Abstract Research on exposure to television and movie violence suggests that playing violentvideogames will increase aggressivebehavior. Playing violentvideogames also decreases prosocial behavior. Laboratory exposure to a graphically violentvideogame increased aggressive thoughts and behavior. Videogame violence has a positive effect on aggressivebehavior. By reducing exposure to violence, children can reduce their outward aggressivebehavior.
Abstract This paper relates that teens who play violentvideogames subsequently can become involved in violentbehavior. The author points out the military's use of violentvideogames to train soldiers. The paper relates the effect on the brain of violentvideogames.
From the Paper "Violent video games promote teen violence. These games have come under attack in recent years because they have been associated with a corresponding increase in violence among the teens that play them. Following the Columbine shootings at ...."
Abstract This paper examines the effects of violentvideogames on teens and contends that the games promote violence. The paper makes the point that the military used violentvideogames to train soldiers and it increased violentbehaviors.
From the Paper "Violent video games have come under attack in recent years because they have been associated with a corresponding increase in violence among the teens that play them. Following the Columbine shootings, at least seven states proposed bills restricting the sale of violent games. However an equally strong contingent on the opposite side of the issue brought legal challenges to bear on every one of the bills."
Abstract This paper examines studies pertaining to violentvideogames as encouragers of aggressive behaviour. The paper explains that these studies take different approaches to the same mechanism that much previous research has asserted to exist between young people who play violentvideogames and observable aggression expressed in their thinking and self-expression or behaviour. The writer points out that one paper was found to be more thoughtful, varied, less reductive and more generative of new questions than the others towards reflection on what studies of this variety can produce in terms of useful or stimulating information. The writer then looks at how all three studies indicate the sway in psychology of what previous studies have found in numbers, in studies of varying quality or small differences seeming to be unanimous in correlating violentvideogames and user aggression. The writer concludes that many studies addressing violentvideogames in relation to aggression obviously point to an unspoken question as to why such aggression of sometimes very serious forms is demonstrated by many persons in North America - a society that has attained one of the highest standards of living, ever seen.
From the Paper "A comment is made on violent media as known to produce aggressive behaviour according to various studies of different kinds. The conclusion repeats the introduction's statement on violent video games perhaps inducing automatic aggressive associations of the self. However, the reader is never quite sure what aggressive associations of the self are. One presumes that a student of a certain age has enough insight to report that, yes, he or she is aware of feeling angry or 'wired up' after interacting with a violent video game, but this need mean very little. Perhaps a student having had a difficult morning or a delayed trip to school would report that he or she also felt aggressive, or a student having had to deal with an intense, unpleasant experience of another kind. Again, is aggression anger, or anger expressed outwardly, or annoyance?"
Abstract This paper discusses how violentvideogames should be a clear cause for concern among all American citizens, especially parents and teachers and how children are the most at-risk group for developing signs of increased aggression due to playing too many violentvideogames for too long. It contends that American culture is violent enough without school shootings and that psychologists and sociologists need to study the effects of videogame violence more so that public policy can better reflect the needs of children and of all citizens. It concludes that, because preliminary studies show at least a correlation between violentvideogames and aggressive physiological response as well as emotional, mental, and physical aggression, violentvideogames should be banned or at least restricted.
From the Paper "As Walsh notes, "Pong" was one of the first video games, an innocuous non-violent digital version of table tennis. Pong evolved quickly into combat games that involved the player blasting spaceships to bits or hitting creatures on the head with mallets. Some violent video games even came with toy guns in place of the joystick, so that viewers could shoot at targets physically. Nothing could be closer to inducing actual violence than a game with a gun. Many of the violent games using guns are hunting games, implying that violence against animals might also be an added concern. Today, video games are more violent than they ever have been; they have come a long way since Pong. Games like Doom and Mortal Kombat require constant killing of enemies. In many cases the imagery that accompanies the killing is gory. Blood spurts through the air and splatters on-screen. Severed limbs tremble and spew bodily fluids. Ultra-realistic settings make the viewer feel even more like he or she has been transported to another world, that the game is a semblance of reality."
Abstract This paper examines the question of whether children behave aggressively because of something genetic (nature) or whether something in the environment (nurture) causes violentbehavior. In particular, the paper discusses the effect of violentvideogames on children and argues that violentvideogames do have a negative effect on children. The paper contains an annotated bibliography.
