...Issue #5: Do Video Games Encourage Violent Behavior? One of the biggest controversial issues in today’s society is whether or not video games encourage violent behavior. Two sides of the argument are from Craig A. Anderson (an expert on the effect of violence in television and film) and Henry Jenkins (from PBS kids). One side says exposing children and adolescents (or “youth”) to violent visual media increases the likelihood that they will engage in physical aggression against another person. (2003). Now the other side says, the primary audience is not children, that the violence is not increasing in society and that concerns about isolation, desensitization, and violence are overblown. Now starting with the people who say yes, that video games encourage violent behavior have really good facts to back up their argument. Some facts are violent games require you to be one with the character you’re playing. That’s a very good fact, because games like Call of Duty for instance, requires you to play as a soldier in first person, the only thing you see is the gun you decide to pick up. Another game I can think of is the Grand Theft Auto series of games, you play as once individual and you do missions with him where you have to kill. The story modes are really lengthy and you tend to gain a kind of personal relationship with the character even though it is just a video game. You start getting mad when the character gets mad and from personal experience (I play Grand Theft Auto...
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...^ "Effects of Video Games on Aggression". Personalityresearch.org. Retrieved 2011-07-12. This article explains that in past research there was no correlation between violence in video games and different age demographics. It also offers suggestions of future researches that include how video games improve hand and eye coordination as well as therapy. It is also hard to determine what is actually considered a “violent game”. Some age groups consider certain games to be fun and exciting, but not violent, while others think the opposite. This article also explains that video games have a positive effect on child behavior, such as stress relief. ^ Freedman, Jonathan. "No Real Evidence for TV Violence Causing Real Violence" First Amendment Centre. 2007, online Available: http://web.archive.org/web/20100209001052/http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/commentary.aspx?id=18490 [2007, October 17.]. In this article it discusses the research done by FCC that proves that there are other factors in the media that have more of an effect on youth today then videogames. It shows the research that violence in the movies and television have more of an impact than videogames. Gonzalez, Lauren. "When Two Tribes Go to War: A History of Video Game Controversy". GameSpot. Retrieved 2008-08-03. In here the this article states that since videos games have started there has been violence with them. Pinball with people hitting the machine to move the balls the right way. This also stated that the lack...
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...the connection between video games and crime rate. A common misconception is that violent video game research has come up with varying results. It is true that some studies have brought back results have been less than significant but most test results yield faulty statistics on occasion. The importance is that in the overall scheme the results share four key common and consistent effects. The four effects are as follows: increased aggressive behavior, increased aggressive thoughts, increased physiological arousal, and a decrease in pro-social behavior. The increases in aggressive behavior and thoughts not only take into account players of all ages but also of a wide variety of violent actions. The aggressive behavior that has been seen from children and adolescents are simply increases in understood normal behavior such as: biting, pinching, pushing, pulling hair, or in worst cases there have been school fights documented. Regardless of what age group one might be incorporated with, video game violence has an effect. The term physiological arousal refers to subtle or spontaneous increases in heart rate and sweating. This symptom differs from person to person but it is mostly seen when the player experiences a situation that is reminiscent of the game. The term pro-social behavior refers to the tendency of a person to help another. Even though some games that have an E for everyone rating, they are still allowed to have cartoonish or unrealistic violence. While one may not consciously...
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...| Violent Video Games | | | | Violent Video Games INTRODUCTION: Concerns over the effect of violent video games on today’s youth have been debated since the late 1970’s. School shootings, criminal behavior, bullying, and violence towards woman have all been blamed on violent video games. Electronic media plays an important role in the emotional development, social behavior and intellectual functioning of children and youth. Many video games are very helpful for children to facilitate medical treatment, increase learning, and promote pro-social behavior. However, there are also video games that include aggression, violence and sexualized violence that have a negative impact on children. After the 1993 release of Mortal Combat, Congress contemplated regulating the sale of video games. The video game industry responded by voluntarily establishing the ESRB, (Entertainment Software Rating Board) to create a ratings system. The rating system was based on the content of the video game. The controversy over violent video games resurfaced following the Columbine High School shooting in Jefferson County, Colorado on April 20, 1999 (procon.org). According to procon.org, in 2008, 298.2 million video games were sold in the US, totaling $11.7 billion in revenue. Six of the top ten best-selling video games included violence, with four of the games carrying a "mature" rating recommended for persons aged 17 and older. AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR: Video games often reward...
