The prevalence of video games has changed the individuals’ tendency to utilize the leisure time in productive and informative activities and technological advancements in the development of video games has increased the interactive fun that one can receive from the indulgence in video games. Psychological experts have been arguing the fact that video games provide the individuals with the simulated environment where they can utilize the traits of different characters to pursue their violent behavior. The study conducted in this respect by Anderson and Murphy (2003) conducted the experiment on video game players and change in their aggression levels and the results provided the empirical evidence related to the relation between individuals’ indulge in the video gaming and demonstrating the violent behavior. However, the relation was found to be mediated by the revenge motivation rather than instrumental-aggression. Therefore, the study indicated that only individuals who possess the state of revenge among them can manipulate the violent gaming illustrations to demonstrate their aggressive behavior whereas individuals with no revenge behavior do not trigger any violent behavior due to their indulgence in video games and fails to incorporate violent behavior in individuals on long term basis.
Adachi and Willoughby (2011) emphasized on the developed notion of video game’s violent behavior and intrigued the negative aspect of video games by enlightening the fact that individuals claim that they enjoy and get relaxed after the recreational activity of video gaming which arises the question that how fun related recreational activity can cause violent behavior among the individuals. Moreover, the past studies conducted in this respect account for the relationship behavior between the variables of video games and aggressive behavior however, the causal results that can depict the individuals’ indulgence in the violent activities due to the violent content of video games is yet to be found.
References
Adachi, P. J., & Willoughby, T. (2011). The effect of video game competition and violence on aggressive behavior: Which characteristic has the greatest influence?. Psychology of Violence, 1(4), 259.
Anderson, C. A., & Murphy, C. R. (2003). Violent video games and aggressive behavior in young women. Aggressive behavior, 29(5), 423-429.
