Do Playing Violent Video Games Turn Their Players Violent?

[rayzoredge 2]

I believe that it is a bit of both. It really depends on many factors, especially factors dealing with the person being exposed to the content. As we live and grow, our behavior develops on the experiences that we go through growing up. We form our reactions, thoughts, and methods of thinking on these foundations.

 

Examples: 1.) If you were sexually abused by a family member, you may develop a fear and general distrust of people altogether. 2.) If you were raised to fight and bully others, you might resort to violence to solve problems in the future.

 

Video games as an influencing factor work the same way, in my opinion. Anything that is able to influence the development of a child will sway their behavior in the future towards the subject matter. Fortunately enough, most kids are old enough to think for themselves and are not exactly swayed to terrorize and kill a bunch of their fellow classmates after playing a game of Halo. However, some kids are literally mentally undeveloped enough to accept the idea that video game violence portrays an acceptance of violence in reality, and thus they will adapt to the idea that violence in society is okay.

 

Basically, what I'm saying is that if you raise a child around violence, that child will most likely have more of a violent behavior as his/her thought process will revolve around their own experiences with the matter, simply because that's all they know. If you have someone that has the mental capacity to determine that violence is not acceptable, yet that person plays many violent games, that person MAY become violent in behavior as a result, but not very likely considering the fact that he/she KNOWS that violence is not acceptable in the real world.

 

That's what I figure. [Hopefully that wasn't confusing.] =p

 

Remember that if you do agree with what I believe in, it is the mental capacity to determine whether violence is right or wrong that would sway a person to become violent as a result of violent video games, which means that this leaves anyone subject to becoming violent as a result of violent video games [and not just younger children]. If I didn't know better, I could very well myself become more of a violent individual because I enjoy violent video games... and so could you.

[street 0]

I really dont think that violent video games make players who play them violent. What someone decide to do with there life is up to them not what they play. If they are violent it is because they want to be violent. Now about kids growing up in a violent environment then i believe that they will be violent. But everyone is different there are kids who have been brought in homes were they see violence everyday but when they get older they get wiser and some of those kids don't usually turn out to be violent. I have a friend who mom and dad were constant smokers they smoked around him from since he was a kid to this very day and he has never smoked and he plans to never smoke.What it all comes down to in my opinion is how an individual wants to be in life they can make there own decision. Unless they have someone threating them to do what the want but other than that i don't think video games will make someone violence. That is just and excuse for them to find a way and the don't want to admit that they have a problem.

[csp4.0 1]

yes, becase like the peoplle that play violent computer games all the time doesn't seem violent at all, and yeah. Like what the above person said about smoking, if a person grew up surrounded by smokers, the person still decides whether he/she smokes

[megabytemb 0]

i don't think so because all you are physically doing is pushing buttons and turning knobs.like i play Grand theft auto and i don't go up and punch someone in the head.but at the same time some people are like monkey see monkey do. like my 11 year old sister saw me riding my motorbike so she decided to have a go without anyone around and crashed it into a wall and broke her arm.so yeah monkey see monkey dobut most people aren't that dumb

[FolkRockFan 0]

Blaming violent video games for a person's violent choices is just another pathetic excuse - a means of shirking personal responsibility. "The video game made me do it!" is just a lame excuse. We have free will. We choose what to do, or not do. It's not like the video game emerged from the TV screen, put a knife to the player's throat and forced him/her to go do something evil or violent.And why is it that, when people do rotten things, society is quick to blame an external force...but when that person does something really good and wonderful, he or she gets the credit? You can't really have it both ways. You either have free will or you don't.

[Unknown_99 0]

Video games yes may be used as stress relievers, for me myself have played many games that may be considered too graphic but neither the less I'm quite a nice person and in all honesty games doesn't make the person bad, its the person already who have made up their mind to do such acts. Anyways just like the person above me said, its just an excuse used by many people to excuse their behavioral issues.

[arza1 0]

i think that the thought of people being violent because they are playing violent video games is a bunch of crap. i don't know about you guys but playing games makes me really happy. usually for the rest of the day too. even if it is the most brutal game i have ever played. which is usually the type of of game that i atract to the most. i never feel like i want to do something as stupid as steal a car or murder families or bomb villages. that is rediculus. the only tie that video games might have on our actions is something to the nature of increasing the adrinaline and making us a little on edge or exited. but for kids at the age of 7 plying gta san adres is stupid because they do not have the mind to know what is right or wrong. there parents should take the responsibility, not the producers.

Edited September 9, 2007 by arza1 (see edit history)

[DeM0nFiRe 0]

Well, come on guys, it's not as if there was violence before video games or anything :PSeriously, the idea that games cause violence is ridiculous. For as many cases that someone was influenced towards violence by a vidoe game, there are at least as many cases that people could play a video game to blow off some steam without hurting anyone.

