The Effects Of Video Game Violence On Human Aggression Essay example

Hundreds of studies have been done to determine whether violent video games will really make juveniles more violent. Randomized experiments were used in several studies to examine the short-term effect of violent video games (Anderson and Berkowitz et al. 90). In these studies, children were randomly assigned to play violent or nonviolent video games and then were observed when given an opportunity to be aggressive. The result was that children who played violent video games usually behaved aggressively.

The main argument of this article is that video games have a direct link to short term and long term aggression. The author presents this argument by providing studies from peer reviewed articles that all conclude that video games do cause an increase of aggression. The main point of this article is to answer the question, “Do violent video games lead to aggression.” The article is about the effects of violent video games leading to aggression. The author uses recent examples, like the Sandy Hook and Washington Navy Yard shooting. In both of these examples, the author cites that both shooters had a history with playing violent video games. The author uses a study which selected individuals to play violent video games for a certain period of time. The study would then compare the results to a group who played non-violent video games. The study concluded that violent video games cause a direct link in aggression due to humans reenacting the actions the characters within the video games perform.

Some say that video games give them a break from what is happening in their life, and others use video games as entertainment with friends. “It is just as likely that young people with primary, aggressive behavior or antisocial traits preferentially select to play violent video games for recreational purposes” (Porter & Starcevic, 2007). Many adolescents can see it as a way to get rid of their anger and frustration by being able to kill fictional characters. Along with this, studies have shown that with the amount of violence seen, teenagers are more accepting and tolerant of violent behavior (Nowak, Kremar, & Farrar, 2008). The more time that players spend on violent video games, there is a bigger chance that they are going to act violently when provoked. Not only do violent games contribute to the increase of violent actions, but also the profanity that the characters say can increase violent acts (Ivory & Kaestle, 2013). The make up of violent video games is causing aggressive behavior in teenagers, especially because they are the age group that spends the most time playing the games (Anderson, 2011). People are starting to realize what actions can be picked up by playing video games. The state of California tried to help stop the trend of teenagers being influenced by video games, but they were soon shot down.

Anderson, Craig A. (2003). An update on the effects of playing violent video games. Retrieved October 5, 2010 from http://inst.eecs.berkeley.edu/~cs10/fa09/dis/02/extra/update_violence.pdf

Over the past few centuries,video games have become a great leisure and hobby among kids of all ages and cultures. With the advancement of technology, video games have advanced highly in its realism and genres. This high type of advancement brought the video game industry to a multi-billion dollar industry. However, with realism, comes negative effects as well. Ever since the creation of violent or “mature” video games, there has been a constant debate on whether it will increase violence in the player. Although, not all video games are violent, and just increase skills in a player such as hand-eye coordination. Nevertheless, there is research going on for the link between violent video games and youth violence. The question is which event happens first in the sequence, do violent video games aggravate a person’s violent behavior, or does a person get rid of their anger through playing violent video games? Either way, violent video games are not beneficial to our society.

According to Hollingdale and Greitemeyer (2014), Video games that are violent are identified as very popular games that are played by the consumers. There is a concern that violent video games may pose a public health risk due to the levels of aggression due to the effects of the video games. In a cross sectional studies it has been found that there is a positive correlations with real life and video game aggression. Also in longitudinal studies shows that playing violent video games constantly it can predict that there may be later aggression even after controlling for initial levels of aggression. Experimental studies have showed that playing the video game is a factor of an increase level of

These experimental studies find a strong relationship between playing violent video games and increasing in aggressive thoughts. Also, these studies revealed significant effects of violent video games on aggressive behavior, cognition, and on prosocial behavior. This article provides evidence in my argument on how significant exposure to violent video game tends to increase the risk of developing aggressive behavior in real life. Furthermore, children exposed to violent material via the media potentially develop increased attitudes of hostility and show decreased emotional response to violent acts against others.

The link between violent video games and increased aggression in players is most studied and established in the field, but it still requires more research in order to conclude that violent video games are turning people into real criminals. A more comprehensive study, taking a bigger sample size of varied age groups and gender is required in this area to overcome the gaps in research.

Simulated violence in video games is extremely disturbing, affecting the minds and everyday life of young residents. Violence in video games impact people negatively because it affects behavior, aggression, and causes addiction that poorly influence the gamer.

Risky behavior by children and young adults can include violence against others or lack of remorse for consequences. The type of faulty thinking creates stressors in children which can lead to the onset of many symptoms. Children who partake in video game violence are more likely to have increased feelings of hostility, decreased emotional response to the portrayal of violence, and injury that lead to violent behavior through imitation. A new study employing state-of-the-art brain-scanning technology says that violent video games can cause an individual to become violent. Researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine 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. In short, when playing a violent game, an individual’s brain processes the game playing as “fictional”, but later can project some of the unknown effects as violence or aggression.

Psychological Science journal has concluded “that violent video games increase aggressive behavior in children and young adults.” The review goes on to say “Analyses also reveal that exposure to violent video games increases

Ever since the video game was invented many years ago, violent, bloody games have existed also. Some include killing zombies, shooting people, and fighting that ends in either someone dying or being hurt. The outcome remains the same, and a select few continue to live out these games throughout their daily life. These games can sometimes cause people to become angry. Although, some video games may have a negative effect on some people’s lives, other reasons such as their home life can be a factor in these people’s behavior.

Anderson C. & Bushman B. 2001. Effects of violent video games on aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, aggressive affect, physiological arousal and prosocial behavior: A meta-analysis. Psychology and Science 12, 353–359

This article provides a brief overview of existing research on the effects of exposure to violent video games. An updated meta-analysis reveals that exposure to violent video games is significantly linked to increases in aggressive behavior, cognition, affect, and cardiovascular arousal, and to decreases in helping behavior. Experimental studies reveal the linkage is causal. Correlational studies reveal a links to serious, real types of violence. Methodologically weaker studies yielded smaller effect sizes than methodologically stronger studies, suggesting that previous meta-analytic studies of violent video games do not compare to the true magnitude of observed deleterious effects on behavior, cognition, and affect.

For years now, we millennials (and post ’95 kids) have had the luxury of experiencing the boost and advances of technology first hand. From the internet to cell phones, movies and music to videogames, we have a plethora of sources to seek entertainment. Video games were a large amount of my childhood (they still are), and I found that playing video games- both violent and non-violent- were constantly engaging me in stimulating exercises that helped my perceptual-motor and memory, decision making, problem-solving and social skills. For years now I have heard the countless public beliefs that violent video games are related to aggressive and sometimes lethal behaviors, and I wanted to examine the evidence publicized in the media. These games are said to desensitize gamers to real life violence, which is usually seen in the younger, more impressionable crowd. These studies especially focus on 1v1, player-on-player violent games. Predictably, these claims arise when we reference school shootings, gang related crimes and other domestic terrorist acts conducted by our youth. It is too easy to quickly blame something like a violent video game for their behavior, even though other studies have shown that video games can produce positive outcomes, such as good problem solving skills, cooperation in a group and the ability to think and decide on the spot. Within this paper I will be looking closely at how some of these tests were conducted- analyzing if they were valid- considering