Violence in video games and the role of culture.
The video game industry is a multi-billion dollar industry representing about $9.9 billion dollars in retail sales in the U.S. alone in 2004 (Greitemeyer and Osswald, 2010). In this paper, video games refer to electronically controlled games played on any platform including console units, computers, internet, hand-held devices or various technology toys. In recent years, video games have redefined leisure activities among children as studies conducted in U.S. estimated that 99% of boys and 94% of girls play video games (Whitaker and Bushman, 2009), with children age 2-7 years spending an average of 3-5 hours a week playing games, while 8th and 9th grade students spend an average of 9 hours per week (Greitemeyer and Osswald, 2010). According to Whitaker and Bushman (2009), violence in video games is also commonplace with violent content available in over 85% of video games.
The effects of violent games on children have been reviewed extensively in the literature. For example, Dill and Dill (1998) suggested that exposure to violence in video games increases short-term aggressive behaviors due to identification with video-game characters particularly with aggressors in the game. In terms of gender, Funk and Colleagues (2000) noted that there were no gender difference with preference for violent video games as a higher preference for violent video games were observed in boys and girls. Recently, Sestir and Bartholow (2010) noted that the simulated experience with exposure to violent video games may increase aggressive feelings, thoughts and behaviors while decreasing prosocial behaviors and attitudes such as helping people in real-life situations. Bushman and Anderson (2002) conceptualized the General Aggression Model which illustrates the relationship between violent video games and aggression. Indeed, the authors noted that there are short-term and long-term effects of violent video games on aggression, with short-term effects leading to increased aggressive behavior over time, while long-term effects ultimately dictate that aggressive behaviors or attitudes are effective and appropriate with addressing issues related to conflict and anger (Anderson and Bushman, 2002).
Although the influence of violent-video games on aggressive behaviors is well established in the literature, the role culture plays in determining the level of aggression (whether short-term or long-term) exhibited from...
The second way is that individuals, specifically children can become desensitized to violence. This is because, daily exposure to violence may make one lose their emotional impact on them. Apparently, when one becomes emotionally numb, it becomes easier for them to engage in violence (Harding). The General Aggression Model This is a model that attempts to explain both the development of aggression an individual differences in susceptibility to the influence of
Methodology The methodology that will be employed in this study will be a desk survey of existing studies. The data complied by the studies will be analyzed, as will be the processes and methodology used in those studies. The data compilation and yield will be discussed in comparison between studies, and an attempt will be made to take the information and use it in an overall presentation that shows that the
Winning a game activates a cerebral reward center, in a way that 'teaches' players to be violent in a Pavlovian way, so the players associate acting violently with gaining a reward. This thesis has been supported by recent MRI scanning research examining the brains of children who have just played violent video games: "A new study employing state-of-the-art brain-scanning technology…say that brain scans of kids who played a violent
Violence in Video Games Unlike movies, video games are not regulated by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC), which is ironic because there are a wealth of studies indicating children do not distinguish between fantasy and reality in a gaming environment (Ferguson, 2011). Simply put, the more time children, adolescents and teenagers spend playing a video game the more they see their reality as the gaming environment (Boyle, McLeod, Rojas, 2008) (Hartmann,
Violence in Video Games The cultivation of violence in video games: causal or correlational? Studies on media effects have always included the influential role that television and new media technologies such as the computer and Internet (ICTs). With the proliferation of both mass media, there is greater penetration of its content to children and the adolescent youth, who are frequent TV watchers and ICT users. Among the concerns of parents and scholars
Violence in Video Games Guiding Question: Should the government have to be involved in legislation regarding video game content? Proof 1: Explain how First Amendment ensures freedom of speech, including video game content. "It is not the government's job to forbid content in media. It is the responsibility of the parents to decide what their children should play. Body Paragraph 1: Music censorship case and ratings system for video games Body Paragraph 2: Research evidence Body
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now