to identify with the aggressor, say the researchers.
This and many other claims of violent video games leading to real-world violence are generally backed up by studies in “media effects,” which they cite to prove their point. What they don’t usually report is that a majority of these studies are inconclusive. Not to mention that even the studies cited by those claiming violent video games lead to aggression almost always say there is a correlation, not a causal relationship. This could just mean that aggressive people could tend to play aggressive games. In all cases where video games supposedly influenced real-world violence there are other, more important factors at work. So far, no research has found that video games can be a primary factor in causing violence or leading to aggressive behavior.
In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Statistics, youth violence is actually significantly down, dispite all the violent games being released. It’s true that many juvenile criminals have been game players, but young people today are more likely to be gamers than in the past.
Something that has also come up frequently is that violent games are marketed directly to kids. They aren’t. Games have a rating system, just like movies and (some) tv shows. 62 percent of the console market and 66 percent of the PC market is age 18 or older. Do some parents ignore the rating system completely because “games are for kids?” Sure, but that isn’t Take2’s fault, it’s the parents’ fault.
Video games are easy to blame, espeically when you don’t understand them. The fact is, however, that sometimes you don’t have something abstract like violent video games to blame. Look at the parents, the culture, and the criminal himself, not what his hobbies are. There is never an immediate transformation from student council president to hardened criminal. Violent video games do not cause violence.
28 Comments
i’m tired of this shit. i mean, blaming columbine on doom? anyone ever think about the parents, or, hell THE KIDS?!?! can’t people just be crazy anymore?
It’s strange to see so many people talking about these “studies” as if they conclusively prove gta makes you kill hookers.
Oh, and gj toning down the sarcasm for this one.
“Oh, and gj toning down the sarcasm for this one.”
Hehe, well if there’s any more news about Jack Thompson I’ll definitely write an angrier post.
Wait, I can get away with killing people as long as I play doom!?!?!?!
/me grabs knife and heads for burger king…
The point that seems to be missed in all analyses of this topic is that it absolutely true while also being absolutely wrong. There are people out there that are influenced by violent media, there are those that are not, and all all degrees between these two states.
In the same way as some people become addicted to alcohol and some don’t.
The point that seems to be wholly overlooked is that this is a personality issue. We are all influenced to different degrees by everything we experience, whether that be advertising, peer pressure, or our natural biases. The key point to me is that the media and politicians use these bald statements to profit and control. Whether that be audience ratings or poll ratings, these people need to pander to general consensus in order to progress. This the nature of consumer driven democracy.
I did mention that: “aggressive people could tend to play aggressive games.”
It seems to me that if someone who playes gta goes out and kills a bunch of people, he probably would have even if he hadn’t played gta. The fact that he played video games had no influence on his behavior (his behavior might have even influenced which games he played).
Great blog/editorial! You nailed every point! Well done!
The question is, does the fact that the GTA player plays GTA reinforce his belief that it is OK to kill? If he hadn’t played it, he not have gained enough psychotic momentun to carry out the killings.
You are absolutely right in saying that his behaviour will influence his choice of which games he played, and the other media he subscribed to. This is known as affirmation. It is something that the ego seeks and most people have an ego, whether they acknowledge it or not.
When I am preparing a presentation at work I will seek affirmation of its content on the web, from colleagues, from literature. When I deliver a presentation at work I am looking for affirmation from those I am presenting to. This helps me to believe I am presenting the correct content and not wating my and others time. In the same way, a psychotic will seek affirmation for the feelings he has and the acts he/she wishes to perpertrate.
It is easy to blame the computer game or other media, it is difficult to accept that our society produces psychotics that will perpretrate crimes regardless of the media content they subscribe to.
If violent computer games were banned, the psychotic will find justification for his/her acts somewhere else. Maybe in the work of H.R.Geinger or Helnwein.
I wish there was a spellchecker on your blog old chap. I only spot the mistakes once I’ve published.
violent games are marketed directly to kids. They aren’t. Games have a rating system
Yes. This is why I see all those ads for Saint’s Row and Prey in Harper’s or the New Yorker and not in EGM. Oh wait. If you think that games aren’t targetted at the “male teenage (sub 18)” demographic, DESPITE their rating, then you are seriously deluded.
I don’t consider a 17 year old a kid; I consider a 10 year old a kid. We used to have “kids playing nintendo,” and many people still see video games that way. If a 10 year old sees an ad for GTA in EGM, then convinces his parents to buy it for him, I don’t think it’s Rockstar’s fault.
Most of the parents do not need much convincing — they say “but he WAAAANTS it” and go with it.
My boy is seven and in second grade, and he is the only one of his friends not playing Rockstar games. I am considering having him tattooed with the phrase “Not Allowed to Play “M” Rated Video Games or View “R” Rated Movies Until I Can Get a Job and Have This Tattoo Removed on My Own.”
I dont get jus oe thing straight
why are people so addicted to games
there not that interesting
well
i guess ill never know
I personally don’t think video game’s cause violence, and the funny thing is, is that it doesn’t even have to be one of thoughts extremely violent game it could just be one of thoughts games where your just hitting a guy and it shows nothing, no gore or blood . It could just be a game that just pisses you off very badly. But their are also thoughts kid’s that are just morons that make the game look like it is causing you to invoke violence on other’s for example: I have been told that from a friend who’s name i can not divulge, has told me that he has hear of a person playing W.o.W. (World of Warcraft)[The worst game ever] just got so pissed off because he was being a moron and not getting off the computer after being camped for two hours that he actually straight out attacked his family because he was so pissed off. What a moron i mean its not the game itself its the moron behind the computer that refuses to get off the computer. So i say game’s cant be the blamed for violence, all the time at least, I mean their are also the kid’s that are also morons that say “man this is SO FUN i wonder if it is this fun in real life i think i will try it out”.
hehe. i’m doing a debate on this subject and this will help….
Rachy(L)(L)(L)(L) Thanx.
i’m ok.
i agree it’s not like after I’m done playing gears of war I’m gunna go all Friday the 13th on people
uhh well people do get fuckn pissed off after playn violent games.No ? about it.
help i just fuckn killed someone after playn left 4 dead. i thought he was a zombie. help me please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just calm down man… it will be ok.
Did you really do it?
Are you mentaly retarted???
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I don’t think video games are violence cuz people don’t copy th e violence on da games the do it cuz they stupid enough to kill someone or rob a bank. And at the end they want 2 blame it on the game. STOP BLAMING THE GAMES AND BLAME YOUR SELF!
Hey i was jus kidn and stuff. But seriously wars started way before the age of violent games. And plus war games are just a simple immatation. It doesnt mean u immitate it though. GOD!!!!
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Yes, violent video games do cause higher levels of aggression and can lead to violent behavior. The extremeness of claiming that this behavior is killing is outragious, merely negative behavior such as kicking, punching, violent langauge and others.
For instance, when I was younger and watcher Power Rangers, my brother and I would be kicking and punching each other. After our parents showed us that the behavior was negative, and did not allow us to watch Power Rangers anymore, our violent behavior decreased. It did not fade away all the way, due to human nature being violent in its own.
But all in all, violent media can cause aggression, people should not be over expossed and should be supervissed, especially younger childer, whose minds absorb everything.
Thx this is a really great article that helped me out a lot on my school research paper on videogames not leading to more violence in a society
video games in general do not cause increased aggression in the long term unless you are crazy to begin with
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