Only recently another study was released linking violent behavior to violent video games, this time from Harris Interactive. Given how often these studies appear, is it time to accept that this link exists?
If we take at look at the study it shows that 58% of adults believe there is a direct link between playing violent video games and violent behaviour. However, 71% of the adults asked were either unaware of ESRB ratings or let their teenager/child play any video game regardless of ratings and only just over 2,000 individuals participated in the all American study.
At face value these results are inconclusive, yet we will no doubt see the media jump all over these findings and hammer home the idea, misleadingly, to the non-gaming population and worried parents. In no time at all we can probably expect a horrific gun crime to be blamed on violent video games; we’ve seen it happened in the past.
[drop]Usually I would always defend the gaming world and suggest that if we are to find the real link to violent behaviour we need to look deeper into social aspects, such as parenting and mental health issues.However, I find my opinion edging ever closer to believing that this link between games and violent behaviour exists and is, personally, worrying.
In my own experience I find gaming to be the most anger inducing activity I undertake.
Forget competitive sports, it’s online gaming, and sometimes single player campaigns, that see my blood pressure rocket and my patience wear thin. It has even reached the point that I keep a stress ball handy when I game. I’m sure other gamers can relate to this.
Whilst this doesn’t lead me to exhibit truly violent behaviour, what I have noticed is a small rising anger problem. At the moment it’s nothing major, but it’s surely unhealthy.
Of course one could suggest other reasons for this change in mind set, ones that have nothing to do with gaming. Although I’m a stranger to the stresses of the real working world, mounting university work is certainly applying pressure. Another cause may be my football refereeing, an activity where I regularly receive verbal abuse.
Both of these could easily be triggers for my anger, yet deep down I know gaming plays a role. Gaming’s an integral part of my life, so it has a significant effect on my day to day actions.
From an early age I have been allowed to play games, and watch films for that matter, rated well above my age. For example, Grand Theft Auto is one of my earliest gaming memories. Although my play time’s been limited and I was supervised occasionally whilst playing these high rated games, the fact still remains that I’ve played violent video games from a young age – wrongly some may say.
However, despite consuming entertainment rated for those older than me for years, I’ve seen no detrimental effects from those particular games and movies, and my rising anger has only emerged recently. This leads to me believe that any source of violent behaviour arising from video games, including my own recently developing anger issues, is the result of modern day gaming. By this I mean online multiplayer.
Now don’t get me wrong I think the feature is great; playing with friends online is a must these days. It also promotes healthy competition most of the time. But sometimes this competitive nature crosses the line, and you can find gamers taking the game in question too seriously (this Call Of Duty Championship is a prime example). It’s not even limited to violent games, online gaming for racing and sports games yield the same problems.
I think it’s time for these studies to disregard the actual violence in video games and focus on this extreme competitive nature shown in modern gaming.
So do I believe there is a direct link between violence in games and violent behaviour? No, but what I do believe is that online multiplayer is a direct source of violent behaviour, not the violent actions undertaken in a game. It is only natural for us to defend one of our favourite past times, particularly when attacks on gaming can be seen as unjust and unfounded.
However, I think that problems arising from online gaming need to be further explored before we truly understand if they’re having an effect on those playing them.
quinkill
Surely behaviour in this context is about our social interaction with people and weather or not it’s violent, rather than how our heartbeats faster when we’re tense in CoD.
As interesting as all this is though, There is not an ounce of proof that video games are directly linked to violent behaviour. All the statistics above are based on ‘belief’ as is the conclusion of the article. Which is fine, I have no problem with other opinions. I just have a problem when they’re based purely on speculation and seem to have more in common with the tenuous links between heavy metal and real violence or violent movies and real violence. Games are an easy target to blame societal violence on just as Rock and Roll was and Tarrentino was and sometimes still is.
ron_mcphatty
I think there’s a potential for behavioural influence from all sorts of media and, to be fair, individuals. Are the violent fictional situations as dangerous to the easily influenced as the extreme evangelical preachers who encourage aggression against homosexuals? Thats fairly sensationalist and off-topic, but I suppose that I agree that games can influence your behaviour. I think the solution is a good set of morals and plenty of common sense, whether thats instilled in people by their peers, parents or school it doesn’t really matter. I bet theres millions of people in their 20s and 30s now who’ve been playing 18 rated games since they were teenagers but have had the right people around them to ensure they know whats right and wrong.
