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Robi Lovell
Dec. 11, 2012
Final Paper
Annotated Bibliography
Brad J. Bushman. “The Effects of Video Games. Do They Affect Our Behavior?”
ITHP.org. International Human Press, 2011. Web. Dec. 4, 2012.
Bushman, the author of this article, mentions warnings about violence in the media
and it’s effects on behavior as far back as the 1972. He compares video games to
movies and television and asks the question, which is worse? Video games,
Bushman goes on to say, are far more likely to lead to anti social behavior than
television and movies because of our ability to connect and relate to a character we
control versus one we just observe. There are also rewards and positive feedback to
the violent behavior acted out within the game.
This article is from a psychologist’s viewpoint and gives good information
while answering many questions that have been raised over the effects of violent
video games. The article is well written and the author show actual intelligence that
makes the source feel more credible.
The article gives a lot of great information along with several references for
additional information. For my paper I need the viewpoint of a few different
psychologists and what type of studies they have done. Bushman covers a variety of
topics I wish to include in my paper including the difference between violence in
media and violence in video games.
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Anderson, Craig A. Brad J. Bushman. “Comfortably Numb: Desensitizing Effects of
Violent Media on Helping Others.” Ebscohost.com. EBSCO Host. EBSCO
Industries, Inc. Mar 2009. Web. Dec. 11, 2012.
Anderson and Bushman wrote about the desensitization effects video games have
on those who play them. According to the article there was a study done showing
those who played violent video games were less likely to acknowledge the pain and
suffering of others. The participants within the study who played the violent games
were also less likely to lend a helping hand to someone in need.
The article was short but gave a good overview of the research that was
performed. It presented the research well and gave great examples of what the out
comes were with the individuals who participated.
This source gives some information on one of the possible side effects of
playing video games. This is crucial for my paper because I plan on presenting both
the positive and negative consequences that occur from video game exposure.
“Violent Video Games May Not Make People More Aggressive.” Articles.com. NY
Daily News, Sept. 7, 2012. Web. Dec. 6, 2012.
The article states that video games themselves may not cause aggression but instead
the playing style may be the actual cuprite. It goes on to say that in some studies the
level of cooperativeness while playing a game determines the persons overall
emotional reaction. When a game becomes too competitive the players respond
negatively and show aggression that can last even after the person stops playing.
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The article tries to explain why aggression can arise when a person plays
video games and what other factors are involved. Instead of just saying all video
games are bad and create violent, anti social behavior, the author tries to show that
while this can happen its not as black and white as so many people think.
This source is very useful to me because it shows the other side of the
argument that it may not be the games themselves but the way people play them.
The different perspective is very interesting and something I feel parents should be
aware of. Its an idea that could have an effect on those parent who are afraid all
video games are evil and become concerned if their child plays one.
Greitemeyer, Tobias. Silvia Osswald. “Playing Prosocial Video Games Increases the
Accessibility of Prosocial Thought.” Ebscohost.com. EBSCO Host. EBSCO
Industries, Inc. 2011. Web. Dec. 11, 2012.
The authors write, while there may be down sides to playing video game there are
also positive aspects to them. In the article they mention that playing social games
may actually improve one’s ability to socialize with others. It just depends on the
type of game.
The authors present some of the perks of playing video games while still
acknowledging the downsides as suggested by psychologist research. The authors
try to bring out some of the positive effects showing there is some good that can
come from playing video games. The article itself is short and didn’t give as much
information as I would have liked but it did at least hit the key point needed for my
paper.
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This article shows one of the upsides to playing video games and while some
may have adverse effects others may actually be beneficial. The media likes over
dramatize stories to make them juicy so there are parents out there that may feel
any video game exposure could turn their child into a delinquent. This is great
information to add because it shows my audience not all video games are harmful.
Layton, Julia. “Do Violent Video Games Lead to Real Violence?” Electronics.com.
How Stuff Works. How Stuff Works, Inc. N.D. Web. Dec. 6, 2012
Layton, in her article, uses real examples of teens that have expressed very violent
behavior and hurt or killed their peers and authorities. She also talks about the
repetition and reward system set up within the game to promote bad behavior and
relates it to “Classical Conditioning.” Even though there seems to be a correlation
between violent behavior and video games she also states the reason kids are still
allowed to play them is a correlation doesn’t necessarily mean cause in the world of
science. Layton went on to say, a kid who is disturbed already may be drawn to
violent video games and the game itself may have had nothing to do with why he
shot someone.
The article was very long and gave a lot of great information involving actual
cases where a teen seemed to have “snapped” and video games were blamed. Even
though this was the main topic the point of the article was to point out just because
two and two seem to go together on the surface doesn’t necessarily mean they do.
Layton gave a good list sources and references at the end of her article which I found
very helpful and helped her credibility.
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I found the article very insightful and full of information that will be very
useful for my paper. I liked her use of actual cases involving real violence from kids
who played video games. These are great examples that I would like to incorporate
into my own paper. The examples help make my topic more real to readers rather
than just using a generalization of violence and aggression in teens that may mean
nothing to those reading it.
Comick, Andrew. “Top 10 Most Violent Video Games.” AskMen.com. Ask Men. IGN
Entertainment, Inc. 2012. Web. Dec. 6, 2012.
This article lists ten of the most violent video games on the market to date. Along
with the list it adds some information about a new possible law in California where
selling violent video games to minors will become illegal.
This is a small article that mostly highlights some of the more violent games
out there and some details about them. The author also adds a small segment about
the legal system getting involved to prohibit children from playing such games. The
author gave several links to his sources including the article about the new law in
California banning certain video games sales to children, which I found very useful.