[rvalkass 5]

There's an arguement on each side. Some firmly believe that playing violent video games and watching violent films will make the person more violent. A study in the 60s showed that even small children become much more violent when shown violent cartoon clips. Very small influences can have a big impact.Some believe the exact opposite - watching violence makes a person more aware of its consequences and therefore less likely to be violent. Some think there is a slower process where we get desensitised to violence and eventually it has no effect. There is evidence for this in films and games gradually becoming more violent. Another study shows there is the effect of catharsis. If people watch violence, and especially if they take part in it in video games, it provides a safe outlet for their anger and aggression. This theory would mean that violence in games and on TV is actually a good thing and prevents violence in the real world with real people.Personally I agree with a recent study that shows violence in games and films has much more of an effect if it is realistic, and the viewer can directly relate to it. Shooting aliens with a ray gun wouldn't have much of an effect (as that wouldn't happen in real life), but a game like Grand Theft Auto has much more of an effect as the people are more realistic and you use realistic guns.

[arnz 0]

Only going from one side of things, video games are indeed seen as relaxation, stress relivers and the like. Even myself, I've been through games which are graphic and the like, but in general I'm a bit busy to think about the violence and the like. But as many others on here, and elsewhere said, some use it as a excuse for violence in RL. Besides, younger people shouldnt be exposed to violent type of games that early, yet imo. Maybe down the track, but not while they are in primary school. Parents should at least have some control or watch what their younger kids may be playing.

[Watermonkey 0]

While playing violent games can, probably, desensitize a person and increase the chance they might go out into the real world to commit a crime, the fact remains they're ultimately responsible for their actions. One thing I can see evidence of, however, is that spending so much time on the computer playing games can cause the user to lose what little communication skills they may once have had, as evidenced by the title of this thread.

[arza1 0]

actually you might have gained people skills or comunications skills by playing multiplayer games if that is what you are playing. i will have to agree with the other side though sometimes you get that one guy that plays a game and afterwards is a little on edge and wants to go off on somebody. usually because they lost though. but like others have said video games are like a stress reliever for some people. but it is ultamitly the person resposibility to not let the game influence them to recreate some of the brutal actions on the game. you cannot blame a company or a product for you buying there product and not being able to handle it. especially if it has a violence rating on it. i don't think that we will have to worry about us loosing video games because of their content though, it is too big of an industry for that.

[Calimero 0]

its not that bad but you shouldnt allways play them for alot of reasons like, you will get bored of it, your mind might become corrupt and they cost alot

[Dagoth Nereviar 0]

Playing violent games won't turn you violent. Noone is that stupid to think just because it happened in a game and its OK doesnt mean it'll happen in real life and be A-Ok.People that blame it on video games are just trying to cover up for it. It's all lies.LIES AND SLANDER!!!

[Saint_Michael 3]

This debate has been going on since Mortal Kombat made its debut in which Kano rips a person's heart out, and Sub-Zero decapitated people. The reality is violence is what makes most video games popular because there are some things "normal" people wouldn't do in the real world; nonetheless, you have kids who grow up playing just violent video games haul off and bust a grand theft auto on someone. I would categorize myself as a 1st-2nd generation gamer since I have played almost every system that has come out on the market since the atari and the arcades.Kids have to know when to turn that part of the mind off when they are playing a video game thats is based on a fantasy, and in some cases reality. There is a difference between a game over in a video game and a "game over" in life, and if kids don't realize that nor their parents teach them this, then something could happen and when the first mention of a violent video game is out there. All these adults who no nothing about video games start calling for bans and laws and junk like that. The ERSB rating was the best thing to be put in place back in the 90s, and yes I was totally against back in my youth because I couldn't by the awesome game, but after many years of maturing its the best thing we as adults can do for kids and making sure they are mature enough to understand the violent content not only in video games but movies, and tv.Of course there are many other factors into why people become violent, just like pit bulls video games get a bad rap for what most of them are about. Although I think by the time people are my age it would be time to put down the controller and become a responsible adult, I don't play as many games as I use to any more due to prices and other stuff, and when I watch my niece sometimes I don't play any violent games, and neither does my brother because we don't want her to act that stuff out. Although I would have to agree that sometimes games really do take it to far with violence, don't get me wrong I don't made seeing a guy getting blowing up but if thats the main focus through the whole game I try to finish it as fast as I can and play something else. Look at Nintendo they are the few successful companies were violence is non existing in most of their games because they prefer quality and game play instead of boring old violence.To finish up though its the parents responsibility to make sure kids understand the difference between reality and fantasy, and making sure they don't go and start eating mushrooms and thinking they will get big as Mario or something.