Does playing video games cause violent behavior?

Question

Lots of good answers. --> Vote.

Answer 1

Some studies have shown a correlation between the playing of violent video games and violent behaviour. However, a correlation while showing the relationship between the two, does not show the relationship exactly.

It could be that violent video games lead to violent behabiour, or (in my opinion) the more likely relationship is that people who are likely to be violent enjoy these violent video games.

Another issue is the fact that these studies tend to only look at the short term effect that video games might have on people. So what if people are more likely to put the letter 'K' at the beginning when presented '_ILL' and told to fill in the blank (yes, this was one method a study used), does that mean they are going to do that an hour, day or year later? What is needed is more longitudinal studies, and I believe the few that have been done have shown that video games do not cause violence.

Other issues have been raised about many of these studies, like the samples they used, methodology or even the definitions they used.

If there is an effect, I think it is minor and can be mediated by positively using the other factors more strongly linked to the cause of violence like family (being in an abusive family is more strongly linked to violent behaviour than video games).

Answer 2

If people are mature, independently minded then it should not cause violet behavior, but most people are not, and when you start using violence in video games and lose your head playing, it makes the killing seem easier and easier, and in a way i guess it could provoke violent behavior. I remember when i was younger and started playing GTA3 I thought at first what a violent game this could become (running over civilians, shooting cops that are portrayed as annoying and degrading as possible) and later myself i remember actually pointing the gun at an old gramma and killing her on the spot. I thought man, these games will let you do anything. Later i really didn't feel much after shooting anybody down, like the game kind of dulled my conscious. Yes video games are not real in that your not really committing a crime, but when you continue kill and kill and kill it can sometimes become this monster inside that makes you crave for more.

Answer 3

I have done extensive reasearch on this topic through my undergrad, grad, and Phd work and in fact:

There is a strong corrleation between violent video games and violent behavior. This has to be classified--the most pronounce effects are found in children under age 12. Children who are consistently exposed to violent television or violent video games have a nearly threefold chance of committing violent acts in adulthood (characterizing violent acts as assault, overt act of aggression, etc...). In teens and adults the difference are less pronounce. It usually increases violent behavior or violent predisposition for a few hours but the effects typically taper off.

Answer 4

Playing violent video games like Doom, Wolfenstein 3D or Mortal Kombat can increase a person's aggressive thoughts, feelings and behavior both in laboratory settings and in actual life, according to two studies appearing in the April issue of the American Psychological Association's (APA) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Furthermore, violent video games may be more harmful than violent television and movies because they are interactive, very engrossing and require the player to identify with the aggressor, say the researchers.

One study reveals that young men who are habitually aggressive may be especially vulnerable to the aggression-enhancing effects of repeated exposure to violent games. The other study reveals that even a brief exposure to violent video games can temporarily increase aggressive behavior in all types of participants.

The first study involved 227 college students who completed a measure of trait aggressiveness and reported their actual aggressive behaviors (delinquency) in the recent past. They also reported their video game playing habits. Studies found that students who reported playing more violent video games in junior and high school engaged in more aggressive behavior. Studies also found that amount of time spent playing video games in the past was associated with lower academic grades in college.

In the second study, 210 college students played either a violent (Wolfenstein 3D) or nonviolent video game (Myst). A short time later, the students who played the violent video game punished an opponent (received a noise blast with varying intensity) for a longer period of time than did students who had played the nonviolent video game.

Violent video games provide a forum for learning and practicing aggressive solutions to conflict situations. In the short run, playing a violent video game appears to affect aggression by priming aggressive thoughts. Longer-term effects are likely to be longer lasting as well, as the player learns and practices new aggression-related scripts that can become more and more accessible for use when real-life conflict situations arise.

One major concern is the active nature of the learning environment of the video game. This medium is potentially more dangerous than exposure to violent television and movies, which are known to have substantial effects on aggression and violence.

Answer 5

there is a great possibility that if a child is playing a violent video game, they may mimic the behavior they are seeing. that is because a child's mind is very impressionable, so they are more likely to do or try what they see. as for an adult, it may spark something in them that makes them want to be violent but hopefully an adult would have more maturity in that sort of matter.

Answer 6

Yes they can because our consciousness becomes what we associate with. Those games are generally violent and one becomes numb to reality after playing. One has to choose all of their association carefully or their mind will become a cesspool of hellish reality. go to harekrishnatemple.c for understanding of controlling and cleansing the mind by the process of chanting the Maha Mantra Also read Bhagavad Gita As it is By Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada which gives the purpose of human life which definitely has nothing to do with video games

Answer 7

Yes, if you're playing violent games. It's all about the power of suggestion and subliminal messages.

Answer 8

It depend on the game that you play. of you play Mario, no (haha)
if you play Mortal Combat of course
but all the games have an influence on people

Answer 9

I just killed 4 cops and a bunch of Haitians in Vice City.
But I don't feel like killing anybody in real life, because my cat is sleeping on my lap and I don't want to disturb her.

Answer 10

No, parents not teaching their children the difference between fantasy and real life causes violence.