This will be an excellent addition to my paper to really help my readers
understand just how violent some games can be. The audience I am writing to
would manly consist of parents and many have no idea what kind of content is in
many of the new games. There are a lot of parents out there who don’t play video
games and may think they are buying games similar to Mario or Donky Kong.
Adding information about a few games might really drive home the idea about why
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some games may not be suited for children. Saying a game is violent may not really
impact my readers as much as actually using an example of the type of violence that
is in question.
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Video Games: Friend or Foe
While many people speculate video games may cause aggression in children
and young adults, new research suggests that there may be other variables involved.
Many people have experienced a video game at some point in their lives,
whether it be a simple game like Bejeweled or a visually stimulating, action packed
game like Modern Warfare. The question is when does a game go from simple fun to
causing real psychological and emotional damage?
Psychologists will say that content is the main cause for any emotional
response. A person experiences more aggression depending on how violent and
realistic the game is. Some professionals recognize the possible benefits of video
games because some games can have educational value but consider it a double
edge sword due to the violence in others.
During studies, evaluations were made both before and after the subjects
began playing a video game. Both violent and non-violent games were played.
During the violent games the negative emotional response in the player was greatly
enhanced compared to the player of the non-violent game. Both players displayed
heightened emotional arousal, however the person playing the non-violent video
game showed less continued aggression post game. Many psychologists even
suggest video games could cause anti-social behavior and desensitize people to the
pain and suffering of others.
Does this mean it’s time to throw out all the video games to avoid social
delinquency in children and teens? Although this outlook may seem very gloomy, it
is after all just theory based. All scientists and researchers will tell you correlation
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does not always mean cause. What does this mean? This tells us that even though
violent games and aggressive behavior can happen at the same time, it doesn’t
always mean the violence in the game is the actual cause of the behavior.
Another group of researchers say there are many variables that can cause
aggressive behavior during video games. Playing responsibly can help prevent
emotional and behavioral issues.
One idea suggested that the competitiveness of a game could contribute more
to aggression than the violence. When one is playing a highly competitive game
emotions run high and could create a negative emotional response that lasts after
the game ends. Cooperative games yield less aggression and frustration than that of
competitive games even with the same level of violence. When a game becomes too
frustrating taking a break helps one cool down. For those with kids it’s suggested to
have the children to take a break when they are starting to show anger or
frustration while playing a game.
One article mentioned spending too much time on a video game could also
lead to behavior problems. If a person is spending too much time doing anything
they begin to exhibit irritability, frustration, anger, lethargy, and aggression towards
other people. This extends to excessive video game playing as well. By limiting the
amount of time played, one can help prevent these kinds of behaviors in oneself or
children.
One of the most important things to remember, especially for parents, is to
make sure kids are playing age appropriate games. Some games are not appropriate
for young children and could scare or confuse them. This is an area where most
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researchers are on common ground. Both psychologists and game advocates can
agree many games are not suited for children; however, what is appropriate for
teens is still under debate. Children cannot always differentiate between what is
real and what is fantasy. A violent video game could leave a young child confused
about pain or death causing them to unknowingly inflict harm on others thinking it
is okay behavior. This raises the question whether or not teens are more
developmentally able to handle certain violent games better than children only a
few years younger?
It is suggested that even teens may not fully separate the virtual world from
reality when playing video games. Of course studies show that this is more
prevalent in teens that play video games excessively. To give an example, the game
Grand Theft Auto is popular among teens and young adults and involves reckless
driving, car stealing, high-speed chases, running from cops and beating down the
occasional pedestrian that gets in the way. Researchers believe the high risk-taking
behavior displayed in the game can result in teens mimicking the same dangerous
and risky behavior in real life. They feel the game gives teens a false sense of being
indestructible. Many will argue that most teens feel invincible already and make
stupid decisions regardless of whether they play video games or not. Both are valid
arguments, and this is why the debate continues.
One of the biggest controversies surrounding video game violence is whether
or not they could drive a child or teen to commit actual murder. In the past the
there have been media programs blaming school shootings and public massacres on
video games. Are video games to blame or is there a psychological factor present
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already? Some Psychologists say depending on the level of violence and the age of
the child exposed to it, there is a possibility of distortion in the individual’s view of
reality. Others will say in most cases it is a psychological disorder already present
within the person and has nothing to do with video games.
This is a tough argument because there are games out there so violent and
disturbing they could cause psychological impairment, especially on a young mind.
Video games usually offer a reward system for completing tasks or goals. If video
games are reinforcing violent behavior with positive rewards, who is to say they are
not conditioning the mind on a subconscious level that violence is okay. On the
other hand, if the game were really disturbing and twisted, would someone in his or
her right mind be able to play it? This brings us back to the idea that people with
pre-existing mental conditions may be prone to playing the extremely violent games
due a broken moral compass.
When looking at all the evidence it is hard to say who is right and who is
wrong, because most of the evidence and research gives valid points. Perhaps video
games do cause behavioral problems, but if played in moderation and kept age
appropriate then maybe one could avoid the negative consequences leaving room
for the educational benefits.
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Layton, Julia. “Do Violent Video Games Lead to Real Violence?” Electronics.com.
How Stuff Works. How Stuff Works, Inc. N.D. Web. Dec. 6, 2012
Brad J. Bushman. “The Effects of Video Games. Do They Affect Our Behavior?”
ITHP.org. International Human Press, 2011. Web. Dec. 4, 2012.
Anderson, Craig A. PhD. “Violent Video Games: Myths, Facts, and Unanswered
Questions.” Apa.org. American Psychology Association, October 2003. Web.
Nov. 25, 2012.