Research: Do Violent Video Games Contribute To Youth Violence
ProCon
Do Violent Video Games Contribute to Youth Violence
February 2010
You can find the full paper here.
Non-profit group ProCon enters the age old debate of violence and video games in their latest study. The group reports that 97% of 12-17 year olds played a video game in 2008. ProCon points out that video games are blamed for violence and criminal behavior, but proponents point out that research is skewed and no causal relationship can be found.
ProCon breaks down the Pro’s and Con’s of the debate. A sample is provided for example:
Pro’s:
- Increasing reports of bullying can be partially attributed to the popularity of violent video games.
- Video games often reward players for simulating violence, and thus enhance the learning of violent behaviors.
- Violent video games desensitize players to real-life violence.
- A 2000 FBI report includes playing violent video games in a list of behaviors associated with school shootings.
- Violent video games tech youth that violence is an acceptable conflict solving strategy.
Con’s:
- Violent juvenile crime in the United States has been declining as violent video game popularity has increased.
- A causal link between violent video games and violent behavior has not been proven.
- A 2004 US Secret Service review of previous school-based attacks found that one-eighth of attackers exhibited an interest in violent video games, less than the rate of interest attackers showed in violent movies, books, and violence in their own writings.
- The small correlations that have been found between video games and violence may be explained by violent youth being drawn to violent video games.
- Playing violent video games reduces violence in adolescent boys by serving as a substitute for rough and tumble play.
You can find the full paper here.
Here we go again.
First, testosterone driven people have a love for some sort of violence as long as that violence isn’t real and the brain knows this.
At some point violence hits home and isn’t cool anymore. The concern is that we become desensitized to this through our exposure, but no one seems to take an interest in what gets shown on the news every night. So while it is perfectly acceptable to see war time damage, among other gory displays.
So while there is an increased level of
Oh yeah, this has been a discussion for a long time now but nobody proves yet that the increase of crime rate has something to do with video games. These games are supposed to provide fun and entertainment, right?
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