...Do Violent Video Games Influence Youth Violence Noel Averruz EN1420 ITT-Technical Institute Ever Since Violent Video Games were invented People have been trying to prove that they influence Violence in Juveniles. Although many prospective studies have been done on video game violence and the affect they have on the youth, none have been able to completely validate the claim that violent video games do influence the youth to become violent in their everyday lives. Out of the many studies that have been done to examined video game violence and the influences it has on player aggression none of the results necessarily tap well into serious aggression or violence. One of these studies was performed by Dr. Ferguson who recruited 302 mainly Hispanic youth between the ages of 10 and 14 years. Dr. Ferguson recruited these youth from some of the most at risk areas for these youth which included places that had neighborhood problems like gangs and rebellion against authority figures. The youth were interviewed twice, once at the beginning of the study and the second time 1 year later. Dr. Ferguson took many variables into consideration like exposure to violence through violent video games and violent TV shows and movies. He also took into consideration the effects of negative life events, negative relationships with adults, negative or delinquent peers. Dr. Ferguson also looked at the youth’s life at home. He took into account how the youth’s communicated with their parents and...
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...Video Games and Juvenile Delinquency The connection between video games and increased youth delinquency is debatable (“Violent video,” 2013). Social science has definitively settled some of the questions. Cumulative evidence gathered from numerous academic studies makes one side of the argument persuasive (Regoli, Hewitt, &DeLisi, 2011). The relation between increased violence and video games is an example of contested academic terrain. Recent research demonstrates the existence of a strong link between video games and youth violence (KimHun-Soo& KimHyun-Sil, 2008). The connection between video games and the real world violence is obvious. Apparently, the media seems to furnish new evidence relating to the same issue. For example, the perpetrator of Norway’s masskillings confessed to having watched a shooting game before committing the crime (Regoli et al., 2011). Playing video games has a direct link to aggressive and violent acts among young adults. Extensive literature in psychology shows increased propensity to violent acts after playing video games (“Violent video,” 2013). The findings relate to an increase in delinquency and violence among the youths. Indeed, exposure to violent video games is directly proportional to aggression and antisocial behaviour. Domain-specific theories on aggression and delinquency explain the relationship between video games and antisocial behaviour (Regoli et al., 2011). General Aggression Model, a comprehensive meta-theory...
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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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...The Impact of Media on Youth Violence COM/156 April 26, 2013 Dr. P. University of Phoenix The Impact of Media on Youth Violence Children today do not spend as much time outside playing as compared to 25 years ago. In that time aggression rates in children have increased and here is why: Mass Media. Has anyone ever wondered what children are watching and what impact it is having on the children? Are parents aware of the types of video games their children are watching or what sites they are viewing when on the Internet? Would it be shocking to hear that children will see more than 16,000 murders and 200,000 violent acts because of mass media by the time they are 18? Aggression in children can be linked to violence in mass media, the amount of time spent on mass media, and desensitization to mass media. Children often have aggressive tendencies that can be linked back to mass media they are partaking in: movies and television shows containing violence, as well as playing video games that contain violence. Huesmnn (2007) wrote research evidence has accumulated over the past half-century that exposure to violence on television, movies, and most recently in video games increases the risk of violent behavior on the viewer’s part…the recent increase in the use of mobile phones, text messaging, e-mail, and chat rooms by our youth have opened new venues for social interaction in which aggression can occur. (The Impact of Electronic Media Violence: Scientific Theory and...
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...Article Rebuttal: Do Video Games Contribute to Youth Violence? Caren Evans XBCOM 275 Mr. Abel January 30, 2014 There has been much controversy over whether or not violent video games contribute to youth violence. The opposition may point out studies, such as playing violent video games desensitizes players to real-life violence and is responsible for the increase in bullying. In 2007, 32 percent of students aged 12 to 18 reported being bullied at school, compared to only 5 percent in 1999 (Dinkles, Kemp, Baum, and Snyder, 2008). However, this does not show a direct link between youth behavior and violent video games. According to many sources, such as the Bureau of Justice Statistics; Entertainment Software Association in 2005, violent crimes declined as video game sales increased. In 1996, video game sales neared 4 billion dollars and the violent crime offences was approximately 3.75 million; however, in 2003, video game sales was approximately 7 billion and the violent crime offences were just under 2 million. There have even been controlled studies in which Paul Levinson demonstrated the lack of linking violent video games to youth violence and pointed out some fallacies. The example that Levinson used in 2007 was a controlled study. Two groups of kids, chosen at random to ensure the groups were equivalent, participated in a video game study. One group played a violent video game, while the other played a non-violent game. This study gave the kids the chance to play...