From the Paper "The issue of nature versus nurture and which is causes violent behavior is not easy to resolve. All human beings have a capacity to be violent, especially when aroused or threatened, but most people are able to control their impulses. Boys who play violent video games are being aroused artificially by the images, music, and action of the games. The arousal is artificial because there is no threat to their physical safety. The "fight or flight" mechanism is induced. Even if only a few boys learn to be the kind of man touted in these games, the effect can be very disastrous for society. The manufacturers of violent video games are exploiting for profit the boys' need to explore their manhood. That's immoral. The companies lack a sense of social responsibility."
Abstract The paper discusses the trend of children playing violentvideogames and looks at studies that prove how the aggression impacts their mental, behavioral and emotional development. The paper reveals the limitations of measures that have been implemented in order to control the influences of videogames. The paper contends that our society, including the government and parents, has failed miserably in protecting our children from these harmful stimuli. The paper therefore calls for violentvideogames to be completely banned for children.
From the Paper "The video game industry has become a major source of entertainment for children and adolescents worldwide. As a consequence, children and adolescents have been spending a significant amount of time playing violent video games. The average American child spends more than 5 hours a day consuming screen media; almost as much as the time spent in school (Carnegy, Anderson & Bartholow, 2007). This includes television, films and playing video games. The average amount of time spent playing video games has nearly doubled from 26 minutes to 49 minutes per day in the past 5 years."
Abstract The paper shows that with the rise in violence among American teenagers, the media has been quick to link this trend with violentvideogames. The paper argues that this assumption is premature and inconclusive and looks at several studies done on the subject to prove this point.
From the Paper "Since the tragic incident in Littleton, Colorado where two troubled young boys killed and wounded many of their classmates and themselves, our society has been looking for an answer to what happened. What would make two young boys kill other students and themselves? It is well known that the boys played video games, and Doom was a favorite. Doom is a first-player action game where the gamer makes his or her way through a series of levels killing opponents. In the search for answers, the media was quick to link the game and its violent content to the cause of what went wrong for these boys. This is too simple of an answer and is not a fair assessment of video games, at least based on current research. While research in other media has shown links between violent content and aggressive behavior, this is not true about violent video games."
Abstract According to a recent survey, nine out of ten U.S. households with children have rented or owned a video or computer game and nearly a third of the Top 100 video-console games for the first quarter of 1999 had at least some sort of violent content. This paper looks at the effect these games have on the emotional, moral and social well-being of children. The paper covers issues such as the gradual changing of the 'bad-guys' from monsters and imaginary characters to real people, thus legitimizing violentbehavior, as well as looking at the link between violentvideogames and events such as the Columbine High School shooting. Finally, the paper looks at the possibility of banning these videogames and the difficulties involved.
From the Paper "Opponents of violent video games usually argue that games such as Doom or Quake help break down the natural inhibitions we have against killing and in the U.S. the military has begun using Doom-like games to improve so-called fire rates ? encouraging soldiers to pull the trigger in battle. Only about one-fifth of U.S. soldiers in combat in World War II fired their weapons, a rate that the military pushed up to 95% by the Vietnam War, in part through the use of simulations meant to make shooting at humans seem more routine and "normal" (Slatalla)."
Abstract This paper looks at whether or not violentvideogames promote violence in children. The paper takes the position that they do, although there is very little evidence to date that supports this view.
Abstract Videogames have become an increasing popular pastime. These new games are becoming increasingly realistic, making it more and more difficult for youth, especially the very young to depict the differences in reality. This paper looks at the correlation between highly violent and gory games and an increase of violent activity in the people who play them. It discusses how these games affect a person's memory and cognitive development.
From the Paper "In today's high tech, fast paced society with computer and video gaming evolving into and consuming our free time, the effects of its results are becoming increasingly evident. The mind as they say, is a terrible thing to waste, and with video gaming becoming so popular what will this trend do to the minds of those who play them. The mind is an awesomely complex, yet elegantly simple. It is the best organized three pounds, (bigger in some but not necessarily better) of matter in the universe. It applies an infinite number of cognitive models and systems to help it develop and establish what it can perceive as reality. There are billions of interconnected neurons that send out and receive messages. Each module in our brain serves a very specific function. While the human brain is highly developed and able to interpret its environment in a sophisticated way that no other animal can it is still an organ. The human brain while individually unique had the basic animalistic instincts that meet our needs for survival these instincts are very primitive and have remained virtually unchanged throughout evolution. These primitive emotional systems play a much more powerful role in shaping our thoughts and behaviors than once thought."
