Do violent video games contribute to violent behavior?

[BOSSETTE]

I did a debate case about this last year and I'm just curious on what everyone else thinks about this.
So, do violent video games contribute to violent behavior?
I believe it all just depends on the person but there have been cases of people committing murder or violent behavior based off of their video games.
For example: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8889445/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

Here is a list of different beliefs on the issue: http://videogames.procon.org/

 

[S-I-C]

It depends on the individual not the video game or genere.

If the indiviual is easily impressionable, or just flat out fucking stupid, then yes.

Sent from my T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide using Tapatalk

 

[DanCock]

Human violence has nothing to do with video games. what ever act a human makes, it may emulate a video game. however that human would have emulated something else if it wasnt a video game.

Humans are animals some are just more evolved.

 

[THTB]

Like Dan and SIC said, it's not the games, it's the people playing the games.

 

[Dark_Rob]

Im inclined to agree with SIC. But I think theres more to it also. A persons environment, Social skills, upbringing, and mental stability all come into question. Its like the way the media wanted to blame Marilyn Manson and Slipknot for those two maniacs going bezerk at Columbine, when in fact those two had a number of mental and social issues.

I play violent video games, Mortal Kombat, Darksiders,Dantes Inferno, and GOW are all fairly violent games, but Im one of the most unviolent people your ever likely to meet. I have mental stability. I understand the difference between fantasy and reality. Some people do not.

"In the depths of a mind insane, fantasy and reality are the same" - Tom Araya of Slayer, from "Dead skin mask"

 

[MKF30]

The answer is this. NO!

Time and time again we've seen or heard from the dumb mainstream media that "Violent video games like MK, GTA, Manhunt and Doom may not be good for your children's mind"

This is a load of crap ^...for one a game doesn't make you a killer, evil or bad...YOU make YOU evil, killer or bad. Why do I know this? Well, simple...because killers, rapists, psychos and evil people in general have ALWAYS existed since the dawn of time of the human race. Period lol.

And that's LOOOOONG before video games were even a thought...

Also, what's so dumb and hypocritical about these accusations and assumptions by some people is this...how about "violent movies, films or TV shows"? They've been on for years yet not one word on "hmm perhaps this movie is too bad for your kids or teens?" nope...and then they say well you do have to be MA 18 to watch it or if it's rated with an adult possibly depending where you are...yet they cry about "video games like MK?" I don't get it, never did...never will. Politics aside, it's usually the far left wing liberals that cry over this more then anyone...Joe Liberman(D)(now turned Independent) was the one who made the stink about MK originally and thus spawned the ESRB system....then you heard Hillary cry over the "GTA hot coffee incident" lol and msnbc I recall was one of the biggest networks making a stink over manhunt 2...being banned and such.

Not saying everyone feels the same or different regardless of religion, political views etc but just pointing out it's not secret that most of the time with violent video games it's from a far left network or politician so concerned about "violent video games" lol

That's another thing that bugs me those politicians that care more about that shit then actual important things, but I don't want to rant into that...

That aside, I just hate it when people try to blame MK, GTA, Manhunt, Doom or any other violent game WITH rating systems no less on "their crimes"

I'm talking about incidents like this....

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/usa/news/article_1382466.php/Colorado_babysitting_teens_murder_inspired_by_Mortal_Kombat

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/sitemap/index.php/t-22835.html

Every time this happens, you hear someone go on and on about "this is why we need to ban violent video games, blah, blah, they corrupt our children's minds blah, blah" lol

Or cop shootings because they saw something in "GTA" blame the games....or how about these dipshits take responsibility for their actions maybe and the stupid politicians stop using examples like these as a tool for a weak argument to "ban violent games" The ESRB has been in full effect and retailers get penalized now if they sell M rated games to minors...what more do people want?

My opinion on this topic

Good topic, as you can see I've discussed this before a few times elsewhere lol.

 

[Tim Static]

It can, and does. But that isnt the fault of the people who made, produce or sell the software. It comes down to certain people, and their mental state and age. Parents shouldnt let their kids play Grand Theft Auto or even MK or other games. Parents need to parent their children and when they do, explain and parent them, explain and tell them about things they see in games and movies.

i got more but i got shit to get ready for tonight

Good topic Bossy <3

 

[MKF30]

I'd also like to add that, with the ESRB system in place....parents should NOT let their 10 year olds play games like MK, GTA because it's concepts that they don't understand and may think is ok out of pure ignorance....

