Excerpt from Thesis:
There is plenty of anecdotal facts to support this kind of theory – several prominent school shootings have been evidently linked to video game playing – but true scientific data is also rising that implies a more subtle but comparable effect. In a single study, college-age participants who had spent period playing Wolfenstein 3D, a primary person present shooter computer game, “punished” their opposing team by subjecting them to loud noises of high intensity more often and for much longer than individuals that had played a non-violent computer game. In the words and phrases of Dr . Craig Anderson, one of the specialists and researchers who carried out the study, “violent video games give a forum intended for learning and practicing hostile solutions to issue situations. inch
Basically, period spent playing violent games is period spent learning life expertise that could be harmful and counter productive in real world situations, and could even change more socially valuable expertise sets and methods of solving problems. This problem is usually reflected in – and exacerbated by – efforts to ingredients label and discover violence in video games and also other forms of mass media. Steven L. Kirsch, creator of the book Children, Teenagers, and Press Violence, pinpoints the Entertainment Software Ranking Board’s program as the most effective, but points out several significant flaws. First, games ranked “E” intended for “everyone” are actually only regarded appropriate for kids ages half a dozen and up, and can contain significant levels of violence – as much as ninety percent of game play. Furthermore, the word “violence” is not identified well whatsoever, and the Entertainment Software Rating Board simply reviews video footage of video games provided to them by video game suppliers, without truly playing the games themselves. This provides a greatly lessened capacity for the board to accomplish its explained purpose, and provide parents fewer control and awareness of the kinds of activities their children are exposed to.
There is certainly scientific data that supports a contrary theory, specifically that video gaming attract specific players based upon pre-existing nature and do not really promote aggressive behavior. This was the conclusion drawn simply by two research conducted in the late 1980s, that has been enough to convince creator Barrie Gunter that the concern over video gaming violence can be little more than hype. The increasing prevalence of game titles that contain ever-more graphic violent sequences, nevertheless , has changed issues dramatically during the past twenty years. ac-Man gobbling spirits simply does not compare to working over a helpless woman, defeating her which has a baseball baseball bat, and currently taking her funds. When this stuff are turn into enjoyable entertainment, we are faced with a serious problem.
Works Cited
American Psychological Affiliation. “Violence in the Media – Psychologists Help Protect Kids from Harmful Effects. inch Accessed 13 July 2009. http://www.psychologymatters.org/mediaviolence.html
Gunter, Barrie. The consequences of Video Games upon Children. Wiltshire: Sheffield Academics Press Ltd., 1998.
Jenkins, henry. “Congressional Testimony in Media Physical violence. ” Reached 13 This summer 2009. http://web.mit.edu/comm-forum/papers/jenkins_ct.html
Kirsh, Steven J. Kids, Adolescents, and Media Physical violence. London: Sage Publications, 2006.
Willenz, Pam. “Violent Video Games can Maximize Aggression. ” American Emotional Association. Seen 13 July 2009. http://www.apa.org/releases/videogames.html
