Do Video Games Encourage Violent Behavior?

Unit 2, Issue 5, Page 92

We explore the world of video games and how they have changed over the years. Craig Anderson believes that young people are prompted to be more aggresive and violent when it comes to video games, more so than other media sources. Henry Jenkins argues that it is a misconception and that there is no correlation between violence and video games.
It seems that the issue might arrise that the youth today is less morally responsible, conservative, and judgemental about the relationship of media in reagards to fiction or non.

Yes: Violent Video Games: Myths, Facts, and Unanswered Questions- Craig A. Anderson
There are four types of evidence that prove this face: laboratory experiments, field experiments, cross-selectional correlation studies, and longitudinal studies. The 90's was the launch of creating ultimate realistic, violent, and cyberly competitive gaming. Video games went from fun and educational to fun and aggresive. This can be seen by the movie clips that are desined to move the story along and such as Grand Theft Auto, were you aquire points for killing innocent bystanders.

Myths and Facts
Myth 1. Violent video game research has yielded very mixed results: FACTS;
Using combined sources of evidence, there can be found links to increased aggressive behavior, thoughts, and affect; increased physiological arousal; and decreased prosocial behavior.
Myth 2. The studis that find significant effects are the weakest methodologically
This method has yielded the largest effect.
Myth 3. Laboratory experients are irrelevant: FACTS;
Example given is that variables know to influcene real world aggression and violence have the same effects on laboratory measures of aggression.
Myth 4. Field experiements are irrelevant or are normal play behaviors: FACT.
Myth 5. Correlational studies are irrelevant
Myth 6. There are no studies linking violent video game play to serious aggression. FACTS; High exposure of such types of video games have been linked to fighting at schools during free play periods.
Myth 7. Violent video games affect only a small fraction of players.
Myth 8. Unrealistic video game violence is completely safe fro adolescents.
Myth 9. The effects of violent video games are trivially small. FACTS; Meta-analyses reveal that violent video games affect a size larger than that of second hand tabacco smoke on lung cancer.
Myth 10. ARousal, not vilent content, accounts for video game induced increases in aggression.
Myth 11. If violent video games cause increases in aggression, violent crive rates in the U.S. would be increasing instead of decreasing. FACTS; Media violence in only one of the many factors that contribute to violence in society.

There are still studies missing that link the habitual violent video game exposure an later aggression. Also the corelation between the effect that television has verses video games.

NO: Reality Bytes: Eight Myths about Video Games Debunked- Henry Jenkins
According to federal crime statistics the rate of juvenile violent crime in the US is at a 30-year low. There is also a study with this that shows that usually the juveniles have consumed less media before commiting their crimes in a comparison of typically media consumers. Mental stability is te key factor when it comes to hostile kids and not media exposure.
Jenkins argues that most research that relate violence to video games are studies that are inconclusive, mainly because they are done at minor scales. 90% of children have played or play video games. The number that is currently growing are young adults over 18 years of age as well as female payers. The Federal Trade Commission has found that 83 percent of game purchases for underage consumers are done by their parents or parents with their children.
There are so many different types of video game styles and many are useful for learning and have meaningful means for individuals to express themselves. He gives the example of Sims game designed by Will Wright, In movies, one can always pull back and condemn the character. But when it comes to playing video games one choices the fate of the character, which in turn can encourage a person to examine their own values. 60% of gamers play with a friend(s). 25% play with spouses or parents.
"Research shows us only that violent play leads to more violent play"

Personally, I feel that it is up to the parent to determine what is sutable for their child play. Maturity level plays a key role in what they can play.