Abstract This paper examines the effect violentvideogames have on children. There are several cases cited that link videogames to violence, murder and even the Columbine shootings. The paper includes numerous quotes and supporting statistics.
From the Paper "Many of these games devalue human life and reward violent actions. There are also games that lead to addictive and compulsive disorders that can harm younger users. There is legislation on the horizon to assist parents with this growing problem. However, it is ultimately parental supervision that will keep children from exposure to inappropriate video games. It is not 1981 anymore and video game violence is much more serious than a joystick shaped bruise on the arm. The violence depicted in modern video games can affect young players in such a dramatic way that they may harm themselves or others after prolonged exposure."
Abstract This paper takes a look at both sides of the debate regarding violentvideogames and their effect on youth. The paper begins with the assumption that violentvideogames do not make youth more violent and, in fact, help youths with already violent tendencies channel their aggression in a less harmful manner. The paper thus examines the contention that playing violentvideogames does not have a negative affect on the behavior of the adolescent as well as the contention that youths that play violentvideogames do not become more violent.
Table of Content
Literature Review
Methodology
Conclusions
From the Paper "No people before or since have so reveled in displays of mortal combat as did the Romans during the last two centuries B.C. and the first three centuries thereafter, nor derived such pleasure from spectacles in which slaves and convicts were exposed to wild beasts and killed in front of cheering spectators. Video games, one of the most prolific forms of violent entertainment in the world today, seems to pale in comparison to the brutality of the Romans. However, critics claim that video games such as Mortal Kombat, Duke Nukem, and Doom are not only inundated with violence, but that playing such games may be having a harmful effect on the youth. Senator Joseph Lieberman stated in 1998, "these games... are part of a toxic culture, that is helping to desensitize them (youths) and blur the lines between right and wrong, and encouraging some of them to commit violence," Despite this growing concern, children still seem to be spending time playing video games. Several studies have examined the impact that gaming has on individual's aggressive tendencies. Some of the research indicated that there was a relationship between playing video games and aggression, while other studies found that there was no indication of increased aggression after playing a video game."
Abstract The paper explores whether violentvideogames have a detrimental effect on children and how they cause behavior changes. The paper examines various research studies and concludes with the consensus that violentvideogames can contribute to violentbehavior for some players, notably for young males who play for many hours at a time. The paper also emphasizes, however, that the games are not creating an entire generation of violent people as some have claimed and the degree of effect will differ greatly from one person to another and one group to another.
From the Paper "Concerns about the effect of media violence on children extends back at least to the beginning of the mass media, with the issue raised with reference to films, radio, television, comic books, and so on. As technology brings new types of media to the fore, the issue shifts to depictions of violence in these new media. Both popular sources and scholarly address this issue, asking in effect how violent video games change children's behavior and make them more violent, assuming that it is believed that this is the case."
Abstract The writer argues that even the most violentvideogames have educational aspects in specific instances, such as regarding the military, and it is only children who do not understand the line between the fictional videogame world and the real world who may take their violentvideogame skills into life. The writer contends that this is not the fault of the videogame or the videogame manufacturer, but it should be the parents' responsibility to monitor activity. The writer also argues against the belief that violence becomes a conditioned characteristic and suggests that the violent outlet these games provide actually cause a decrease in real life crime. The writer then highlights the problems in studying and generalizing conclusions about violence in videogames. The writer therefore concludes that one cannot assume violence in videogames will lead to an increased violentbehavior among children or adults who play these games.
From the Paper "Since video games first appeared on the market, parents and experts have been questioning how they will affect children in long run. More specifically, most wonder if the violence found in video games will translate to violence in real life. A number of studies have been done, supporting theories on both sides of this argument. However, when presented with the facts, one can see that video games clearly do have a bearing on violence in real life among children and even adult users."
Tags: crime, conditioning, Bobo, video, culture, entertainment