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...5 April 2015 Are Violent Video Games Killing Children? It is a misconception that video games make people violent. One might not usually think of the positive sides of playing video games. However, many examples prove that video games can be beneficial. A lot of people are led to believe that video games make people violent and cause crimes. Even though millions of people are playing violent video games, mass killings are still a statistical anomaly. Politicians and the media utilize the controversy of violent video games for their own interests rather than those of the public. Video games are a form of creative expression and should not be demonized or used as a scapegoat for our population’s deeper mental traumas. Video games have positive effects. A study conducted by Shawn Green & Daphne Bavelier from Center Visual Science, University of Rochester, show that people who play a lot of action video games benefit from improved “hand-eye coordination and visuo-motor skills, such as resistance to distraction, sensitivity to information in the peripheral vision and ability to count briefly presented objects, than non-players” (“Action video game modifies visual selective attention”). Video games that incorporate advanced motion detection, such as Microsoft’s Kinect or Sony’s PlayStation Move, provide both physical and mental exercise. Furthermore, a study conducted by Doctor Cheryl K. Olson, co-director of the Center for Mental Health and Media, indicates that “contrary to...
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...December 2014 Are Gamers Really a Threat? Within the last fifteen years, the video game industry has grown exponentially and is now arguably one of the most robust industries in the entertainment world. Video game sales have more than quadrupled in this time as well, which accounts for this multibillion dollar industry. Inside this enormous industry, hundreds of genres span the base of the industry but a few genres make up the core. Within this core are game categories, such as FPS (First Person Shooters), which have some aspect of violence to it. The popularity of these violent video games has risen greatly within the last 5 years. In 2008, from the age group 12-17 in the United States, 97% of them played video games, and 10 of the top 20 best-selling video games in the United States contained violence (ProCon.com). These violent video games are attributed to the cause of increase in school shootings as well as increases in domestic and youth violence. Critics of these violent video games argue that the because the violence is encouraged to do well in the game through reward, that the player becomes desensitized towards the violence and will teach children that violence is an acceptable way to resolve conflicts (ProCon.com). Video game advocates claim that the research is deeply flawed because there has been no link between video game violence and that of social violence. Many argue that the game actually relieves anger and aggression in a safe outlet (ProCon.com), as well as...
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...threatens the well-being of society.[1][2] A Dictionary of Sociology defines a moral panic as "the process of arousing social concern over an issue – usually the work of moral entrepreneurs and the mass media."[3] The media are key players in the dissemination of moral indignation, even when they do not appear to be consciously engaged in crusading or muckraking. Simply reporting the facts can be enough to generate concern, anxiety, or panic.[4]:16 Examples include the belief in widespread abduction of children by predatory pedophiles,[5] belief in ritual abuse by satanic cults of women and children,[6] scaremongering of the spread of AIDS,[7] and the War on Drugs.[8] Contents [hide] 1 Use as a social science term 1.1 British vs American 2 Characteristics 3 Examples 3.1 2000s: Human trafficking 3.2 1990s–present: Sex offenders 3.3 1980s–1990s: Satanic ritual abuse 3.4 1980s–1990s: Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 1980s–present: AIDS 3.6 1970s–present: Video games and violence 3.7 1970s–present: Crime increase 3.8 1970s–present: War on drugs 4 Criticism 5 Other 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External links Use as a social science term[edit] Marshall McLuhan gave the term academic treatment in his book Understanding Media, written in 1964.[9] According to Stanley Cohen, author of a sociological study about youth culture and media called Folk Devils and Moral Panics (1972),[10] a moral panic occurs when "...[a] condition, episode, person or group of...
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...Computer Game Controversy Task: Video games are seen as a way of stress release and recreational activity. However in recent times the violent content of particular games has hit the headlines in a storm of controversy. Discuss the impact violent computer games has had on young people. In today’s world, there is an outrageous demand for video games that provide entertainment for millions across the globe. However in recent times, the so called ‘recreational activity’ seems to be stirring up a huge, on going debate over the controversy of its violent content. Now, more than ever the violence within some games is both offensive and mentally harmful to people ; but is it really as negative as the media is telling us? Today, video games are in a colossal industry all their own, making billions annually for major companies such as Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony. You may ask yourself why there is such a demand for these products. The reason is simple; video games are highly entertaining. Through the evolution of, what is in my opinion, an astounding invention, a variety of genres have also developed which makes these games so fantastic. One minute you could be storming a medieval castle, fighting a fire-breathing dragon. The next you could be flying a Spitfire in World War Two; or even scoring the winning goal in the World Cup Final. To simplify, the possibilities are endless and thus, the reason why the industry in so successful. Despite the industry having a majorly positive...
