This Article Provides A Brief Overview Of Existing Research

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

This article is a very useful source. Is useful because it answers the question, “Do violent video games cause an increase in aggression.” The question is answered thoroughly by the author because they cited recent studies, examples, and peer reviewed or scholarly sources that all concluded that violent video games cause an increase in aggression. The author is objective because they countered their argument by stating that

“Approximately 90 percent of kids in the U.S. play video games, and more than 90 percent of those games involve mature content that includes violence.”-(Time Health). The link between violent media and aggression in video games has also created a spawn of research studies that has gone back and forth on the issue of whether

Prolonged scenes of massive violence, graphic sexual content, and animated blood are examples of statements that the Entertainment Software Rating Board uses to depict the content in over fifty- five percent of the video games rated yearly. The debate of whether the aggressive nature of these video games influences youth violence in our country has been heatedly battled for decades. Since the mid 1980’s, it has been suggested that high profile cases of violence are due to an aggressor’s excessive video game use. However, much like a cold case the type of connection between video game use and youth violence remains without a definite answer. Most believe that video game use negatively influences child aggression acts in our country. Others firmly declare that video games provide a realm of opportunity for child development. Ultimately, it is impossible to say that video game use affects every child the same way. New studies suggest that video games do not affect every child that plays a game. Although violent video games are innocuous for the majority of adolescents between the ages of twelve and eighteen, the effects of these games are aggravated in those with pre- existing antisocial or depressive traits.

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.

Ferguson, C. (2007). The Good, The Bad and the Ugly: A Meta-analytic Review of Positive and Negative Effects of Violent Video Games. Psychiatric Quarterly, 78(4), 309-316. doi:10.1007/s11126-007-9056-9

However, by explaining the increase of video-gaming use and how media violence can increase aggression, the researchers provide valid rationale for the need of such literature review. A flaw is the possible existence of bias when searching for articles to review. A sense to prove industry leaders wrong may influence researchers to focus only on articles that have found significant effects between violent video games and aggression. Video games are known to be popular mostly among the younger population, from children to college students, so as researchers finding any effects relating to aggression and mental health is also beneficial for other motives such as raising awareness. Most importantly though, the methodology used in this meta-analysis is adequate and measures the appropriate variables associated with being or feeling aggressive, even socially and physiologically. Little information is provided about the sample in studies used for this review of literature such as how participants were selected or whether variables examined were all within the United States to consider any other factors that may lead to such results. The limitations of Anderson & Bushman’s (2001) literature review are not described so it is difficult for the reader to determine to what extent the information provided is

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

Anderson, Craig A., Douglas A. Gentile, and Katherine E. Buckley. Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents, edited by Craig A. Anderson, et al., Oxford University Press, 2007. ProQuest Ebook Central.

Over the past few decades there has been an increase in the use of video games as a pastime (Carnagey, Bushman, Anderson-2006). In the article “The effect of video game violence on physiological desensitization to real-life violence” (Carnagey, Bushman, Anderson-2006) it states over 85 percent of video games contain some violence, and

Video games have become very influential on children and adults (Stafford, 1999). With violent video games humans are more prone to act aggressively, to have aggressive thoughts and become numb towards violence (Harding, 2009). Apart from these they are

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

Many studies have shown how harmful the effects of media violence can be for over 60 years, and some recent studies have shown that there may even be a direct correlation between a one’s emotions and their exposure to the highly concentrated violence in video games. It is also known that over 85% of video games today have at the very least some type of minor violence, and about half of video games contain serious violent actions (Carnagey, 2007). This is the reason why video game violence research and literature is growing so rapidly and new studies are being reported nearly every month (Krahé, 2011). This fascinating research as well as literature explains the need for further studies on what the effects of violent video games are. This research is especially useful for new video games and the age restrictions for them. Parents will benefit a great deal from this research, helping them to better understand how violent video games may affect their children’s emotions.

The questions posed for Psychology this week is “Do violent video games increase aggressive thoughts and behaviors?” After reading chapter five in the “Psych” textbook, the obvious answer would be yes. There are countless studies that show that watching violence increase emotional arousals, aggressive behavior, and violent thoughts (Rathus 128). The studies also indicate that violent video games are also connected with aggressive behavior and an increase in aggressive thoughts (Rathus 128). Many video gamers would disagree with the numerous studies that have been done; however, if the studies prove aggression, then that is something you have to accept. The studies are not a one size

A major opposition to violence video games leading to aggression is that the research that was done is not a valid research. Henry Jenkins said “...most of those studies are inconclusive and many have been criticized on methodological grounds” (2). The studies are not inconclusive because in the studies that the researchers do they