How video games influence violent behavior

How video games influence violent behavior

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Video games influence violent behavior

Abstract

There exists a substantial association between violent media content and aggressive behavior among individuals and especially adolescents. According to the social learning theory, individuals tend to learn through observation and imitation. Therefore, one can conclude that when individuals are exposed to aggressive video games, they are likely to adopt violent conduct, believing it is the right thing to do. Therefore, one can conclude that individuals who play violent video games have a higher likelihood of engaging in criminal behavior than those who are not exposed to these games.

In contemporary American society, video games yield vast profits for the producing companies as nearly every home in America have individuals who play the games. An individual needs to realize that video games have been in existent for the longest time. Although they are now found in homes, traditionally, they were found in research labs of scientists. For instance, in 1967, Ralph Baer came up with the Brown Box, which could be played on television. Unlike before, current video games can change the way players experience video games due to improved technology.

It has been noted that young individuals’ favorite video games often contain violent content for the longest time. According to a study conducted by Provenzo 1991, the violence contained in these video games was designed to cause injury and death to other individuals. Scholars have proved that there is a strong correlation between violent video games and aggressive conduct in the recent past (Sherry 421). Nevertheless, the strength of their relationship in different societies differs.

Recent studies by scholars in America have discovered reliable links between violent media content and increased levels of aggression among individuals. However, individuals should realize the fact that this association differed across genders. For instance, males tend to watch more video games than their female colleagues and are therefore more likely to engage in violent behavior than girls (Griffiths 207).  Alternatively, these games came lead to arousal among the players. Therefore, one can conclude that angry individuals have higher chances of being affected by violent video game violence than those who are not angry.

For individuals to understand whether media violence can lead to aggressive conduct, individuals must understand the theoretical underpinnings of the given claims. According to Dolf Zillmann, different approaches can effectively explain why individuals engage in crime and play violent video games.  According to mode management theory, individuals use entertainment to increase and maintain positive states and lessen negative states. Therefore, one can claim that the consumption of violent media content is significantly related to individuals’ main fears and anxiety. Individuals can therefore choose to expose themselves to their fears to cope with the given fears (Griffiths 205). According to studies, when males are made to think aggressively, they are more likely than other individuals to select violent media content instead of non-violent media content for viewing in a consequent test.

Other theories like the social learning theory also show the significant relationship between violent media games and criminal behavior. For instance, according to the social learning theory, individuals learn through direct experience through observation and imitation. When individuals are exposed to these games, they are likely to believe that it is the right thing to do and adopt violent acts (Ferguson 314). Also, when individuals grow up seeing individuals they hold high in the society engaging in violent actions, they are likely to adopt the given conduct. For instance, individuals can copy movie stars who produce action movies that contain violent content.

There exist short-term impacts of violent video games, which are significantly accredited to imitation and stimulation. Therefore, violent video games are alleged to prime aggressive concepts, which upsurges the likelihood of violent conduct. Alternatively, mimicry suggests that an individual’s exposure to media violence can significantly imitate the observed behavior. Studies by Smith (2014) show that individuals who observe specific social behavior effectively increase their chances of behaving in the same way. The arousal theory by Dolf Zillmann can also explain the individuals’ engagement in violent actions due to exposure to violent media content. According to this approach, emotions like anger and fear are actively involved in sympathetic activation.

There is a dire need for individuals to understand that playing video games does not necessarily lead to criminal behavior and benefits. According to studies, playing video games can play an essential role in increasing the brain’s gray matter (Ferguson 312). When individuals frequently play video games, they can boost their brains’ connectivity. Also, individuals who play video games are more likely to have improved social skills and perform better academically.

In the recent past, healthcare leaders have discovered the essential role that video games can play in treating individuals who have autism. Through these games, doctors can improve the psychological health of these individuals who find it hard to interact with others under normal conditions (Griffiths 202). However, to ensure the effectiveness of this mode of treatment, professionals from both fields need to come together and develop the most effective mode of treatment.

Annotated bibliography

Anderson, Craig A., et al. “Longitudinal effects of violent video games on aggression in Japan and the United States.” Pediatrics 122.5 (2008): e1067-e1072.

Millions of young people in America spend many hours playing video games. Previous studies by different researchers have suggested that violent video games lead to criminal behavior. The article states that violent video games are a risk factor for later developing criminal behavior among individuals. The study, therefore, advocates for the reduction of the risk factor. This can be achieved through increased parental monitoring.

Bartholow, Bruce D., and Craig A. Anderson. “Effects of violent video games on aggressive behavior: Potential sex differences.” Journal of experimental social psychology 38.3 (2002): 283-290.

Individuals in America have carried out studies to investigate the impact of video games on violent conduct.  This study sought to prove how violent video games can affect individuals’ levels of aggression. The study made good use of 43 participants who were expected to violent and nonviolent games. The results confirmed that individuals who play violent video games are more likely to develop aggressive behavior than those who played nonviolent games. Through the study, individuals can understand the impacts of violent and nonviolent games on players. For instance, these individuals can imitate what they see in these videos and injure their peers at school.

