The Effects Of Violent Video Games

An Iowa State University News Service article featuring three studies done by Iowa State University psychology professors Craig Anderson and Douglas Gentile makes note of this and in their research, the professors looked into whether violent video game exposure led to more violent behavior in children and adolescents or not (“ISU Psychologists” 449). In their three studies, they noted that kid’s games in general have a behavioral effect, that students who played violent video games were more violent or in favor of violence, and that violent video games may lead to poor performance in school as well as a higher rate of social rejection (“ISU Psychologists” 450). Regarding this information, a major increase in aggression in individuals would definitely run the risk of being detrimental in many cases, especially in regard to children. Since children are still in a developmental stage, violent video game could potentially have more of an overall impact. However, in some cases, it can be argued that perhaps video game-related aggression can be a good thing because it’s only a minor amount of aggression in most people, and this minor amount of aggression can be a good thing as it can provide a competitive boost. Even violent video games may have some sort of benefit to the

While violent video games have increased as a form of entertainment, an issue has begun to form on whether violent video games have a negative impact on children and adolescents. Steven F. Gruel (2010) formed an argument about the negative impacts of violent video games on children. The purpose of this paper is to critique Gruel’s argument by finding flaws and strengths using the methods of claims without data, overgeneralization, failing to cite sources, and considering alternative explanations.

Since violent video games, like Mortal Kombat, were created, adolescents who play these games become more aggressive than before. To me, playing violent video games is unsafe for these people since they have the negative influence on these people. I believe that researching on that topic would help us get the sense of what problems to avoid. I wish to know what are the possible effects of violent video games on adolescents’ aggression. The independent variable is violent video games, and the dependent variable is adolescents’ aggression. My hypothesis is that adolescents who play violent video games become very aggressive than those who don’t. For this essay, I would like to present the findings from each article that will answer

A video game is “an electronic game in which players control images on a television or computer screen” (Merriam-Webster). Video games have been entertaining and challenging gamers since the Game Boy to modern console games. Despite the simplicity of the definition of video games, a video game, especially ones containing violence can have a large effect on the gamer. Because of the realism and advancements in the video game industry, video games can influence the player, and can make the gamer more aggressive, even if the game is not a violent video game. Even though video games have grown in popularity over the past decade, some have not been too popular with parents, for the reason that they are too violent. Violent video games affect

Violent video games have been a popular pass time for American teenagers ever since the first ones were released. The most popular of these games are Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty, Mortal Kombat, and Doom. It has become a popular belief that these games are directly linked to violent behaviors in our youth. Numerous scholars have set out to determine the validity of these assumptions through vast surveys and studies in America. All of these scholars share the belief that violent video games affect the minds of teenagers in some way, but they do not necessarily agree on whether the effects are constructive or deconstructive in the development of young minds. Russell Laczniak, author of Parental Restrictive Meditation and Children’s

The possible harmful side effects of violent video games has been long debated for many years, especially in light of recent tragedies such as the Columbine shootings which was initially thought to have been caused by excessive violent video game play. Over the years, many professional health associations have joined in agreement of these harmful effects (Anderson, Ihori, Bushman, Rothstein, Shibuya, Swing, Sakamoto & Saleem, 2010). Past research has revealed evidence that violent video games and media violence increases the likelihood of aggressive and violent behavior in both short and long term contexts (Anderson & Dill, 2000). However, because video game violence is a newer phenomenon with this technology emerging in the late 80’s and early 90”s, research is still very limited (Anderson et al., 2010). Nevertheless, Anderson and Dill (2000) produced two quantitative research studies in their published article, “Video Games and Aggressive Thoughts, Feelings, and Behavior in the Laboratory and in Life” using the General Affective Aggressive Model formulation, which revealed a correlation between video game violence and increased aggressive behaviors in both long and short term frameworks.

A violent video game is defined as a video game where the range of options available to a player includes killing, maiming, dismembering, or sexually assaulting an image of a human being (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2010). For many years there has been increasing concern by the general public, policy makers and social scientists as to whether or not violent video games have a negative influence on the behaviour of youth. With the popularity of the gaming culture growing dramatically amongst children and adolescences; the marketing of violent video games to youth has become increasingly successful, allowing such games to become more easily obtainable regardless of age (Anderson et al 2007). Consequently, the increase has raised the question of exactly what impact exposure to these highly graphic games has on the younger generation; resulting in a range of research and studies to continue to take place on the subject. It has become the norm in most modern societies to associate violent video games as a considerable cause to the violent and aggressive outbursts of youth (Ferguson 2010). Some even go as far as connecting some crimes committed by young people as a result of their exposure to violent video games. While others claim there is no link between violent video games and negative youth behaviour; some suggesting that violent video games have a positive impact on the behaviour of youth.