Bilbo_bobbins
This is a fine line. But I do think video games are to blame for some that are playing them alot. I find myself getting very angry just playing COD, sometimes I am told to come off it because I’m shouting at the TV.
I think if kids think that is the norm then it could possibly turn into real life anger. But its hard to measure/judge. Ratings are there for people to obey, and it should be by parents, just like movies are.
People blame video games, but in the end, its the parents and those who write these articles that are supposedly causing it, if they let their kids play them underage.
quinkill
wow. Yeh maybe you should just stop playing CoD.
maney911
I don’t know if any if you read cracked.com but yesterday they published an article about gun crime in the US. It’s a good read but the gist of it is that violent gun crime has been decreasing steadily over the past couple of decades. It says that it has actually dropped by more than half since the early 90’s and throws up a theory that this could be because of video games. People started to get an outlet with games like doom so they could fantasise about using a gun instead of actually using one. Now I know this doesn’t account for other violent crimes and is only about America, but still it makes you think. Also if video games are making you that angry you really should stop playing, stress is not good for your heart at all and leads to all sorts of health problems.
Moshbag
You state there could be deeper social aspects such as mental health and parenting, then say “I find my opinion edging ever closer to believing that this link between games and violent behaviour exists”. You then go on to say you have anger issues (a mental health issue) and that you were allowed to consume violent media from an early age (a parenting issue). This doesn’t make a very compelling argument to single out videogames.
Sounds to me like you might need to lay off the refereeing and online multiplayer, and find a more relaxing hobby.
Avenger
“we need to look deeper into social aspects, such as parenting and mental health issues.”
If parenting becomes a factor, then so do games in my opinion. I don’t see why many people defend games as though they are subconsciously aware that it doesn’t affect them (they wouldn’t know). It’s understandable if games are affecting you immediately and recognizably like say Dark Souls where I have got frustrated in the past. But in terms of violent behaviour, there are quite a few games I don’t play because I don’t particularly fancy stabbing people in FPS view (dishonoured) or shooting someone randomly with a shotgun on the street and playing vigilante (GTA). I think pretty much most games I play feature killing in defence. It is still an act of killing though, but there isn’t really any sort of intent or will going in to it, merely the want to advance the story.
There are many positives to gaming anyway. Sometimes I’ve let a bit of anger out through games (which could be wrong… quite wrong). Also there is meeting some new gamers, an entire gaming culture where people have different skills and likes for different genres. TSA is built on gaming and is an example of a [mostly] sane result of gaming. Gaming isn’t bad. Some people may want it more regulated/censored but see how it goes.
Fruitbat1919
I used to work in a prison with violent offenders. I have seen and discussed violence at great lengths. I have read many texts and books from knowledgeable people. My conclusion would be simple. I will sum it up in a few simple words.
Many things in life can attribute to if a person is more or less likely to react violently to certain situations. It is virtually impossible to remove all stimuli that could have a negative effect on people. To remove violence from all games would not reduce violence in society.
People who try to lay the blame for a violent society on video games,
Fruitbat1919
damn ghost posted before I finished lol
heedbaw
Think it was the late Bill Hicks on porn, that has a parallel here. He said something along the lines of ”We don’t have sexual thoughts because there is porn. There is porn because we have sexual thoughts.”
Think the same can be applied to violence and violent games/films/etc.
Eldave0
Do games make me violent? Not really. I’ve slammed my hand down on a table once or twice but otherwise I’m good.
Do games make me swear like a drunken sailor? Absolutely! Enduring Ascension’s terrible camera angles while playing on hard mode has been the recent example of me losing my cool while playing a game. Worst I have seen in a blockbuster title for years.
blackredyellow
The only time I get really wound up playing video games is FIFA, online.
I’m not a bad loser but when the game seems to be against you it can be utterly infuriating. However, not once have a kicked my cat or punched my wife. The controller is put down and the game turned off.