Research Finds Negative Effects in Violent Videogames

[FalloutJack]

SNIP

Oh no you don't. It's YOUR turn. You're the one sticking out now. YOU try proving the point this time. I'm not going to argue about whether or not it's the ultra-violence in a thread that's about the ultra-violence. You give ME the answers now. Why, pray tell, is this even news on a video gaming site if it's not about what exactly what you expect?

 

[FalloutJack]

SNIP

Oh, come on. You mean you didn't note the Clockwork Orange reference, a movie which was entirely centered upon the effects, control, and consequences of unbridled aggression in an impressionable youth? No love for Kubrick? And WHAT indignant rage? You're all over the board with this. I'm afraid you can't get that from text unless I go into an evil shouty voice. Please, start over, because we're apparently talking about two different things and you're off-topic.

 

[eternal-chaplain]

Even after reading the linked content, I have many questions.

Many arise over the 'noise punishment' test.
Beyond the basics of 'When the human lost, was it the same length each time for each type of subject?', one must wonder 'What routine motions do these games teach the players?' Combat encounters in Call of Duty whether online or offline, often tend to be one-on-one. Regardless of that being rather poor design, consider the 'non-violent' games in which you play against many independent players. Call of Duty builds a sense of grappling with another person, while the Dirt games are more goal oriented: a racing game player is going to be more focused on actually winning the test, while the shooter player is more after the rewards--conditioned with points and kill streak rewards outside the test.

I find the results to be questionable at best; those conducting the test seem to lack an understanding of game design. Unsurprisingly.

 

[drnogood59]

There are a number of flaws with such an argument. First is the experience in multiplayer gaming. If the game has severe problems such as lag or is frustrating then anger tends to follow. Most of these types of games are extremely competitive and have evolved to be more competitive. The ratings for most games such as Call of Duty and Battlefield is "M for Mature" or +18. Meaning that you are mentally and emotionally capable to play such a game and maintain some level of logic and reason. If the idea of frustrating activities and entertainment can go beyond video games then people watching football or going to the local pub to watch soccer should be seen in the same way. After certain moments people watching and playing the sport tend to get out of control. The University of Maryland recently won a sport game against Duke and Maryland students started a riot in the streets as a massive mob. On top of this the sporting arenas and bars than show sporting events offer alcoholic drinks which can impair judgement. Clearly sporting events are proven to be far more important to handle than some kid banging a hole in his wall because he lost one session of a video game. I have seen more violent people in the line of a local Starbucks. In short, it isn't so much the object behind the behavior as the people who use those objects.

 

[Monster_user]

Well, nobody's perfect.

I think what we've proven here, more than anything else, is that the problem is far more complex than the reports we're given, but then that just means I would never be allowed to thoroughly examine the process without full disclosure. The thing of it is that no gamer is going to treat this positively EVER. And not just out of being in opposition to it. Nobody likes to be called out. As soon as you start SAYING video gamers are more inclined to violence, you're going to find that video gamers are more inclined to taking insults personally. The truth is that most of us who like video games have probably haven't been violent, so when you start making accusations basically...it's slanderous.

That's at least what happens when you throw up a sensationalist news blip like this one. If I told you that your favorite something-or-other causes people to eat babies and howl at the moon, you...probably wouldn't believe me. But if I told everyone that, there'd be an uproar and be an even worse one if also did research. The fault lies in part with those who report this stuff in that it tells us NOTHING. No, really. If you want to convince people of anything, you're going to have to remove all doubt and mystery to make anyone even half-inclined to agree. As it stands, nobody will, which is to me probably for the better. This is a post-modernistic world where a good portion of what's true is what people think or make true because it might be a good idea. If video games have any influence to make people violent, it'd be better if those who don't buy into it make it not true by example.

Yeah, I get slightly more aggressive, frustrated, and competitive after a violent round of a video game. I don't talk trash, or curse, or anything noticeably aggressive.

Give me a few minutes in a different game, or non-voilent activity, and I'm the least aggressive many around. Most people think I don't have a backbone. If I get to the point where I want to act out violent tendencies, I have to laugh at how ridiculous that thought is.

