Do Videogames Really Cause Violent Behavior?

[Lauren Admire]

Do Videogames Really Cause Violent Behavior?

Videogames are often the scapegoat for any adolescent violence that makes it onto the evening news. However, are these "murder simulators" truly the reason behind teenage violence?

Videogames have often been linked to teenage violence - especially in cases of Columbine or other senseless, adolescent shootings. Various activist groups have claimed a correlation between violent videogames and the rise of violence amongst adolescents, but does correlation imply causation? In Issue 153 of The Escapist, Michael A. Mohammed examines recent studies of videogames and violence and draws his own conclusions.

[blockquote]
To establish causation, researchers must rule out these "other factors" by performing a lab experiment. For example, Anderson ran an experiment in 2000 that had college students play a violent game (Wolfenstein 3D) or a nonviolent game (Myst). Then each subject played a game in which they could punish a student in another room with a blast of noise - though the game was rigged and the other student did not exist. The subjects who had played Wolfenstein chose longer blasts of noise than those who played Myst.[/blockquote]

Was this study a positive finding of videogames causing a quick and sudden rise in violence? Read more in "Monkey Play, Monkey Do [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_153/4958-Monkey-Play-Monkey-Do]" to find out, and share your own opinions on the matter with us.

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[TheAmazingTGIF]

I have been playing since I was 8. I haven't gotten in any fights or ever been violent. What about the fact that videogames also increase problem solving abilities?

 

[Merteg]

That test just has too many variables to count.

Honestly, a point and click game like Myst would probably make me angry.

Besides, that test doesn't prove violent games make you anymore violent in any way, shape, or form.

 

[hamster mk 4]

Various activist groups have claimed a correlation between violent videogames and the rise of violence amongst adolescents

Activist groups have been fudging the numbers to support their argument. Go figure people who don't like video games are also bad at math.

Spoiler

 

[CD-R]

Ok why when they do these studies do they use games nobody has played in 10 years?

I've been playing violent my whole life and it's never made want to commit violent acts. Listening to anti game activists like Jack Thompson who want to ban them on the other hand...

 

[Credge]

If something is rigged, and a player knows it, they become angry.

This can be said about anybody that does anything. Anyone played Tekken 6? Arcade mode? Azazel? How he can block while he attacks? And you can't throw him? Or use power moves? Or do anything other than cheap things in return to his cheapness?

Yeah, those sort of things make people angry.

 

[GonzoGamer]

I'm still of the opinion that video games are about as responsible for the Columbine murders (and any other sort of murder that's been blamed on games) as Berkowits' Neighbor's dog is responsible for the Son of Sam murders.

In fact, it seems like stuff like that has happened less since video games have become more violent.

 

[PAGEToap44]

No. At least not for me. I find that people around me, heavy metal and my unwillingness to like anything that others like causes my violent behaviour. Of course most of that is my own fault. We are what we make ourselves; that's what I'm really trying to get at, I think. Videogames are certainly not a major factor.

 

[Kiefer13]

I don't know. I think being locked in a room and being forced to play Myst would make me a lot more aggressive than being locked in a room and being forced to play Wolfenstein.

On a more serious note, I've played violent games like Grand Theft Auto since I was about eight. This has never caused me to commit violent acts. In fact, I'm pretty certain I'd be a lot more aggressive if I didn't get the chance to take out my frustations by shooting pixelated enemies in the face every now and again. Gaming is therapeutic.

 

[DemonicVixen]

I think children should know the difference between game and realty. Otherwise yes I think it can lead to violent behaviour. My neighbour's kid is only 11 but he watches and plays violent or scary films/games. I find it ridiculous because he already has a mild form of ADHD and is often hitting his sister or me when getting carried away whilst playing.

 

[Woodsey]

The only reason the people who played Myst blasted the noise for less time was because half of their brain had melted whilst playing, meaning they wouldn't of had the brain capacity left to hold a button down.

 

[DoctorObviously]

I don't believe it. These murders are only caused by you and only you, you still make the choice if you will be in the evening news or not, video games manipulate shit, you shouldn't let them get to you.

 

[llew]

the only way a game would make you violent is if you wre A/ mentally retarded B/ you were violent in the first place or C/ your the type of person who goes everywhere cross-eyed poking the leader of a very dangerous gang and thought you need help for protection and turned to video games to find out how.

 

[IrrelevantTangent]

As I understand it, violent games are usually more difficult and prone to stumping the player with unimaginably hard spots throughout the game's arc, whereas non-violent games are usually less potentially frustrating.

That's just how this works. And people playing more frustrating games have a higher chance to get angry than the people who don't.

So why are they assuming that the Modern Warfare players' choice to use loud blasts of sound is due to the fraudulent violent video games = violence in players theory as opposed to, I don't know, the 'violent-games-breed-frustration-which-breeds-anger' theory?

Can they answer that? I don't know, they might be in the 'triumphant Bible-thumping/high-fiving' phase that comes after imagined victory.

 

[Krythe]

How dare you accuse us! I'll f**king kill you!!!!

*Attempts to load gun by repeatedly pressing the little red dot which kinda looks like B*

 

[LeonLethality]

I think people always just want someone to blame and videogames are just an easy target... besides people with a proper mindset are perfectly immune its really only if you are screwed up enough in the head to actually want to cause a shootout would you mimic a game like that

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

Oy vey...

I think violent games give one the capacity for more dangerously violent behaviour, but the person has to be violent in the first place. People are always finding something to blame when it comes to violent tragedies. It doesn't matter what concept or inanimate object you pin it to, it's not the cause.

Violent game A might have inspired me to stomp someone's ribs in if I'm in a fight, but violent game A doesn't make me violent, I'm just fucked up. Showing someone rape scene after rape scene isn't going to turn them into a rapist if they're of sound mind and body.