Gaming violence and aggressive behaviour in youths have been commonly perceived by researchers as directly related to each other. It is believed that media violence, especially in computer games making children more aggressive and behaviourally unbalanced. This is a belief espoused by Grossman (2002). As a large proportion of gamers are in their teenage years or younger, their cognitive and emotional development stages are more susceptible to external influences. Considering the cultural significance and permeation of computer games and the fact that they are leisurely and interactive medium which have significant educative potential, gaming violence does affect youth aggression to some degree.
However, it is Jenkins belief that the results of these studies are are based on the work of researchers who represent one relatively narrow school of research, namely the study of media effects. Jenkins states that “this research includes some 300 studies of media violence. But most of those studies are inconclusive and many have been criticised on methodological grounds. In these studies, media images are removed from any narrative context.�? In these studies, the subjects are asked to engage with content they would not normally would not use and may not understand, making for inaccurate results. Additionally, the laboratory testing environment differs greatly from environments where games are normally be played (Jenkins 2005). It is also possible that most of the studies found “a correlation, not a causal relationship, which means the research could simply show that aggressive people like aggressive entertainment�? (Jenkins 2005).
Fowles in Goldstein (2001) supports this argument regarding laboratory studies in his statement "At home, everything is known; […] the lights are low, the child may be prone and comfortable, and viewing is nonchalant; here, [in the laboratory] the room is overlighted, the child is seated upright, and the viewing is concentrated. Most signally, at home television viewing is an entirely voluntary activity: The child is in front of the set because the child has elected to do so and in most instances has elected the content�?
It should be understood that there is a difference between what is simulated aggression, and real harmful aggression (Goldstein, 2001). While harmless simulated aggression may be shooting an imaginary gun with a hand in play, harmful aggression is when one attempts to hurt another to inflict pain. Violent computer games, although being an interactive digital medium, are fundamentally a form of simulated aggression.
Jenkins (2005) acknowledges that there is a link between media violence and aggression, but believes that they are merely one risk factor which, when coupled with other more immediate, real-world influences, can then contribute to anti-social behavior. Jenkins further states that “no research has found that video games are a primary factor or that violent video game play could turn an otherwise normal person into a killer.�? Grossman (2000) further comments on human behaviour with his belief that healthy members of most species have a powerful, natural resistance to killing their own kind.
http://www.aboutourkids.org/aboutour/articles/aggression.html
http://newmediawiki.ci.qut.edu.au/index.php/Computer_Games_-_Violence_-_Media_Effects_Theory
Grossman, D. 2001. Killology Research Group. Retrieved October 10, 2005 from http://www.killology.com/
Goldstein, J. 2001. Does playing violent video games cause aggressive behaviour?: Playing by the Rules. Retrieved September 7, 2005 from http://culturalpolicy.uchicago.edu/conf2001/papers/goldstein.html
Jenkins, H. 2005. Reality Bytes: Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked. Retrieved September 7, 2005, from http://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/impact/myths.html
Back to Computer Games - Ethics
Matthew Hsu 11:43, 28 Oct 2005 (EST)