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...Article 1 Do video games cause violence, or do more aggressive youths play video games? This is the argument being discussed in this first article. Bringing forth evidence to support his statements are following studies that have yet to find ground as this topic is difficult to prove either way. The thought process being that certain violent instances in the recent past are the direct result of “Video gamers who seemed to be acting out some dark fantasy” (Carey, 2013, p.1). To support his argument, Carey discusses several studies, though most at this point are inconclusive. From statements made by research psychologists, to studies done to show the effects of violent video games and how youths exposed to the effects said they are to have on aggression levels in these youths. The possibility also exists that aggressive youths can also be a direct result of family life and the exposure to aggressive behavior. In essence these youths are acting out habitual aggression. Carey makes mention of the three categories research falls into which consist of short-term laboratory experiments; longer-term studies, and correlation studies (2013, p. 6). Discussion of how playing these violent video games and how it “stirs the blood” (Carey, 2013, p. 7) was one study conducted. The results were that the youths that played a violent video game for 15 minutes were more likely to give fellow classmates large helpings of hot sauce, knowing these classmates didn’t like hot sauce,...
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...Violence in Video Games There has been a debate for years on whether or not violence in video games cause behavioral problems in kids. In this Essay we are going to attempt to take a look at this debate and try to find out once and for all which side has the more legitimate case. The debate over this issue spans back more than two decades and with technology improving leaps and bounds over the past ten years games have become more realistic and violent. In a study in 2013 Doctors Christopher Ferguson and Cheryl Olson discovered violent video games such as Grand Theft Auto, HALO, and Mortal Combat did not cause High Risk Teens those with depression or an attention disorder to become more aggressive or delinquents (Nauert). In fact this study did show a slight calming effect on children with attention disorders. It also showed that it helped calm aggression in those high risk teens as well. This study was important because it goes against the belief that violent games have an effect on teens to become more violent and act out it shows that Societal Violence plays a bigger part on the influence of kids than video games do (Nauert). Ferguson and Olson studied 377 teens with an average age of thirteen from all different backgrounds and economic circumstances. Ferguson goes on records as saying “Statistically speaking, it would actually be more unusual if a youth delinquent or shooter did not play violent video games, given that the majority of youth and young men play such games at least...
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...Nelson Bryant & amp; Stratton Introduction I want to introduce you to the world of video games and the power that it seems to possess. I will explore effects of violent video games, the addictive behavior it may cause, and how these behaviors have affected the youth of today. Then there are those who find video games to be a form of great entertainment. One professor states, ''Art has always been dangerous. It's not supposed to just reinforce happy ideals. It's supposed to be challenging.'' (Bogost, 2007, ¶ 14). History The history of video games in this country goes beyond what we as society could have imagined. I remember as child in 1988, begging my sister to let me play Pac-Man on her Atari Game System. The feeling of playing this game with colors and artistic structure that I had never encountered. Many years later I was introduced to a more futuristic video game system Nintendo. This gaming system offered educational and interactive cartridges that offered you a sense of control. But this is what video games have offered us since its patent in 1947. From a social aspect the controversy that surrounds games was developed due to censorship, violence, sexual refrains, profanity and drug distribution. Let’s explore the positives and the negatives of video games. Affirmative In 2003, video teaching systems were developed and referred to as serious games. These games were used by teachers to educate and give instruction to what is called the “Net Generation”...
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...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 it keeps kids occupied...
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...The Negative Aspects of Multi Media Katie McMullin Breckinridge School of Nursing The Negative Aspects of Social Media The influence of media on children today is profound. Today’s society is dependent upon multimedia daily. Media comes in many forms such as television, internet, video games and music videos. It effects children in many ways and has been known to cause depression, aggression, isolation and nutrition deficiency. Advertisements influence how our children preserve themselves and make them susceptible to alcohol, smoking and sex. The negative aspects of multimedia have left our children without the proper tools to live life without electronics. This leaves our youth not having the skills to communicate face to face without Discomfort, anxiety. Depression, aggression, and the feeling of isolation. Television Television has the potential to be beneficial or harmful to children. The benefits to watching TV is that there are educational shows such as Animal Planet, documentaries and some educational cartoons. For these purposes the TV can aid in the development of our children but where do the parents draw the line? TV is not being watched for beneficial purposes and turn into a negative aspect in our children’s lives. It has been shown that people have little brain activity while they are watching TV. According to The Journal of Cognitive Liberties “For a brain to comprehend and communicate complex meaning, it must be in a state of “chaotic disequilibrium...