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...you about age restrictions in violent video games, and why they should be raised. After students Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris opened fire in their Colorado high school in 1999 -- shooting 20 people and killing 13 -- Linda Sanders filed a lawsuit. Her husband was a teacher at Columbine and among the dead. The media revealed that Harris and Klebold played a lot of violent video games, including "Wolfenstein 3D," "Doom," and "Mortal Kombat." Linda Sanders named multiple video game publishers, including Sony and Nintendo, in the suit as well as Time Warner and Palm Pictures since the shooters had apparently watched "The Basketball Diaries," in which a character uses a shotgun to kill students at his high school. In today's ultra-violent media world, it appears there's plenty of blame to go around. But is it legitimate? As of 2001, roughly 79 percent of America's youth played video games, many of them for at least eight hours a week Beyond the obvious issues of concern, like "what happened to riding bikes around the neighborhood," there are bigger questions. Many people wonder how this type of exposure to violence as an adolescent effects social behavior. The rise in dramatically violent shootings by teenagers, many of whom apparently play violent video games, is helping the argument that video game violence translates into real-world situations. But other people aren't convinced and insist that video games are a scapegoat for a shocking social trend that has people scared and looking...
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...The Escalation of Gamer Gate The Gamer Gate controversy is a polarized debate that occurred between many individuals, many of whom are associated with the video game industry. Initially sparked by feminist criticisms of video gaming, Gamer Gate eventually escalated into a fiasco of hateful tirades, threats, and violence. In this paper, we hope to illuminate the factors which contributed to Gamer Gate evolving into its final form and Gamer Gate’s ultimate impact onto the industry that birthed it. To objectively describe the components of this extremely polarized conflict, we must sift through the bountiful amounts of opinionated material related to the matter, until we can depict Gamer Gate’s progression in an unbiased manner. What is Gamer Gate? The phrase Gamer Gate can refer to multiple things. The overall controversy known as Gamer Gate, in essence, is a polarized debate that began with criticisms of the videogame industry's misogynistic culture. In response to these claims, individuals amassed under a Twitter campaign of the same name to slander critics of the videogame industry and those that spread those claims. Eventually, slander became threats and these threats metamorphosed into a fiasco of indistinguishable muckraking that shook the video gaming industry to its core. Advocates of Gamer Gate and its crusading supporters rally against a supposed unethical reporters. They engage in a variety of extreme actions against anyone or anything they deem to be...
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...Violence and Video Games Aaron Kanoski Strayer University CIS 324: Computer Ethics July 24, 2012 Professor Rebecca Stephens Abstract This paper will discuss the different theories of links between violence and video games. Those who try to censor video games or make them illegal point to the theories and studies that show a tenuous link. Those in the video game industry and activists for free speech and artistic freedom out right refute or offer other reasons for the supposed link. Violence and Video Games There is no solid evidence that a link between violence and video games exit. Video games have been blamed for school shootings, violence toward women, excessive bulling, and just about any violent massacre by a young person. Critics say that violent video games desensitize children to violence, rewards them for stimulating violence, and that violence is an acceptable response to conflict. Advocates for video games say that a majority of the research is deeply flawed and that causal relationship between violent video games and social violence has not been found. Once considered just a fad of the 1970s, video games are now a 40-year-old media powerhouse that has entered the cultural mainstream. Video games are no longer considered just a children’s toy. They have become a major cultural force and artistic medium. Video games are now played in form or another, on or off line, by a majority of people around the world. In the US alone, during 2008, 97% of all twelve...
