Answering a Question

The Psychological Effect of Violent Video Games

Video games are the main form of entertainment for many young adult. Many of these games are violent in nature, and therefore are under scrutiny. Many people believe that violent video games have a negative psychological effect on people who play them. Many people including myself disagree with this belief. There’s a mountain of evidence disproving that video games have a negative psychological effect on people who play them.

            Many people believe that violent video games have a negative impact on pro-social behavior. Morgan Tear and Mark Nielsen from the University of Queensland performed a study to determine the truth behind this belief. For the study participants would play a non-violent video game or a violent video game. After the participant played someone would drop pens, and record how many participants from each group helped pick them up. The results were that an equal number of participants from each group helped pick them up. This disproves the belief that violent video games have a negative impact on pro-social behavior (Tear).

            Many people believe that the increase in the popularity of violent video games has increased the violent crime rate. Scott Cunningham from Baylor University, Benjamin Engalstatter from the Center of European Economic Research, and Michael Ward from the University of Texas at Arlington performed a study to determine the truth behind this belief. The study tracked the sales numbers of violent video games and compared them to the violent crime rate. The study found that between 2005 and 2008 there was a 1% increase in the sale of violent video games, but there was a 3% decrease in the violent crime rate. This disproves the belief that the increase in the popularity of violent video games has increased the violent crime rate (Cunningham).

            Many people believe that violent video games have a negative impact on emotional stability. Dr. Wang from the Indiana University School of Medicine performed a study to determine the truth behind this belief. For the study participants would play a violent video game directly followed by a neural MRI. The neural MRI revealed slightly less activity temporally in the area of the brain that controls emotions. This disproves the belief that violent video games have a negative impact on emotional stability (Gordon).

            Many people believe that violent video games desensitize people to real world violence.  Raul Ramos and Christopher Ferguson from Texas A&M University performed a study to determine the truth behind this belief. For the study participants were exposed to videos of fictional violence and real violence, and their level of empathy was tracked. They didn’t have much empathy for the sufferer of fictional violence, but that didn’t decrease their level of empathy for sufferers of real violence. This disproves the belief that violent video games desensitize people to real world violence (Ramos).

            Some people believe that violent video games actually decrease real world violence. Charles Herold claims that because violent video games simulate real world violent activities people that play them are less likely to act out these violent activities. This claim gives legitimacy to the belief that violent video games actually decrease real world violence (Herold).

            Many people believe that violent video games are facing unnecessary scrutiny. Christopher Ferguson said, “From literature to religious texts, to jazz, rock 'n' roll, and rap, to television, movies, and comic books, people have viewed various media as being responsible for personal failings… The video game platform is the newest kid on the media block and, such as, is subject to a particularly high dose of suspicion and scrutiny,”  (Ferguson).

Works Cited

Cunningham, Scott, Benjamin Engalstatter, and Michael R. Ward. "Understanding the Effects of Violent Video Games on Violent Crime." Social Science Research Network. Social Science Research Network, 7 Apr. 2011. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

 

Ferguson, Christopher J. "Video Games Are Not Responsible for People's Violent Actions." Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Greenhaven, 2010. Web. 25 Feb. 2013. <http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/>.

 

Gordon, Serena. "Violent Video Games Do Not Promote Teen Aggression and Violence." Gale Opposing Viewpoint in Context. Greenhaven, 2013. Web. 25 Feb. 2013. <http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/>.

 

Herold, Charles. "Violence in Video Games Reduces Violence in the Real World." Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Ed. Gale, Cengage Learning. Greenhaven, 2010. Web. 13 Feb. 2013. <http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/>.

 

Ramos, Raul. "TAMIU Student, Professor Research on Media Violence Published." Texan A&M International University. Ed. Christopher J. Ferguson. Texas A&M University, 17 Jan. 2013. Web. 13 Feb. 2013. <http://www.tamiu.edu/newsinfo/newsarticles/2013-MediaViolence011713.shtml>.

 

Tear, Morgan J., and Mark Nielsen. "Failure To Demonstrate That Playing Violent Video Games Diminishes Prosocial Behavior." Plos ONE 8.7 (2013): 1-7. Academic Search Complete. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.