My mom was always giving me grief about "I don't want that Mortal Kombat game in this house" lol when I was younger so I went over my friend's house, played MK2 for hours on his SNES....yet I tell her this day, I can understand your feelings but I'm an adult now and never killed anyone I think she was afraid it would have screweed my head up or something....yet my father showed me disturbing, scary horror movies regularly lol

 

[Solo]

Yes, it does. Don't have the time to explain why, but here:

 

[DanCock]

Yes, it does. Don't have the time to explain why, but here:

LMAO thats how i feel when i play MKD vs Versatile lololol

 

[SZSR]

It depends on the individual and how impressionable they are. But if games do anything, I believe they lessen violence. For me, MK just lets me relax, not make me want to freeze someone then uppercut the upper part of their body.

 

[MKF30]

It depends on the individual and how impressionable they are. But if games do anything, I believe they lessen violence. For me, MK just lets me relax, not make me want to freeze someone then uppercut the upper part of their body.

That's a very good point ^ if anything there's probably MORE evidence out there with games, hobby and exercise/health reasons WHY they're more good then bad for you...

Now, of course you'll only hear of the "video games having a negative influence on kids?" case but you rarely hear the positive.

Such as wii to kinect getting people up off their ass and getting in the game literally, moving or wii fit gaining exercise etc

Even normal games, like sub said..relieves stress, and it's far better to let off some steam in a vid game beating someone in MK or running people over in GTA or shooting people in COD then going out there and beating up some poor smhoe...am I wrong?

 

[GamerBlake90]

On the contrary, MKF30, you strike a good point. As has everyone else who posted here.

Everything I originally intended to say here in this thread has already been typed down by other members, so I'll simply give my answer to the question. NO, video games have nothing to do with one's behavior, except if their state of mind is not entirely stable. As dedicated as I am to video games, even I know the difference between reality and fantasy in all its entirety.

As explained here, it's petulant to see even politicians seeking out examples with which to discredit "violent video games." That's like spitting in the face of all those who worked to create the games. Besides, there's an ESRB system now, so the logic is simple: just don't let underage kids anywhere near M-rated games. I'd be hypocritical saying this, though, as I played some before I even hit thirteen, LOL. I think it was because my father at the time was bringing such games into the house. Thankfully there were minimal fusses and I wasn't affected at all by the content the games had to offer.

I have to wonder why the issue of introverts who seem to be "isolated from society by video games" isn't addressed as often as this issue over violent games is.

 

[BOSSETTE]

Yeah, games have rating systems for a reason.
Some games say, "Not responsible for online interactions".
A 10 year old playing an online game that involves the mic can be introduced to cussing because someone else online could be cussing. Then that 10 year old would take what he has learned from other people online into the "real world." Imagine what other people get out of online interaction, or especially violent video games.
There are people who are inherently violent or can affect other people through gaming and not by the game itself.
I agree with subzerosmokerai, I generally play any video game because of boredom or to relieve stress and anger when playing more violent video games.
But like I said, it depends on the person playing the video game.
It's kind of like the whole theory by John Locke with the "Blank Slate" and how things in the world affect a person who's initially good but then negatively changes.

 

[MKF30]

On the contrary, MKF30, you strike a good point. As has everyone else who posted here.

Everything I originally intended to say here in this thread has already been typed down by other members, so I'll simply give my answer to the question. NO, video games have nothing to do with one's behavior, except if their state of mind is not entirely stable. As dedicated as I am to video games, even I know the difference between reality and fantasy in all its entirety.

As explained here, it's petulant to see even politicians seeking out examples with which to discredit "violent video games." That's like spitting in the face of all those who worked to create the games. Besides, there's an ESRB system now, so the logic is simple: just don't let underage kids anywhere near M-rated games. I'd be hypocritical saying this, though, as I played some before I even hit thirteen, LOL. I think it was because my father at the time was bringing such games into the house. Thankfully there were minimal fusses and I wasn't affected at all by the content the games had to offer.

I have to wonder why the issue of introverts who seem to be "isolated from society by video games" isn't addressed as often as this issue over violent games is.

Thank you, appreciate that. I agree, everyone in here for the most part has made valid, good points including yourself.

Although I have to say, don't be too hard on yourself with the hypocritical concerns....afterall, to be fair when we were kids growing up during the "Golden Age" of gaming, most of us are in our mid 20's to early 30's...(the 3D community a lot of them are babies know what I mean lol) outside of some of us, they didn't see the classic MK's in the arcades or played them, when there was all this controversy surrounding it....with that being said, I mean there was no ESRB rating lol until MK was really bitched about during the sequels, before that violent games weren't an issue and we as teens could have bought them, no problem.

lol I did, way back when Gamestop used to be FuncoLand(to those wondering, the former name way back) and Babbages lol...God knows I walked in there TONS of times even when I was 16 and 17 they never carded me lol and I bought MK, Quake, Doom all the time...plus having facial hand and a deep voice doesn't hurt haha.

