Violent video games and violence

The relationship between violent video games and violence

Introduction

In 2008, 97 percent of 12-17 year olds in the United States played videogames. Accordingly, they fuelled an $11.7 billion domestic video industry. In the same year, 10 out of the top 20 best-selling video games in the country comprised of some form of violence. Subsequently, in the US, violent video games have been blamed for violence toward women, escalation in the rates of bullying and school shootings (Bilton, 2014). Those who criticize these violent games argue that the games desensitize and make players susceptible to violence, teach children that violence is acceptable and reward players for simulating violence. On the other hand, those who advocate for violent video games argue that most of the research on the topic is flawed and does not establish a relationship between violent video games and violence (Bilton, 2014). In addition to this, they argue that violent video games may lead to a reduction in violence because they are a substitute for tumble and rough play. Therefore, these games are a safe outlet for angry feelings and aggressive behavior (Vincent, 2014).

Accordingly, over the years, there have been debates regarding to whether violent games lead to violence. As a consequence, many studies have been carried out to establish whether there is a relationship between violent games and violence. If indeed violent games contribute to violence and aggressive behavior, it definitely means that violent games are a contributing factor to criminal behavior in teenagers and young adults. Conversely, some of the researches point out that there is no relationship between violent games and violence (Vincent, 2014). Accordingly, according to Christopher Ferguson, the chair of Psychology at Stetson University in Florida carried out a study to establish whether violent games contribute to violence among the youth. With respect to his analysis, there has been a drop in the rate of violence among 12-17 year olds between 1996 and 2011. This is the period regarded as the ‘golden era’ for violent video games (Vincent, 2014).

Different explications have been used to understand these results. Subsequently, it is stipulated that the rate of violent behavior has been low among youth during the period because they were indoors and had controllers in their hands. As a consequence, they have been channeling their natural aggression into the violent video games (Vincent, 2014). On the other hand, the results of a meta-analysis that involved 98 studies were released in January 2014. The meta-analysis included studies of nearly 37,000 participants since 2009. In accordance to the results generated in the study, it was established that video games have an effect in social behaviors of the players (Etchells & Chambers, 2014). In addition to this the use of violent video games is linked to a decrease in prosocial outcomes and an increase in aggressive outcomes. On the contrary, Etchells and Chambers (2014) explicate that the researchers established that prosocial games decrease aggressive behaviors and increase prosocial, cooperative behavior.

Therefore, these two different accounts pose evidence that there is no harmony regarding to whether violent video games causes violence. Underpinning on this, is there a relationship between violent video games and violence? It is important to find answers to this question so that people can be well-informed when choosing their games. Results of the study will help explicate some of the factors that contribute to violence in the youth. As a consequent, it will be possible to come up with effective strategies for mitigating violence among the youth. Additionally, the results will be informative to parents hence they will be able to make wise decisions when buying video games for their children. Moreover, this will enable the government to come up with proper policies and regulations s for video game producing companies, to reduce their role in promoting violent behavior.

Literature Review

The year 2012 was marked with a tragic Sandy hook shooting. This was the time when Adam Lanza killed 7 adults and 20 children and his mother was among the victims. This incident ignited talk and speculation regarding the role of violent video games in the shooting incident (Ferguson, 2014). Based on rumor, newspapers reported that Lanza was enthralled with violent video games. It is true that Lanza owned both violent and non-violent video games. On the contrary, he preferred the non-violent ones like Dance, Dance Revolution (Ferguson, 2014). With respect to Ferguson (2014), evidence is building up pertaining to the fact that video games do not contribute to societal violence. On the contrary, an increase in the consumption of violent video games has been allied with a decrease in youth violence (Ferguson, 2014). Therefore, there is no association between youth violence and violent video games especially when other factors like mental health, personality and family environment are involved (Vincent, 2014).

Based on the results of a research carried out by Ferguson, Miguel, Garza and Jerabeck (2012) they established that to video game violence was not allied with negative outcomes. According to these researchers, exposure to family violence, antisocial personality traits and depression were predictors of antisocial behavior. As a consequence of such findings, in June 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that video games should enjoy free speech protection fully. Moreover, the regulation pertaining to sales of violent video games to minors was declared unconstitutional. The Supreme Court did not underpin on psychological research because it found its results unpersuasive. Additionally the Court argued that psychological research had many flaws which impeded production of reliable results (Ferguson, Violent video games and the Supreme Court: Lessons for the scientific community in the wake of Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association, 2013).

Irrespective of the argument that there evidence pertaining to the relationship between violent video games and violence is limited; there are different studies which have found a relationship between the two. Subsequently, Hassan, Begue and Bushman (2012) executed a study to establish the association between violent video exposure and aggression. The study involved French college students who played ether non-violent and violent game for 20 minutes. Subsequent to this, they engaged in an activity that would ignite aggression (Hassan et al., 2012). When aggression was measured, it was found that video game violence escalated the hostile expectation bias hence increased aggression. Men were found to have been affected more compared to women. In the same lines Lee (2010) also established differences in the relationship between violent video games and aggressive behavior across genders. There were differences between men and men with regard to aggressive behavior when their gender matched with the game. Among males, those who were unmatched with their gender were found to be more aggressive. As a result, they poured more chili sauce in comparison to those whose gender matched. On the other hand, among women, those who played as gender matched or unmatched did not display differences that were statistically significant.

Consequently, Lee (2010) Hassan et al. (2012) concur on the fact that males are more affected by video game violence hence display higher levels of aggressive behaviors in comparison to their female counterparts. The study by Hassan et al. (2012) established that violent games increase aggression because they elevate hostile expectations (Hassan et al., 2012). Willoughby, Adachi, and Good (2012) harmonize with Hassan et al. (2012) that there is a relationship between video game violence and aggressive behavior. In the same context, Greitemeyer and Mugge (2014) have found a relationship between violent video games and aggression behavior.

