Cube
06-17-2008, 07:42 PM
Upon studying for my exam tomorrow I came across this in my text book and thought it would make for a good discussion. It's a bit of a read, but it sure is interesting.
Computer gaming isn't university admired. More than one-third of all games fall into the action category; among these, the most popular are so-called "splatter" games, which emphasize all-out violence of an especially bloody sort. Parents and politicians are concerned that children who play these games may be learning aggressive behaviors that will prove dysfunctional in real life - and they may be right.
In one study, 210 college students were observed before and after playing an especially violent computer game. Researchers found the students were more hostile and reacted more aggressively after play the game. Another study found that young men who played violent computer games during their teenage year were more likely to commit crimes.
Fears concerning the impact of violent computer games were heightened by the Columbine High School tragedy in 1999, in which two Littleton, Colorado, teenagers opened fire on teachers and fellow students before committing suicide. (It doesn't end there this site (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0777958.html) provides a time line of recent worldwide school shootings.) Subsequently, investigators learned that the boys were great fans of splatter games such as Doom and Quake, and may have patterned their massacre after their gaming experiences.
http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:B5igAno_ObDlFM:http://theangrypixel.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/doom-art-original.jpg http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:oJjrujHiYTAa8M:http://www.tweakguides.com/images/Quake4_2.jpg
Still, psychologists disagree on the effect of violent computer games. Some point out that they're little more than an extension of the World War II "combat" games that children used to play on street corners before television - and the computer - came along. Others claim that violent video games provide an outlet for aggression that might otherwise materialize in homes and schools.
One thing's for certain: Computer games are becoming more violent, in the past few years, the video game industry has released a slew of new titles that offer a smoother gaming experience, particularly when a player is connected to the Internet in multilayer mode - and, of course, much more realistic portrayals of violent acts.
So who's responsible? Is it the software manufacturers who create the programs? Is it the consumers who purchase the programs? Parents certainly have a responsibility over what their children do,, but what about you - do you make "good" decisions when it comes to exposure to violence? More importantly, is there anything you can do about it?
Computer gaming isn't university admired. More than one-third of all games fall into the action category; among these, the most popular are so-called "splatter" games, which emphasize all-out violence of an especially bloody sort. Parents and politicians are concerned that children who play these games may be learning aggressive behaviors that will prove dysfunctional in real life - and they may be right.
In one study, 210 college students were observed before and after playing an especially violent computer game. Researchers found the students were more hostile and reacted more aggressively after play the game. Another study found that young men who played violent computer games during their teenage year were more likely to commit crimes.
Fears concerning the impact of violent computer games were heightened by the Columbine High School tragedy in 1999, in which two Littleton, Colorado, teenagers opened fire on teachers and fellow students before committing suicide. (It doesn't end there this site (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0777958.html) provides a time line of recent worldwide school shootings.) Subsequently, investigators learned that the boys were great fans of splatter games such as Doom and Quake, and may have patterned their massacre after their gaming experiences.
http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:B5igAno_ObDlFM:http://theangrypixel.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/doom-art-original.jpg http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:oJjrujHiYTAa8M:http://www.tweakguides.com/images/Quake4_2.jpg
Still, psychologists disagree on the effect of violent computer games. Some point out that they're little more than an extension of the World War II "combat" games that children used to play on street corners before television - and the computer - came along. Others claim that violent video games provide an outlet for aggression that might otherwise materialize in homes and schools.
One thing's for certain: Computer games are becoming more violent, in the past few years, the video game industry has released a slew of new titles that offer a smoother gaming experience, particularly when a player is connected to the Internet in multilayer mode - and, of course, much more realistic portrayals of violent acts.
So who's responsible? Is it the software manufacturers who create the programs? Is it the consumers who purchase the programs? Parents certainly have a responsibility over what their children do,, but what about you - do you make "good" decisions when it comes to exposure to violence? More importantly, is there anything you can do about it?