I've been playing video games, including violent ones, for 20 years now. I would say that I enjoy violent and aggressive games less than I did several years ago. I just want to play roller coaster tycoon, diner dash, zelda, etc.

 

[FalloutJack]

GOOD

Oh, indeed. And I'm a man who's been playing since Atari and really old computers and I still do the violence schtick, no ill effects. I love Fallout and Destroy All Humans and Saint's Row and MDK and Duke Nukem and all kinds of stuff. And when you get down to it, it doesn't do a damn thing to you in the long run. You know what we need? A real and proper test. I demand a threshold study of what it WOULD take to make a gamer truly violent from a standstill position...made or busted by the Mythbusters. I say we throw up a kickstarter to fund a dedicated episode and let the chips fall where they may.

 

[Zeema]

THERES JUST TOO MANY OUTSIDE FACTORS.
you can't say *points to Hatoful Boyfriend* made me into a violent person because it didn't..... however it DID make me have a affinity of birds

------

OT: why can't these professors work on something worthwhile like Cancer Research or superpowers?

 

[kanyewhite]

When I read the part the victory noise, that is just someone being an an asshole. Otherwise, solid stuff. However, I know plenty of teenagers who REGULARLY play COD and the like, and are perfectly well-adjusted and socially competent. Really, while this may be viable, I have first hand experience of seeing people who do play these games being less agressive than people that don't. It's genetics, all the games did is bring that out.

 

[icythepenguin]

How can playing a game for 20 minutes a day over three days be expanded to long-term effects? Wouldn't you get the same result if these same people watched an action movie instead of playing COD? They both stimulate the aggressive side of our personalities but most people will return to normal once the adrenaline subsides. Also how can it be unethical to have these people play these games 20 minutes a day over a much longer period time? There are people who play for hours every day and people don't bat an eye. Maybe its a matter of costing too much money to pay these research subjects or the scientists already know that their expected results would be different once these people got bored with same games over and over. Half-assed research is the reason why society is full of misconceptions.

 

[evilneko]

So....

What were the subjects' responses oh, I donno, two to three hours later?

 

[Lt._nefarious]

I just finished playing Serious Sam 3 and I wanna find that professor and... And... And have a calm conversation about why I do not believe his findings are true, debate the experiments over a cup of tea or some mini-golf...

[sub]and then kill hobos[/sub]

 

[Talvrae]

"At the end of each session, they were given the beginning of a story and asked to list 20 things the lead character would say or do in it. The students who played violent games were more likely to think that the character would behave aggressively or violently, a belief that grew stronger with each passing day"

Oh yeah really, maybe it's because thouse lead character are often violet and agressive and there is expectation that they will... Dosent make the person feeling the survey being more agressive and/or violent -_-

 

[Jennacide]

You know what else would give you increased aggressive behavior and potentially violent tendencies? Being forced to do ANYTHING for three days straight.

 

[Tanis]

All I'm saying is...

Hilter, Stalin, Mao, Khan...

None of THEM ever played a video game.

That's a pretty stupid argument. Things other than video games can make people aggressive, thus games are harmless? ...?

No, but the worst mass murders in history never touched a video game...so why are so many folks focusing on them?

Where's the focus on cuts to medical programs for the mentally ill or better treatment for folks with various brain problems?

Blaming video games for school shootings is like blaming spoons for making people fat.

 

[Tanis]

Where's the focus on cuts to medical programs for the mentally ill or better treatment for folks with various brain problems?

Blaming video games for school shootings is like blaming spoons for making people fat.

This part of your argument is sound.

All I'm saying is...

Hilter, Stalin, Mao, Khan...

None of THEM ever played a video game.

That's a pretty stupid argument. Things other than video games can make people aggressive, thus games are harmless? ...?

No, but the worst mass murders in history never touched a video game...so why are so many folks focusing on them?

This part is completely unnecessary.

It's basically like entering a debate about gun control and saying "Well, Genghis Khan never had guns, and he's a mass murderer, so why are we even talking about this?".

A weapon is a weapon and a tool is a tool.
Where there is a will, there is a way, to use it in bad ways.