Willoughby et al., (2012) conducted a study to determine sustained violent video game play and aggressive behavior among adolescents in their high school years. The researchers assessed socialization of the adolescents. With regard to the findings of this study, there was a correlation between sustained violent video game play and aggressive behavior. Thus, sustained violent video led to steeper escalation in the trajectory of aggressive behavior among the adolescents over time. In addition to this, video games with greater violence were associated with higher levels of aggression over time. On the other hand, non-violent aggressive behavior was not associated with aggressive behavior over time (Willoughby et al., 2012). Based on his study which explored the relationship between gender and violence in video games with respect to the levels of aggression, Lee (2010) harmonizes with Willoughby et al. (2012) on the fact that violent video games lead to an elevation on the aggression levels.

Ferguson et al. (2012) underpin on their research to point out that there is no relationship between video game violence and aggressive behavior. In fact, according to Ferguson (2014), the 20 year old Lanza’s shooting cannot be attributed to playing violent games. Bond (2011) counters this stand by relying on a meta-analysis of research articles founded on 130 reports. The meta-analysis encompassed 130,000 participants who varied according to ethnicity, race, age and gender. According to this meta-analysis, exposure to video game violence is allied with less compassion and more aggression in children regardless of their culture, sex and age. Consequently, violent video games are a causal factor for antisocial behavior, decreased empathy and increase in aggressive behavior and thoughts. Ferguson (2014) does not harmonize with these results arguing that they do not have valid measures of aggression, their methodologies are flawed and some are not published in peer-reviewed journals. On the contrary, Lee (2010), Willoughby et al., (2012) and Hassan et al. (2012) have used measures of aggression.

Many other questions have been raised pertaining to the relationship between violent video games and violent behavior. Accordingly, if violent video games lead to violent thoughts, do the thoughts translate to violent actions? In addition to this, is the violence associated with the context of the video game or it is directed to people in real life? This has led to some researchers considering violent video games to be a risk factor but not a causal factor (Bond, 2011). Based on this review of the available literature, there is no harmony regarding to whether there is a relationship between violent video games and violence.

Methodology

In order to generate reliable results for this study, those who engage in violent video games have to be assessed against those who do not for a period of time. This will enable the researcher to establish any changes in behavior and actions. Therefore, to complete this study, the researcher will carry out a meta-analysis of available research findings. Nevertheless, not all articles will be eligible for the study, instead, only studies that meet the following criteria will be considered. The study has to be a primary research, should have been carried over a certain period of time,  should have the right measures of aggression and other variables and should be peer reviewed and from a reliable journal. In addition to this, the study should not have been published more that 8 years ago and should have a large sample size of more than 100 participants.

With respect to data collection, the researcher will look for evidence based journal articles from criminology databases like and psychology databases like PsyINFO. The researcher will use keywords to locate articles that are relevant to the study. All those articles that meet the criteria will be used for data collection. The sample size of the study will be the summation of the sample sizes in the research articles which meet all the criteria for the study. The study will summarize and also analyze the findings of research in relations to the research question. The study will also compare the findings and come up with a conclusion based on the findings. Data will be presented via figures and tables.

Conclusion

There have been debates pertaining to whether there is a relationship between violent video games and violence. Some of the researchers find no relationship while others establish a link between violent video games and aggressive behavior. Nevertheless, there are question as to whether the aggression is directed toward the games or toward real people. This study aims to determine whether the relationship exists through a review of evidence based literature. The study will use a number of criteria to ensure that it accesses quality and reliable evidence.

References

Bilton, N. (2014, Jun 15). Looking at Link Between Violent Video Games and Lack of Empathy. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/15/looking-at-link-between-violent-video-games-and-lack-of-empathy/?_r=0

Bond, D. (2011). The Effects of Violent Video Games on Aggressive. Outstanding Honors Theses.

Etchells, P. & Chambers, C. (2014, May 5). Is there any evidence of a link between violent video games and murder? The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/science/head-quarters/2014/may/06/violent-video-games-murder-aggression-ann-maguire

Ferguson, C. (2013). Violent video games and the Supreme Court: Lessons for the scientific community in the wake of Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association. American Psychologist, 68(2), 57-74.

Ferguson, C. (2014, Aug 3). Are violent video games really to blame? ITHP. Retrieved from http://ithp.org/articles/areviolentvideogamesbad.html

Ferguson, C., Miguel, C., Garza, A. & Jerabeck, J. (2012). A longitudinal test of video game violence influences on dating and aggression: A 3-year longitudinal study of adolescents. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 46(2), 141-6.

Greitemeyer, T. & Mugge, D. (2014). Video Games Do Affect Social Outcomes. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. doi:10.1177/0146167213520459

Hassan, Y., Begue, L. & Bushman, B. (2012). Viewing the world through “blood-red tinted glasses”: The hostile expectation bias mediates the link between violent video game exposure and aggression. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 48(4), 953-6.

Lee, S. (2010). Violent Video Games: The Effects of. McNair Scholars Journal, 11, 111-23.

Vincent, J. (2014, Nov 10). Long-term US study finds no links between violent video games and youth violence. The Independent. Retrieved from http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/gaming/longterm-us-study-finds-no-links-between-violent-video-games-and-youth-violence-9851613.html

Willoughby, T., Adachi, P. & Good, M. (2012). A longitudinal study of the association between violent video game play and aggression among adolescents. Developmental Psychology, 48(4), 1044-57.