Violent Games 'affect Behaviour' Witchhunt Time

ccb_v2

Jan 13 2006, 08:15 PM

QUOTE

Violent computer games may make people more likely to act aggressively, a study says.
Previous research has found people who play such games are more likely to be aggressive but some say this just shows violent people gravitate towards them.

But a team from the University of Missouri-Columbia said their study which monitored the brain activity of 39 game players suggests a causal link.

The findings were published on the New Scientist website.

Hmm conclusive evidence as shown by the may make people more likely only may? well thast hardly a conclusion of any note is it? :roll:

QUOTE

The parents of murdered Leicester teenager Stefan Pakeerah blamed his killer's obsession with a violent video game called Manhunt for their son's death in 2004.

But some experts still remain unconvinced of a link.

As well they should be, in the mentioned case the game belonged to the victim

QUOTE

Jonathan Freedman, a psychologist from the University of Toronto in Canada, said: "All we are really getting is desensitisation to images. There's no way to show that this relates to real-life aggression."

And Professor David Buckingham, an expert on the media and children at the Institute of Education, added there was still no consensus on whether violent games caused aggressive behaviour or were just played by violent people.

"The debate we are seeing is very similar to the one that has raged for years about TV. The truth is there are many factors that can lead to violence, such as being withdrawn and isolated, so it is hard to say it is because of one thing.

"In the absence of any proof, I think we have to be agnostic about it. However, I think there is an argument about the morality of some games.

"Some actually encourage amoral behaviour to win the game and I think parents should be talking to their children to make sure they realise this is a joke. Children are generally good at telling fantasy from reality, but parents should be discussing this."

Once again the witchhunt tries to demonise games & fails, except with daily mail readers or anyone who doesnt get past the first line or two of the article that is. source interestingly I was reading an article ina magazine last week that said why hasnt there been any research into the positive effects of gaming? a good point I feel & it'd be better than trying to demonise it all the time.

unimatrix

Jan 13 2006, 09:10 PM

There is also a myrid of research showing that videogames can also influence the same area of the brain that controlls addiction. So the term "video game addict" may actually be medically correct.

However, in modern western soecity, there is this shift that every else "causes" someone to do something instead of just holding a person responsible for what they do. There are too many people trying to figure out "why" instead of saying, "they violated our social order, no there is a punishment".

Go back and ask yourself, "Did prohabition stop crime?"

What we need is stop trying to figure out "why" and start going back to holding people responsible for their actions.

Sarah81

Jan 18 2006, 06:28 AM

Every time someone commits an atrocious crime, the media wants to find an easy scapegoat. Video games have been the primary targets lately, I guess because they're so popular, but that's not a good excuse or reason at all.

In the 1990s, it seemed like there was ALWAYS either a Manson or Slipknot album involved when the media broke stories about rotten kids shooting or blowing up their high schools and fellow students. My question was always, "How come nobody ever says that a record inspired them to do something good?"

Yeah. Society just wants to pin blame on something else, but take credit when something decent or good happens.

The whole thing just annoys me even though I don't play many games. Personal responsibility is, apparently, a filthy phrase for a lot of people *sighs*

Jeigh

Jan 18 2006, 11:44 AM

The way I see it, if the media buzz died off when Jack Thompson lost his 'power'... well... I don't have much fear in the gaming industry getting attacked too heavily again. I mean ol Jacko put some insane effort into bringing the industry to its knees and all he did was piss people off on both sides of the debate. If his drop off the main scene made his whole fight fall with him, I can't see other groups going at it with such passion. They'll always need something to rag on, and for now its video games, but I don't see much of a threat in it.

minnieadkins

Jan 18 2006, 10:31 PM

I think that this will continue to be a debate for years to come. Many things can contribute to someone committing a crime, but all in all it comes down to will power. I think a game could have an effect on someone, but that person probably let it. Anyone with enough will power to distinguish fiction from reality could easily see a video game as fiction/entertainment. Television, sporting events, music, etc all those things can be associated with crime. Kobe Bryants and the Vikings cases for example, i'm sure everyone knows that you can't just do those types of things without consequences. Television has a mass amount of violence, and the lyrics in music these days. Anyone listen to emenim or 50 cent knows what I'm talking about (it's not just rap tho). Video games are a form of entertainment, and any form of entertainment can affect people, but understanding that it is fiction is determined by the individual.

Vyoma

Jan 23 2006, 02:54 PM

Do video games promote violence or not? Well, it does in a way. Else, it would not sell. There are not many games out there that does not have violence in them and have profited a lot out of it. Now, many would defend that most of the games, have violence that goes against the bad, but come to think of it, the bad-side is just a relative word.

If a company made violence less game, and if that does not sell, what does that show? That shows that people just buy the once that have some amount of violence in them. The video games containing violence is not the cause, but the restult. The cause being, people want such kind of games. Violence and aggression has played a primary role in early evolutionary lines and that still does influence us at some level or the other.

