Introduction
With the increasing spread of electronic media, kids today have access to all kinds of content across multiple devices and screens – television, computers and mobile phones, besides video gaming consoles. Gaming is an increasingly popular pastime with children, especially in homes where the parents are busy and the kids are left alone for the day, since they are too old for daycare. Teen adolescents have found increasing fascination in video games – whether on the computer, cellphone or gaming console. With internet connectivity and technology improvements, fast action games – the kind that keep children engrossed for hours – can now be found on every device. Their rising popularity has led to concerns that the violence depicted in video games may affect the behavior of children and make them more aggressive. Many studies on the topic have created a divided opinion on whether video games are affecting behavior. My personal opinion is that this is not necessarily true.
Most studies conducted on the effect of violence in media on children pertain to films and television. Video game violence began to emerge as an area of concern with the increasing presence of high resolution computer graphics in the 1990s, and the advent of games which used this graphical animation to depict violence in more detail. As the level of animation increased, users were more psychologically involved with the game due to its life-like qualities. Several studies found that there was a higher degree of correlation between the incidence of video games being played and aggressive behavior, such as those by Anderson (788) and Sherry (428). However, many of these studies fail to take into account other sociological and psychological factors which might possibly add to the effect. For example, a study in Japan on the effect of game violence affecting behavior in children found lower manifestation of aggressive behavior than a similar study among American children, even though the total amount of violence shown is similar (Kodaira, 101). This indicates that there are other factors at play besides game violence which can cause aggressive behavior among children who play video games. Again, a study by Anderson and Dill (788) also found that the aggression levels among children who played video games were much higher among those kids who already displayed aggressive behavior as part of their nature. Again, Ferguson and Kilburn (177) found that the increasing number of studies showing positive results for connection between aggressive behavior and video games may be overestimated due to publication bias. Therefore, the likelihood of the impact on behavior may have been grossly overstated in many cases.
Several studies have been able to correlate the effect of video games on aggressive behavior in adults, adolescents and children. However, most of these effects are slated to be short term and in experimental conditions. Causal relationships over the long term were not firmly established to connect aggressive behavior with the type of video games being played. For example, there has been no comprehensive study to indicate the comparative level of aggression between two sets of subjects, one of which played an aggressive but non-violent game such as say racing, with another set that played games depicting violence. This kind of study might be able to highlight if the aggression arising out of video games is merely competitive aggression or there is a deeper problem relating to human psychological behavior. One study was conducted along these lines, and it indicated short-term behavior that would indicate increased aggressiveness among those playing violent games as compared to others playing non-violent games, but the impact is seen to be short-term (Jacobs, 1).
While the studies show a relation between aggressive behavior and violent games, the direct causal relationship is yet to be established. There are several studies that have also worked on the beneficial effects of playing video games – better hand-eye coordination, better response time to stimulus, better independence in decision-making and stronger cognitive thinking skills. Therefore, video games do have a significant positive effect as well. Christopher Ferguson, an associate professor of psychology at Stentson University argues that there is no direct correlation between video game violence and aggressive behavior. He says “Despite increases in violent games, movies and television programs in recent decades, youth violence has not increased. If video games really did have this direct, linear affect, we would be able to see it in society, and we're not" (Rettner, 1).
Douglas Gentile, associate professor of psychology at Iowa State University is one of the leading researchers focused on this field of study. He says that the effect of video games, especially violent ones is to put players in an artificial environment which may affect the way they think. The video games affect thinking in three ways, according to him. One, children who play these games have a tendency to attribute acts of hostility to other people, since they are supposed to be vigilant for those in the game. Second, the games teach children that an aggressive response is acceptable. Third, the artificial environment causes children to artificially heighten the aggressiveness of their fantasies. All three together are likely to express themselves as aggressive behavior among children. However, the game itself is not solely responsible for aggressive behavior. The key factor driving aggressive manifestation could be the extent to which children play these games, says Gentile. Another study by Craig Anderson, director of the center for the study of violence at Iowa State University, found that increased levels of aggression were found most among those who played the longest, typically more than 15 hours a week or 2 hours a day (Park, 1). So children who played less or did not play violent video games were found to be less aggressive. This only shows that the level of aggression needs to be controlled by keeping a strict control on how much video games children are allowed to play.
Aggression manifests itself most among adolescents, according to studies, since they are yet discovering the world around them and have not yet learnt to adjust. Grown up children had lower level of aggression as they learnt to deal with issues in a mature fashion. However, children who may still not be out of the tantrum stage are those most likely to display aggressive behavior, thinking it is all right to do so. In this, it is not the children or the games to be blamed but poor parenting practices. Parents today are stressed, and with economic hardship, are more likely to be working longer hours and have less time for kids. Some are more than happy that the children are ‘out of the way’ little realizing the impact that long hours in front of the television or with video games are likely to have on kids.
Conclusion
The connection between violent games and aggressive behavior among kids has been a popular topic of debate, brought to the forefront every time an incident of school violence takes place, in which students shoot up the school. Such incidences are further magnified by the media and the blame is laid at the door of violent video games. However, most narratives fail to take into consideration that violence is not a result of the games alone, but a complex combination of social, economic and home conditions as well as mental make-up and psychological conditions. A well-adjusted child from a stable family is not likely to take up violence simply because of a game. It is the students who come from struggling and single parent families, with a poor economic background and aggressive behavior tendencies in the home who are most likely to engage in this kind of behavior, behavior which has been magnified as a result of over-exposure to violent games. Therefore, the games alone cannot be held accountable for the violent behavior of kids. Instead, if anyone is responsible, it is the parents and society at large.
While teenage violence is a matter of concern, studies show clearly that it has in no way increased significantly or linearly due to the advent of video games. A host of other factors too hold responsibility for aggressive behavior, many of which are human and controllable. By focusing on video games alone, parents and educators cannot shrug off their own responsibility in ensuring that children grow up and behave in a manner that is beneficial to society. Games are an artificial environment, a world of fantasy and keeping children grounded in the real world is the best solution in ensuring that they are not unduly influenced by the violence depicted in games. Keeping tabs on the amount of time children play these games, the types of games they play and helping them discover other ways of entertainment and social interaction are some of the solutions to deal with the aggression of kids, when banning violent games is simply a short-sighted solution to the overall problem.
References
Anderson, C. A., & Dill, K. E “Video games and aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behavior in the laboratory and life” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2000, vol. 78, 772–790.
Anderson, C. A. “An update on the effects of violent video games” Journal of Adolescence, 2004, vol. 27, 113–122.
Ferguson, C. J., & Kilburn, J. “Much ado about nothing: The misestimation and overinterpretation of violent video game effects in eastern and western nations: Comment on Anderson et al. (2010)”. Psychological Bulletin, 2010, 136, 174 –178.
Kodaira, S. I. “A review of research on media violence in Japan. In U. Carlsson & C. von Feilitzen (Eds.), Children and media violence (pp. 81–105)”. Goteborg, Sweden: UNESCO International Clearinghouse on Children and Violence on the Screen, 1998.
Jacobs, T “Violent Video Games and Bad Behavior: The Evidence Mounts” PSMag 10 February 2014, web. Last accessed 3 December 2014.
Park, A “Little By Little, Violent Video Games Make Us More Aggressive” Time Magazine, 24 March 2014, web. Last accessed 3 December 2014.
Rettner, R “Do Violent Games Boost Aggression? Study Adds Fire to Debate” Livescience, 24 March 2014, web. Last accessed 3 December 2014.
Sherry, J. L. “The effects of violent video games on aggression: A meta-analysis”. Human Communication Research, 2001, vol. 27, 409 – 431.