Cannon-Bowers, Janis A., Clint Bowers, and Katelyn Procci. “Using video games as educational tools in healthcare.” (2011).  

 

Due to the rising prominence of video games, researchers have embarked on a mission to assess the role of these games in healthcare. For instance, video games have widely been used to administer therapy and disease management among individuals. For instance, doctors have adopted the use of video games as a means to improve surgical skills. The article advocates for more studies to determine the future of video games in healthcare provision.

Ceranoglu, T. Atilla. “Video games in psychotherapy.” Review of General Psychology 14.2 (2010): 141-146.

Video games have made their way in the clinical field. Due to their prominence among young individuals in America, their popularity may qualify them as an essential tool in the medical field. For instance, the article shows that video games can facilitate therapeutic relationships by evaluating cognitive skills. The article advocates for future collaboration between healthcare leaders and healthcare leaders and produces specific games for psychotherapy.  A collaboration between these individuals can be essential in recognizing weaknesses of the given videos and improve on them.

Dill, Karen E., and Jody C. Dill. “Video game violence: A review of the empirical literature.” Aggression and violent behavior 3.4 (1998): 407-428.

Video games have gained prominence in America. Researchers have emphasized that the effects of violent video games supersede television and movie aggression. Drawing from the study, there is a significant relationship between video games and aggressive behavior. However, the article recognizes that the previous studies have been coupled with various methodological problems in their data, thus emphasizing additional studies.

Ferguson, Bill R., Jennifer M. Gillis, and Melina Sevlever. “A brief group intervention using video games to teach sportsmanship skills to children with autism spectrum disorders.” Child & Family Behavior Therapy 35.4 (2013): 293-306.

Since the introduction of video games in the contemporary world, individuals have been claiming that playing video games interferes with individuals’ social skills. Nevertheless, this study used behavioral skill training to teach skills like turn-taking during video gameplay. The study results showed that video games could teach sporting skills to individuals suffering from autism spectrum disorders. The study is essential in understanding the use of video games as part of social skills intervention.

Ferguson, Christopher John. “The good, the bad and the ugly: A meta-analytic review of positive and negative effects of violent video games.” Psychiatric quarterly 78.4 (2007): 309-316.

For the longest time, video game violence has highly been politicized not only in American but also in other parts of the world. According to scholars and especially those in criminology, exposure to violent video games can significantly impact aggressive conduct among individuals. However, individuals tend to pay less attention to the positive impacts of watching video games. For instance, playing video games can positively impact an individual’s visuospatial cognition. Drawing from the study, individuals can realize no substantial correlation between exposure to violent media content and increased aggression among viewers.

Nevertheless, studies show that watching violent media content is meaningfully related to visuospatial cognition. Therefore, the study is essential in this article. It plays an essential role in making individuals understand that exposure to violent media content does not necessarily lead to aggressive conduct but can be essential in the development of visuospatial cognition.

Funk, Jeanne B., et al. “Violence exposure in real-life, video games, television, movies, and the internet: is there desensitization?.” Journal of adolescence 27.1 (2004): 23-39.

The objective of this study was to examine the association between video games, aggressive conduct, and desensitization among young individuals. According to the study, the nature of playing video games and intense engagement can explain the negative impact of these games on players.

Gentile, Douglas A., et al. “The effects of violent video game habits on adolescent hostility, aggressive behaviors, and school performance.” Journal of adolescence 27.1 (2004): 5-22.

Video games have become one of the most favorite activities for American children. In the recent past, researchers have conducted studies to investigate the role of video games in the development of criminal behavior.  The study sought to look at the role of video games in physical fights. Drawing from the study, one realized that young individuals who play much of these games tend to be more violent than those who barely watch them. Through this article, one can understand the impacts of video games on players and develop solutions like increased parental monitoring.

Griffiths, Mark. “Violent video games and aggression: A review of the literature.” Aggression and violent behavior 4.2 (1999): 203-212.

According to this article, most individuals who conduct studies on the impact of video games on the players mainly focus on the negative impacts of the games instead of their potential benefits—the article advocates for more studies for better results on the actual consequences of video games’ exposure.

Gunter, Whitney D., and Kevin Daly. “Causal or spurious: Using propensity score matching to detangle the relationship between violent video games and violent behavior.” Computers in Human Behavior 28.4 (2012): 1348-1355.

For the longest time, different states in America have come up with legislation intended to limit the production and sale of violent media content to children. According to scholars, individuals and especially young people’s exposure to violent video games can lead to violent conduct among the viewers.  Through this study, individuals can realize a correlation between violent media content and criminal behavior. Drawing from the study, one can realize a decreased correlation between aggressive video and aggressive behavior among individuals.