Keeping that aside, for sake of argument, let us dwell wheather video games cause violence and aggression. It does tell the minds 'how' aggression may be expressed. It does in the same way many other things do - literature, media, movies and other influential media. What it does not do is make the choice for one. People always can choose wheather they 'should' or 'should not' resort to violence.

Making the videogames the target and saying that it is the cause, would make one society to forbid all forms of influential media (few of those, I mentioned above). Again, it all boils down to the saying that video game is a kind of tool. You can use the tool to entertain oneself, or use it as inspiration to inflict damage to others. The same is the case for a knife, use to chop vegetables, or perform surgery, 'or' you can use it to stab someone to death.

If one has to ban videogames, one has to ban knives and all other tools too.

dhanesh

Jan 23 2006, 04:26 PM

Video games being a part in violence is one part, what about the crazy fads kids of school are put through. Handheld gaming devices were a charm earlier, Nintendo and others made an effort to keep gaming to its limits. I still remember the days when i used to die to play mario on a nintendo gameboy (Black n White) lol .. it was fun .. But now .. its PSP .. that even plays movies, so well kids arent held back NOT to try out new stuff. The Internet is common sites are open, they d'load p0rn and here it starts off. A new fad at school.

Forget PSPs .. what about console games like Grand Theft Auto, not a bad game, but again if i remember there was this huge debate on wether to take down the game or not due to explicit content in the game with hacks. No one asked for it. Game makes constantly keep adding up new things in games to keep the ball rolling for them. Wana blame someone blame the companies that make these games.

Regards
Dhanesh.

pyost

Jan 23 2006, 04:44 PM

People mention all the time that violent video games have a bad influence on people, especially kids, whose brain is like hot wax (from a great book lol). It is true that violent video games such as Manhunt can do something to your brain and make you destructive, but there has to be something that will be triggered. I myself play a lot of games with blood and violence, but I can easily call myself a non-violent person.

Actually, I think that the games are not guilty for strange behaviour, they are only something that made the behaviou appear. The thing that really affects our behaviour is our surrounding. It is all about the influence that other have on us. For example, some big criminals became like that only because thir fathers beaten them. The same is with violence caused by video games (as they say). The games didn't create violent habits, they were created by something else, earlier, the games were just a trigger!

HellFire121

Jan 29 2006, 01:29 AM

Really it depends on what games people play and the peoples ages. If they are younger they would be more likely to catch a bad influence. I play violent games but it has no effect on me, video games are for entertainment not for brainwashing.
If people play some rpg games with mild violence there is no problem there but if its with children and games like FPS, there would be a slight chance of them behaving that way

Vicious_AD

Jan 29 2006, 02:43 AM

The thing is, hillary clinton and all those other politicians noone really cares about, want to try to feel like their making a difference. Ya know how grandparents always talk about "my pappy came here with nothing but the shirt on his back and worked so hard for this family"? well it's gotten to the point where we really have it all pretty perfect, so people just can't except that, and are trying to find every little thing to complain about. It's the same thing as the whole "the name 'dodge ball' is too vicious sounding. let's call it something else so the kids don't grow up in a hostile world!" well the bitter sweet truth is, it is a hostile world and there's nothing anyone can do about as much as they try. It is possible for everyone to stop murdering and stealing and raping, but it's really not freezable. It'll just never happen, as simple as it is.

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Rokuso

Feb 16 2007, 02:28 AM

Video games do affect behavior.

Grand Theft Auto might motivate a person to go on the streets with a
katana and slice someone's head off. But when they get wanted, what are they gonna do when
they can't type in their "Lower wanted level" cheat?

Many of the people out there are taking video games seriously.

Such as WoW. Kids are taking WoW WAY too seriously now.

Like when that kid in China commited suicide because he could not join the faction he desired.

Or when that kid who was trying to reenact a scene from WoW because jumping off a building
thinking that his "Colossal Parachute" would break his fall.

Aside from WoW, violent games are affecting many people.

Like Counter-Strike. Someone might go to a store and buy a Desert Eagle and shoot someone
in the head, thinking that he will hear the "BOOM HEADSHOT!" sound when he kills them.
Or maybe they might stab someone in the back out of pleasure.

So games are really starting to affect all of us.

polarysekt

Jan 11 2007, 07:53 PM

QUOTE(FoRsAkEn @ Jan 5 2007, 08:29 AM)

...
Some die, such as a chinese girl, from playing too much, and they basically end up killing all their brain cells or something (I don't know how the death is caused).

I believe (or heard from a friend who heard from a friend) that the girl killed herself because her online friends abandoned her... or unallied.... or whatever... but I think that could have happened to any user of AIM in the same way...

either or, and I don't really want to flip back to quote - but I agree with the idea that it is more generally people who are violent in nature take to the games more eagerly... and their expressions of violence may have come about one way or another... the games are in fact, just a scapegoat for the fact that kids are neglected these days in this corporate world of electronic babysitters... If you want to burn a witch, look at the parents... even the lazy stoner who majored in psychology because it's easy would know that neglect, especially before the age of 7 (a group that is becoming increasingly more aware of both video games and computers) will lead to psychological problems all the way through middle age (which I believe is also increasing...)...