This was before GS had a strict "you get in trouble or lose your job" policy with not carding minors when buying M rated games or people that look questionable agewise.

And I agree, it really is an insult to the hard working developers that make these games...

 

[Juggs]

Games are like enablers, levers, or tools for our own human brains. It's just us, we can't, no matter how much we would want to, sloth off any responsiblity of our decisions on to our artifacts and say "They made the decisions.".

 

[oBryant]

I believe that exposing kids to reality can open up their eye to life so they know what to do and what not to do. Not just hide kids from it and tell them it doesn't exist.

I can use my sister for example. 13 years old. She plays CoD, Gears, GTA. She has straight A's and is a honers student, never got into trouble at school and Doesn't curse. She sin't dumb. My parents didn't have to sit with her and tell her whats bad or not but this is all just one kid. Not all kids are that bright. My opinion is, it's the person not the game or the parent's. Something a parent would be responsible for is not punishing their kid for doing something wrong. When my son spits or hits someone all I have to do is look at him with a special face >=\ and he knows to say sorry or I sit him facing a wall for ever, good thing he doesn't do it anymore.. yes he is talking by the way. =]

 

[Check]

God of War 3 made me evil. After a nights sleep i felt fine.

So yea, if the next day you're still feeling as violent as the day before, then something is wrong with you.

 

[MKF30]

God of War 3 made me evil. After a nights sleep i felt fine.

So yea, if the next day you're still feeling as violent as the day before, then something is wrong with you.

lol ^ true, ever watch that show in the mind of a serial killer? or whatever it is lol

 

[1truking]

I typed out a long post explaining the results from scholarly journals and it got deleted in error because the sit ran so slow that I was waiting for it to catchup. I hate this site sometimes.

I'll make this shorter this time.

Most studies that appear in scholarly journals actually have an absurd and unacceptable amount of study bias. For those who don't know thats when you want to do some kind of study/experiment and you come up with a theory to test. You then create an experiment based around that theory and you stack the test so the results will favor your theory. What I found in the impartial studies was that violent video games actually create a decrease in aggression among the players. The logic is that it providers a cathartic effect for the gamer.

some examples of biased study setups: the gamer was put into an unwinnable situation think kobayashi(sp) alternative from star trek. One the gamer was forced to rely on instructions from another person they couldn't interact with and that person was in on the study and would feed them bad instructions from time to time. Obvously these situations will raise more agression. Another study had two groups one was a group that has a history of behavior problems juvenile delinquents and another was a prep school with no behavior problems. The delinquents were made to play a violent game and the "good" kids played a nonviolent one. Results were the violent offenders were more aggressive and the good kids weren't...

 

[Dark_Rob]

Why bother doing a study in the first place if your just going to manipulate it to give you the results you want? That hardly seems logical.

 

[1truking]

Well the theoretical whole point of doing a study is so you can get some "real" data and somebody after you will look at it and do a "better" study to verify the results or extraplate(sp) on them. Though I thinkt he main reason people do it is the main reason people do anything... money or school. Some of the studies could be for their PHD or to get published in a journal and put that on their resume or they have money from whatever source and they have to justify it. Same thing as politicians accepting money from certain groups and then doing them favors later.

 

[Tim Static]

here we go:

http://kotaku.com/5730082/arizona-shooter-pegged-as-big-video-gamer-by-classmates

 

[1truking]

Yet another inherent flaw of these stuides. The percentage of people who play video games violent or otherwise is getting to be much higher. Most kids play them growing up and a lot of adults who grew up on games continue to play them. A lot of people try to show a direct correlation between liking violent video games and/or whatever type of music but its more of a minor characterisitic. If you like violent video games you might be more prone to violent acts but the amount is rather small. You could use that to create a profile in addition with other studies but thats about the best you can do.

 

[MKF30]

Yeah, the more I think about this honestly I think TV and movies would have a far heavier influence on someone IF there's proof of something like that encouraging someone to do violent things(rather then a video game)

The stuff on TV alone these days is at least I think far worse with language, nudity, adult themes, violence etc even though that is fake too, it's still real people being portrayed where as a video game is merely pixels lol. MK was one of the few exceptions using real actors but is still a video game.