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Computer Games - Ethics: Effects of Media Violence

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Definition

Media violence is any depiction of aggression or acts of violence in the media such as television, radio and video games. Media violence, especially in computer games, has shown in many studies to increase aggressive behaviour in children and adolescents in the short-term and long-term (Rathus, 1999).

In a study conducted by DeAngelis, 5-7 year olds played one of two games. In one, Karateka, villains were destroyed by being hit or kicked. In the other, Jungle Hunt, the character swing non-violently from vine to vine to cross the jungle. Afterward the children were observed in a playroom. Those who had played Karateka - both boys and girls - were significantly more likely to hit their playmates and an inflated doll. Based upon this study, most psychologists agree that media violence contributes to aggression (Rathus, 1999).


Imitation

Children who played violent video games tended to imitate the actions of their onscreen counterparts. Children often watch how people, especially parents, act and compose themselves and use this as a reference of how to behave.


There are a number of ways in which depictions of violence can influence a person’s behaviour:

  • Observational Learning - Children learn from observation. Media violence supplies models of aggressive “skills�?, which children may acquire. In fact, children are more likely to imitate what their parents do rather than what they say. For example, if adults say that they disapprove of aggression but smash furniture or slap each other when frustrated, children are likely to develop the notion that aggression is the way to handle frustration. Media violence provides viewers with ideas about how to behave in situations like those they have observed on the media (Rathus, 1999).</li>
  • Disinhibition - Punishment inhibits/restrains behaviour. Whereas, media violence may disinhibit/encourage aggressive behaviour, especially when the media character gets away with violence or is rewarded for it (Rathus, 1999).</li>
  • Increased Arousal - Media violence and aggressive video games increase viewers’ level of arousal. For example: television “works them up�?. As a result of the higher levels of arousal, media viewers are more likely to be aggressive (Rathus, 1999).</li>
  • Priming of Aggressive Thoughts and Memories - Media violence arouses aggressive ideas and memories (Rathus, 1999).</li>
  • Habituation - Viewers of media become “habituated to�? or “used to�?, repeated stimuli. Repeated exposure to television violence may decrease viewers’ sensitivity to real violence. If children come to perceive violence as normal, they may become more tolerant of it and place less value on restraining aggressive urges (Rathus, 1999).</li>

    See Also


    Computer Games - Ethics
    Computer Games - Ethics: Morals in Computer Games
    Computer Games - Ethics: Reflexes and Behaviours
    Computer Games - Ethics: Case Study: Manhunt
    Computer Games - Ethics: Case Study: F.E.A.R.

    Reference


    Wikipedia (2005), Violence, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violence, retrieved 25 October 2005.

    Rathus, S. A, (1999) Psychology in the New Millenium - 7edn, Montclair State University, USA

    Retrieved from "http://wiki.media-culture.org.au/index.php/Computer_Games_-_Ethics:_Effects_of_Media_Violence"
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