Although, following through with the whole addiction to violence and video games or music... I believe it's all mumbo jumbo...

It's like calling Marijuana a gateway drug... In my experience with the drug culture throughout adolescence - marijuana was just easier to get... than alcohol even... The kids just wanted to get smeared any way they could...
They were going that way anyhow... Ain't no one peer pressured into a one way trip to psychadelic hell... In most cases it seemed to stem from either an addictive personality or depression... (In fact, the terms bogart, and "geeze there's a lot of heads, let's toast this outside" come to mind)

I fell the same goes for music and games... violent people are drawn in by such games... and although I love GTA (I remember when it was an overhead view...)... I'd rather not even confront a person with whom I'm in conflict... But I won't hesitate to triangle my way out of car, kill a cop or two, jump back in, and pick up a h00ker for health and then kill her to get my money back... (in the game)...

I mean, I could blame my pill addiction on Pac-Man... (That Richard D. James aka Power-Pill - Pacman EP actually made me think of that... heh...), the fact I love Amanita Mushrooms on Mario, etc - but the reason we were playing it in the first place was because we were too high to actually do something constructive...

The Marilyn Manson and Slipknot crowds... you know those kids were outsiders repressing feelings of hatred anyways... They were gonna pop because they were losers... Look at the columbine kids... They were outkasts, and they merely listened to Marylin Manson because he was singing the same song... (I think it was "Get Your Gunn" [with 2 n's] anyways - but not like I know what that means...)

Yeah, I went all over the place, but I think the fact remains... My buddies who play endless amounts of games have this insanity hand-eye coordination with which I can't even begin to compete... I really wish I had a good reference for that, but I swear I've read it in Discover (or one of those other trendy science magazines...).

All in all, if people really have a problem with it, tough... Killing witches is only going to make martyrs... Why do you think they kept the death of Osama Bin Laden under wraps... (still?) Why do underage kids in the United Puritan States of America think drinking and smoking is so cool...? It's illegal... That's why... Banning a game or music is going to attract a subculture of the same people hacking under the light of the moon to provide the same games... And the same kids will find them...

Conclusion: I don't even remember... My brain cells were eaten by the drugs I ate when I played all those video games...

Aequitas619

Jan 11 2007, 05:02 PM

I think its all in the gamers head. If he/she thinks the game will make him/her violent then it probably will. If the gamer understands its just a game then he/she wont be affected by the game but rather be affected by real life events.

That being said it is very different to be addicted to a game. Its easy to get 'addicted' to a game which is really what happens! Some games get played way too much. Its the same as all things in life... Everything in moderation. If you do anything more than your suppost to then it will begin to affect you. But that goes for everything, no matter if its too much work, too much games or too much driving.

So basically I think as long as you keep things in moderation then you wont have a problem being influenced by the games you play!

FoRsAkEn

Jan 5 2007, 02:29 PM

In several cases, video games, especially ones like World of Warcraft can be extremely addictive, especially to younger children, or people who never give up challenges in general. This addiction, as a result can cause severe harm to the brain and affect one's school life for instance to be significantly worse, not to mention the bad influence it has on children.

Back to my point of World of Warcraft being very addictive, there were special cases of suicide from this game, when people play days on end and end up killing themselves because of game failure. Some die, such as a chinese girl, from playing too much, and they basically end up killing all their brain cells or something (I don't know how the death is caused).

richie

Jan 5 2007, 04:24 AM

Gaming really has a positive

as well as a negative

aspect.
Positive:- 1. It Provides a great mind simulation.i love when i am constantly simulating my mind with good logical puzzles as they are really fun and keep you refresh ,whenever i am working on my site and feel bored i start playing this logical games which actually provides great refreshment and you turn towards your work with great positivity and freshness.
2.one can really set is imagination on top while playing big and interactive games like gta,this games actually makes possible everything you want to do in real life but can't,all in gaming ,games can help you do things you cannot dooing real life and thats what makes you really entertained.
3.I love spending my time playing games and i am sure everyone does because its a great source of entertainment

isn't that a good reason for positivity of gaming

Negative :- 1. yes the biggest gaming disadvantage is that it really makes you a bit voilent,most of us won't agree to this but after playing violent games don't we get angry quickly,its like you are always angry while playing games,when you lose once of twice you get frustrated and feel like throwing the pc off,but we forget that it is a game meant for our entertainment rather than reality.
most of the games try to target your ego ,try to make you really angry so you will play their game,not all games are like this but many are like this and this sort of games actually make you feel exhausted rather than fresh at the end of the game and this really sucks,you finish your playing and you realise that you wasted a lot of time playing a stupid game which won't help you neither financially nor emotionally,
i agree with the source that says that this stuff really makes one violent ,playing this games make you feel agitated even for the smallest of things.
By the way i give a damn to this negatives and play a lot of games