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...Video Games and Aggression in Children Video Games and Aggression in Children Video games cause violence and aggression in children. This is a popular misconception that many people share. The fact is, according to federal crime statistics, the rate of juvenile violent crime in the United States is at a thirty year low (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2010). This comes at a time when video games are more popular, more violent and more realistic than ever before. The idea that video games expose our youth to a level of violence that will in turn lead to aggression and violence is simply false. Many people believe there are more likely causes of aggression and that video games are merely a scapegoat. I will argue that playing video games can actually have a positive effect on children, and that environment, personality, and lack of parental involvement are responsible for violence and aggression in our nation’s youth. In today’s world there are numerous reports on television and in newspapers and magazines about video games causing aggression and violence in children. Numerous politicians and watchdog groups claim that video games are leading our children down a dangerous path. This is entirely untrue. Since the early 1990s, video games have exploded in popularity. Conversely, in that same time period, violent crime rates in the United States and Canada have plummeted (Ferguson, 2008). Christopher Ferguson, a licensed psychologist and professor who researches...
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...[Your Name] [Instructor] [Class] [Date] Violent Video Games do not CAUSE VIOLENCE Introduction Correlation does not prove Causation. Since 1992, there have been 387 school shootings in America. In the wake of these tragedies, the investigators and our society have looked to find somewhere to point the blame. Some blame gun laws, some blame our school system, but almost all conclusions place at least some blame on video games. When 90% of today's teenagers video games are 90% likely to include mature levels of violence, there's clearly an issue. However, the issue is mistakenly simplified down to the equation that violence in games = violence in real life, mistakenly because correlation does not prove causation. Today, I want to talk about why video games do not cause violence, and can even be a healthy way to release aggression. body Research is inconclusive. Unfortunately, research on video games and violence is inconclusive and does not ever come to a consensus. For every study that you find that proves video games cause violence, you have a study that proves that video games have no correlation to real-life violence. Media psychologists, communication scientists, and pediatricians disagree greatly among themselves as to whether or not there is a causal relationship between gaming and violence. There is more than a 20% variation in opinion over whether or not gaming produces real-life violence. That variation does not sound convincing to us, who like to pretend we...
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...“Violence in Video Games” Video Games are something that are on the rise in today’s world. They are increasing economically and politically. Video games are something that can be enjoyed by all ages. They are a fun, fantasy TV station you get to create for yourself. Even though they are for everybody, they are targeted more towards teens. The most popular games out today are shooting and fighting games, which incorporate violence. The definition of violence is behavior involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something. People may say that these video games incorporate this term called “violence”. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. Violence is visible in Video Games, but may not fuel teens to be violent in reality. First, Violence is something that has been in this world a long time. It is something that, no matter what, will continue to happen in this world we live in. Like before, violence is a behavior involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something. There have been a lot of instances of violence in history. Not just any kind of violence, but violence that people could not imagine happening. The Columbine Shooting is a great example of this so-called “violence”. This horrific event involved two young teens that had previously been bullied in school. The bullying they went through caused a built up anger that they eventually had to release. These two teens unleashed their built up frustration...
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...ENG 1213.W1 11 October 2012 Youth Violence Ninety percent of children ages 8 to 16 play video games, some spend up to 13 hours a week doing so (Harding). Most of the video games out now include some form of violence. This is a very controversial issue. Some people of the older or “Baby Boomers” generation would blame this on the parents of those children. These violent video games and movies can cause children to desensitize the violence and also cause aggression, but violent video games do not cause violent behavior. Debates about video game violence and player aggression are likely to continue for some time. “…As video games have become more widespread over the past few decades, the incidence rate of criminal youth violence has declined…” (Ferguson 390) In order to keep from behavior becoming an issue with children, parents have to step up and teach them right from wrong and what is good and what is bad. If a television show is on that is provoking violence, then someone needs to point out to the child that it is wrong to fight, curse, etc. Most children learn from experience. As long as they are told what is acceptable from what is not they should have standard morals to know what to do when the parent is not around. It is the parents’ job to be the ones to teach their children the ethics and principles that they want them to follow. When Rihanna’s music video for “Man Down” was released, it sparked a whole new controversy. In her video she shoots the man who raped...
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...Daniyar Sarzhanov Lacie Meier ENC 1102 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...
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