Is There A Link Between Video Games And Violence? What Do Researches State? 

Do video games trigger violent behaviour? Scientific studies have found link. But persistent ory is back in helines following Saturday’s mass shooting in El Paso, Texas. 

An online manifesto thought to be authored by gunman briefly mentioned combat game Call of Duty. n, President Donald Trump weighed in, charging Monday that “gruesome and grisly video games” contribute to a “glorification of violence.” 

Trump’s statements were more reserved compared with his last brush with subject in 2018, when he called video games “vicious” and summoned game-industry executives to meet at White House, to little lasting effect. 

Entertainment Software Association, biggest video game tre group, reiterated its position that re is causal connection between video games and violence. 

“More than 165 million Americans enjoy video games, and billions of people play video games worldwide,” group said in a statement. “Yet or societies, where video games are played as avidly, do t contend with tragic levels of violence that occur in U.S.” 

Activision Blizzard did t immediately respond to a request for comment about Call of Duty. 

Research Findings 

“re are longitudinal studies that show a link between violence and video games,” said Benjamin Burroughs, a professor of emerging media at University of Neva, Las Vegas. “Certainly, re is link to gun violence.” 

Burroughs said that some studies show a short-term increase in aggressive thoughts and feelings after playing video games, but thing that rises to level of violence. 

“Plenty of gamers and get upset when y lose or feel game was ‘cheating,’ but it doesn’t le to violent outputs,” he said. 

In 2006, a small study by Indiana University researchers found that teenrs who played violent video games showed higher levels of emotional arousal but less activity in parts of brain associated with ability to plan, control and direct thoughts and behaviour. 

Patrick Markey, a psychology professor at Villava University who focuses on video games, found in his research that men who commit severe acts of violence actually play violent video games less than aver male. About 20% were interested in violent video games, compared with 70% of general population, he explained in his 2017 book “Moral Combat: Why War on Violent Video Games Is Wrong.” 

Ar study by Markey and his colleagues showed that violence tends to dip when a new violent movie or video game comes out, possibility because people are at home playing game or in atres watching movie. 

“ general story is people who play video games right after might be a little hopped up and jerky but it doesn’t fundamentally alter who y are,” he said. “It is like going to see a s movie. It might make you cry but it doesn’t make you clinically depressed.” 

Reasons for persistence of ory 

ory persists in part because politicians on both sides of aisle have taken it up as an easy target, since it lacks a powerful lobby like, say, National Rifle Association. 

In 2013, after shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newton, Connecticut, Vice President Joe Biden held three days of wide-ranging talks on gun violence prevention, including a meeting with video game industry executives. After 2013 meetings wrapped, White House called on research on effect of media and video games on gun violence but thing substantial came out of that. 

“Politicians on both sides go after video games it is this weird unifying force,” Markey said. “It makes m look like y are doing something.” 

Ar reason, according to Markey, is that video games can look disturbing to people who aren’t gamers. 

“y look scary. But research just doesn’t support that re’s a link” to violent behaviour, he said. 

Ratings system and video games 

Actually, y alrey have one dating back to 1990s. That didn’t stop Trump from calling for one in 2018. 

Following an outcry over violent games such as 1992′s Mortal Kombat, Entertainment Software Association created a ratings board in 1994 to assign ratings ranging from “E″ for “Everyone” to “ults Only” for those 18 and older. 

ratings suggest an range and describe possibly objectionable features. “mature” rating, for example, indicates game is “generally suitable for s 17 and up” and may have “intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong langu.” 

In 2011, Supreme Court rejected a California law banning sale of violent video games to children. decision found that video games, like or media, are protected by First Amendment. 

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