Many people claim that violent video games increase aggression, however, this is not true. There has been an enormous amount of research done looking for any links violent video games and violence acts committed, and researchers haven't found any. Dr. Christopher Ferguson, a psychology professor at Texas A&M International University, cited data from federal criminal justice agencies showing that serious violent crimes among youths have decreased since 1996, even as video game sales have increased. Some research shows that almost over 97% of American boys own or have a violent video game in the there house. That's almost a 50% increase from

First, violent video games can cause many behavior changes. According to Issue 2836 of “US Today Magazine”, “... 67% of parents and 90% of pediatricians agree that violent video games can increase aggressive behavior among children.” Also the article states that from the opinions of researchers, 8 out of 10 agree that violent video games make children angrier or more aggressive. These results mean that more than half the people who debate this topic say it is true teens or children who play violent video games

According to the article “Shooting in the Dark” author, Benedict Carey, states that studies today on violent video games show no concrete evidence on actually long term negative effects on gamers. Mr. Carey is not a researcher or scientist but is a veteran writer of neuroscience, neurology, and psychology. Throughout this article he gives factual evidence and quotes from scholarly sources such as doctors and researchers in the fields of behavior and psychology. The author gives ample explanation on evidence used from his sources to give the optimal understanding to the reader of the results and/or findings given by the sources. The article connects to the modern age of gamers with examples from big name video

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

The negative impacts that are associated with violent gaming are a growing list. These many negative effects could build up into a more serious situation, with all of the possible outcomes of these side-effects mixing together it could quite possibly take a turn for the worse. The use of violent video games could cause players to participate in criminal violence, because of the increased levels of aggression and rage. NBC News reported of a gory incident in January of 2013, which involved Nehemiah Griego and his murderous actions toward his parents and three of his siblings in his home. The fifteen year old boy killed his family because he had been angry with his mother in the days before the murders. When questioned about his family, the boy was emotionless, but immediately after the investigators asked what his interests were, his face lit up and he immediately began reminiscing about his favorite video games, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and Grand Theft Auto (2013). Common sense media explains the game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, with a vivid description; a “bloody military shooting game with disturbing cinematic moments” (n.d.). Could Griego’s avid gaming schedule, and love for the bloody first-person shooting game be slightly related to his urge to kill (2013b)? His decision to kill all the occupants of his house did not solely result from one night of gaming, for it was an accumulation of risk factors. It is likely that his love for gaming could have had an

What images pop up in your head when you hear the word aggression? Have you ever thought whether violence portrayed in different forms of media make people more aggressive? The immediate reaction to such a word is fighting or violence. Many issues are determinants of aggression but media violence has played a huge role in influencing aggressive behavior. Over the past years, aggression has been tied to numerous video games that are violent in many different ways. Aggression has been defined as “behavior motivated by feelings of anger and hostility and whose primary aim is to harm another, either physically or psychologically (Gilovich, Keltner, Chen & Nisbett, 2016). Even though individuals do not realize, many aspects pertaining to violent video games have been thought to be correlated with aggression in individuals who play them. Some issues include how violent they are, how long the games are engaged in and what age the individual is. In this present paper, the timing of a violent video game and its role in influencing aggression, is investigated.

When films were first created, they were not always treated as the art form that they're known as today. They were treated as inferior to classic art forms like paintings and music. However, with time films have began to be respected as art and with that, many people analyzre the various ways they effect people. In a mirror image, video games have only been around since the early 1980's having many people believe the same thing that they did when films were first created. What follows is an analysis of how video games affect the end-user i.e. Gamer physically, mentally, socially, emotionally, and culturally.

Since the late 1990s there have been a continuous increase in the standard of lifelike violence in video games. The emergence of "first person shooter" really changed the how the player felt like they were actually in a battle. This intensified the gameplay and engaged the player a lot more in the game. With new features that are even more recent like Virtual Reality you get a full 360-degree view of any game you play and you get the feeling that you are actually in the game. There are two sides to the argument of violent video games effect on children. Steven F Gruel represents the people that believe yes, violent video games are harmful to children and cause increase in aggression, poor performance in school, and damage to higher level thinking. Patricia A. Millett represent the people that believe no, there is no correlation between playing violent video games and an increase in aggression. Both Millet and Gruel use serves to discredit each other's belief. They both make great points for each side of the argument, but Millett specifically discredits all of the evidence that Gruel uses to prove his point. Millett also has her own evidence that is more reliable and valid and shows that there is no correlation between violent video games and increase in aggressive behavior.