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...Yi English 110 R75 October 18, 2013 Video games: a boon, not a plague We all have that one day of the week where we just want to cut loose from the burden of work and assignments. This “free” day would be used to engage in leisure activities which would reduce stress such as playing video games. However, the video game industry has come under heavy fire from the mainstream media, whom claim that there is a direct link between video games and violence amongst gamers. Despite the numerous reports that claim it is directly related to violence, video games are beneficial because they enhance the cognitive flexibility and teach moral lessons. Video games are games that are played by electronically manipulating images produced by a computer program on a monitor or any other display. Video gaming has become increasingly popular because some people feel the need to “escape” from the harsh reality, and dive into their fantasy realm that is video games. Whether players take the role of the great detective they dream to be in “L.A. Noire” and bring criminals to justice, or a Dark Lord of the Sith and spread fear across the galaxy in “Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic”, they indefinitely found their place and enthusiasm in video games. As a matter of fact, certain genres of video games are now played as a competitive sport; Counter-Strike (First Person Shooter), Starcraft (Real Time Strategy) and even the football simulated game of FIFA are now played as a competitive sport...
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...Video Games Negative or Positive? Do video games have a direct correlation with the aggression and violence in the people who play them? This is the controversy discussed in the following articles. Jack Hollingdale of the University of Sussex, UK and Tobias Greitemeyer of the University of Innsbruck, Austria have collaborated in writing The changing face of aggression: the effect of personalized avatars in a violent video game on levels of aggressive behaviors. Hollingdale and Greitemeyer argue that “Studies have found that exposure to violent video games correlates negatively with helping behaviors in the real world and, as a result, exposure to violent video games poses a public health threat to children and youth” (Hollingdale and Greitemeyer 1). However, Christopher J Ferguson from Texas A&M International University, the department of behavioral applied science and criminal justice, sees the more positive side of the violent video games. In his article Blazing Angels or Resident Evil? Can Violent Video Games Be a Force for Good he disputes that “the negative effects of violent games have been exaggerated by some elements of the scientific community, fitting with past cycles of media-forced moral panics” (Ferguson 1). Both articles use statistics and specific examples to prove their thesis. Ferguson uses the claim of value more than claims of fact which seem to discredit his argument. Hollingdale and Greitmeyer support their thesis with psychological studies...
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...Rebecca Lock Section – 021 Tuesday, March 25th 2014 The area of interest that I will be looking through is violence and sexism. The object of this focus will be the game “Grand Theft Auto V”. The game is described as an open world, action –adventure video game. The player may use various explosives and firearms to fight enemies including running over people with vehicles (Rockstar North, 2013). The first common sense claim is that the game “normalizes” violence. This means actually leading people to be more violent through desensitization. The second common sense claim is that the game’s depiction of women is misogynistic in nature. Therefore leading people to hate or dislike females through the game’s supposed misogynistic undertones. The game represents various females throughout the game as, strippers, prostitutes, typical “bimbos”, and long-suffering nagging housewives. Our responses to cultural and media influences vary greatly from person to person, and the conditions in which they are encoded in (O'Brien & Szeman, 2014, p. 94). This can lead to varied and different responses from individuals who view the same media or cultural phenomenon (O'Brien & Szeman, 2014, p. 94). With regards to violence in video games and media in general, how many consumers of these types of images and media are actually violent? Millions of people experience games and media like this every day, wouldn’t these millions have a cause to be more violent than a normal person? A dominant-hegemonic...
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...The Misconception of Juvenile Video Game Violence The Misconception of Youth Video Game Violence A teen walks into a school with loaded weapon in hand. A young boy steals a vehicle and drives recklessly causing severe harm to others. A young girl sets her house on fire with family members inside. What do these seemingly uncommon crimes have in common? Each juvenile in these examples has played violent video games. Our media that covers these violent crimes is quick to make that point known. Often times they also erroneously blame the playing of violent video games as the root cause of these crimes. Research suggests that violence in video games does not contribute to violence in today’s youth because juvenile crimes have declined as video game popularity has increased; they in fact provide an outlet to express aggression without causing physical harm, and juvenile violence has been more commonly linked to exposure of family violence. When looking at research from the FBI, crime rates involving juveniles over the past 30 years have declined. In fact, in most violent crime categories the crime rate among our youth is at an all-time low (Butts, J. 2013). At first, this information may be hard to believe. It shouldn’t however, because violence among youth commonly ends up making headline national news. For this reason, we end up being exposed to the details on many of these youth related violent crimes. This can make it difficult to put actual facts into...
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