Huesmann, L. Rowell. “Nailing the coffin shut on doubts that violent video games stimulate aggression: comment on Anderson et al.(2010).” (2010): 179.

The social learning theory is essential in explaining that what a child observes in any setting has both long-term and short-term influences on an individual’s behavior and cognitions. According to the social learning theory, violent video games play an essential role in developing violence in the players within a short time and increases an individual’s chances of aggressive behavior in the later years of development. The games have an impact on both boys and girls. Nevertheless, boys are more likely to develop aggression than their female colleagues because they are more exposed to violent media content than girls.

Kirshw, Steven J. “The effects of violent video games on adolescents: The overlooked influence of development.” Aggression and violent behavior 8.4 (2003): 377-389.

In the recent past, American society has experienced a surge in violence among teenagers due to violent video games.  As a result, different scholars have conducted studies to discover the link between violent video games and aggressive conduct among adolescents. Following the article, General Aggression Model is essential in the research paper. It makes it possible for an individual to assimilate the GAM with progressive changes during teenage years.

Sanchez, Rebecca, et al. “Improving children’s mental health with a digital social skills development game: a randomized controlled efficacy trial of adventures aboard the SS GRIN.” Games for health journal 6.1 (2017): 19-27.

This study sought to investigate whether video games can improve social skills and mental health among individuals suffering from social skills deficiency. The study compared children who played adventurers games and those who did not play the given names. The results indicated that those who played the games significantly improved their social skills than those who did not play.  Drawing from the study, an individual can realize that video games can improve individuals’ social skills. Individuals and especially children who can access those games can help individuals overcome logistical and implementation barriers.

Sherry, John L. “The effects of violent video games on aggression: A meta-analysis.” Human communication research 27.3 (2001): 409-431.

Violent video games have become very famous for the last couple of decades, thus causing concern to caretakers and the government. This article integrates studies from different scholars on the effects of violent video games to estimate the overall impact of video games on the players and viewers. This article is therefore essential in the study. It can help individuals understand that the time individuals spend playing violent video games can determine their chances of developing aggressive behavior.   For instance, those who spend much time on playing these games have a higher likelihood of becoming deviant than those who spend little or no time on these videos.

 

 

Works cited

Anderson, Craig A., et al. “Longitudinal effects of violent video games on aggression in Japan and the United States.” Pediatrics 122.5 (2008): e1067-e1072.

Bartholow, Bruce D., and Craig A. Anderson. “Effects of violent video games on aggressive behavior: Potential sex differences.” Journal of experimental social psychology 38.3 (2002): 283-290.

Cannon-Bowers, Janis A., Clint Bowers, and Katelyn Procci. “Using video games as educational tools in healthcare.” (2011).

Ceranoglu, T. Atilla. “Video games in psychotherapy.” Review of General Psychology 14.2 (2010): 141-146.

Dill, Karen E., and Jody C. Dill. “Video game violence: A review of the empirical literature.” Aggression and violent behavior 3.4 (1998): 407-428.

Ferguson, Bill R., Jennifer M. Gillis, and Melina Sevlever. “A brief group intervention using video games to teach sportsmanship skills to children with autism spectrum disorders.” Child & Family Behavior Therapy 35.4 (2013): 293-306.

Ferguson, Christopher John. “The good, the bad and the ugly: A meta-analytic review of positive and negative effects of violent video games.” Psychiatric quarterly 78.4 (2007): 309-316.

Funk, Jeanne B., et al. “Violence exposure in real-life, video games, television, movies, and the internet: is there desensitization?.” Journal of adolescence 27.1 (2004): 23-39.

Funk, Jeanne B., et al. “Violence exposure in real-life, video games, television, movies, and the internet: is there desensitization?.” Journal of adolescence 27.1 (2004): 23-39.

 

Gentile, Douglas A., et al. “The effects of violent video game habits on adolescent hostility, aggressive behaviors, and school performance.” Journal of adolescence 27.1 (2004): 5-22.

Griffiths, Mark. “Violent video games and aggression: A review of the literature.” Aggression and violent behavior 4.2 (1999): 203-212.

Gunter, Whitney D., and Kevin Daly. “Causal or spurious: Using propensity score matching to detangle the relationship between violent video games and violent behavior.” Computers in Human Behavior 28.4 (2012): 1348-1355.

Huesmann, L. Rowell. “Nailing the coffin shut on doubts that violent video games stimulate aggression: comment on Anderson et al.(2010).” (2010): 179.

Kirshw, Steven J. “The effects of violent video games on adolescents: The overlooked influence of development.” Aggression and violent behavior 8.4 (2003): 377-389.

Sanchez, Rebecca, et al. “Improving children’s mental health with a digital social skills development game: a randomized controlled efficacy trial of adventures aboard the SS GRIN.” Games for health journal 6.1 (2017): 19-27.

Sherry, John L. “The effects of violent video games on aggression: A meta-analysis.” Human communication research 27.3 (2001): 409-431.

How video games influence violent behavior
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