Violent Video Games Cause Violence In Teenagers.

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Violent Video games cause violence in teenagers

Introduction

Psychology asserts that human beings are the product of both external and internal factors and stimuli. However, child psychology highlights that a children practice and imitate their surroundings. A simple example of this fact is girls imitating and copying their teachers after school and getting themselves dressed like their teachers. In the same way, it is asserted that playing video games has become one of the popular activity for boys of all ages. Video gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry that is capable of boosting the economy more than movies and other businesses. According to research, girls spend more than one-hour playing games while boys spend more than two hours. Among boys, there is a greater ratio of teens who spend time playing video games as compared to others (Maloney et al., 2019, pp. 26-45). Today, video games have become more realistic and more sophisticated, taking into account that some games allow children and adolescents to play along with getting in touch with other players and peers. There are different games, belonging to different sectors of interest, taking into consideration that it is found that exposure to something reshapes and redesigns reality. Increasing evolution in games and the growing interest of teenagers in games highlighted a critical point that affirms violent video games cause violence in teenagers (Maloney et al., 2019, pp. 26-45).

Discussion

According to a study published in October, titled, “Proceedings of the National Academy of Science” researchers tried to resolve the controversy that discusses the impact of violent games on children, taking into account different studies that were published for and against the topic. The results of meta-analysis revealed that playing violent games causes violence in teenagers. It was found that the type of violence is physical aggression and heated discussion on topics. Many of the studies found that the blood and brutality in games divert emotions to an extreme level, highlighting violence in thoughts and language as well accompanied by pushing and hitting (Maloney et al., 2019, pp. 26-45).

In accordance with the research conducted by a social psychologist Dartmouth and his co-author, he said, “I kept on reading all the criticisms and literature regarding the topic, and I found no connection” (Maloney et al., 2019, pp. 26-45). As the result was not satisfactory, so his coauthors underwent meta-analysis to determine the merits of the study. Hull and colleagues collected data from twenty-four different studies that were selected to study some of the criticisms that were published (Maloney et al., 2019, pp. 26-45). The prime focus of the research was to measure the relationship between violent video games and the overt physical aggression. The research was limited to the analysis of studies that were statistically controlled on the basis of several factors that have the potential to influence the relationship between subsequent behaviors and gaming such as aggressive behavior and instant reaction towards other (Sparks et al., 2016).

Although age and other factors were major and significant constraints, still the analysis revealed that the teenagers who play violent games are more aggressive. It is important to note that the changes in behavior were quite low taking into account that it is dependent on the exposure and personal instinct to be violent (Maloney et al., 2019, pp. 26-45). According to the researcher, “If we use a traditional way of looking at the numbers then it would not be a large effect. However, I would say that it is relatively small. Moreover, it is statistically reliable, not by considering chance even not by inconsequential” (Sparks et al., 2016).

The findings of sociologist were found be messing with the literature review that was published in the year 2015 conducted by the American Psychological Association that concluded that violet video games are capable of worsening the aggressive behavior in the older child, teenagers, and even young adults. After the publication of the two combined researches, another researcher who was serving at the State University of Lowe, Douglas Gentile asserted that, “Media Violence is one of the risk factors for causing aggression in teenagers, although it is not one of the biggest factors, not the least factors still, it is worth considering" (Sparks et al., 2016).

In response, another research from the Stetson University of Florida asserted, the degree to which an individual plays video games is directly associated with the aggression analysis, that is termed as “effect size” in psychology. However, he proposed a size effect of 0.08 as a ratio that suggests that the violent games are capable of causing less than one percent of violent behavior among the US teens and pre-teens (Sparks et al., 2016). This statement generates a cause and effect relationship between violent video games and hostile actions. Another psychologist proved that the size effect is not deniable because of its real world significance. Moreover, an analysis of the cause and effect relationship highlighted that playing video games is linked to almost double of the risk that the teenagers are found engaged in school and college fighting and other aggressive attitudes. There are a number of students who are more interested in negative profile actions such as violence, killing, and hitting just to portray themselves as realistic arrogant heroes as found in games.

This research paved the way for other dimensions that included aspects, such as age and the family lineages. Hull and his colleagues found that ethnicity also plays a critical role in defining relationship between concern regarding teenager's violence and violent video games (Sparks et al., 2016). It was found that the white players are found to be more susceptible to the putative effect of the games on the behavior as compared to the Hispanic and Asian players. Although Hull was not all and all assured about the fact; still he found that varying impact of games are related to the cultural norms, taking into account that American Culture is deeply dependent and promoting individualism and the same impact is found in the teenagers, they have a warrior-like a mentality that may incite the video games players taking into account the fact that the player is found to be aggressors rather than victims (Sparks et al., 2016). It was also asserted that the research might impart sympathy towards virtual victims taking into account the core values and behaviors that are outside the games.

The same research inferred that the study is more directed to find a link between the psychological impact of killing in video games and how it diverts and direct real-life actions (Sparks et al., 2016). In a flow up paper of the same research, Hull says that there is a dire need to take initiatives that can tackle issues that are the product of virtual progression resulting in violent and aggressive attitude. According to him, the relationship between violent games and real-life aggression seen in teenagers due to such games is a knotty issue; in fact, it is an open debate that questions, either research would ever be able to quell the controversy or not. In response, many conflicting perspectives were proposed that do rejects the relation but doesn’t negate the size effect, so the issue is left with open loops (Sparks et al., 2016).

Conclusion

In a nutshell, it is found that there is a direct relationship between violent games and aggressive attitude and violence in teenagers, as confirmed by different psychological and sociological researchers. Although the effect varies with exposure as well as the personality attributes of the teenager still, it is a significant ideology to consider because it is one of the motivations that are found behind teenager’s aggression and violence.

Work Cited

Maloney, Marcus. "Ambivalent violence in contemporary game design." Games and Culture 14.1 (2019): 26-45.

Sparks, Thomas. How Games Affect Our Behavior: An Examination Through Symbolic Interactionism. Diss. University of Virginia, 2016.