| According to recent research, it is clear that | | | | enemy. They found that players became |
| teens (as well as adults) are spending more and | | | | emotionally involved with their character and |
| more time immersed in video game worlds. These | | | | "enjoyed" killing the bad guys. (It is one thing to |
| virtual worlds of fantasy can challenge our minds | | | | watch the "Terminator" work, it is another thing |
| to be creative, solve problems, and learn lessons | | | | to be the terminator.) |
| like no other tool in history. Many of the games | | | | As a result of identifying with the aggressor:a) the |
| are produced so well that you can actually feel as | | | | player develops positive attitudes toward the use |
| if you are driving a racecar, flying through space, | | | | of violence;b) the player develops expectations |
| or feeling the recoil of a high powered rifle. | | | | that others will behave aggressively;c) the player |
| I started playing video games when pong first | | | | assumes that others have similar attitudes of |
| came out in the '70s. I thought it was cooler than | | | | aggression;d) the player comes to believe that |
| even my 8-track tapes! When Pac-Man came out | | | | violent solutions are effective and appropriate for |
| shortly after my 16th birthday in the early '80s, I | | | | solving problems in life. |
| could not imagine a better way to spend my time | | | | 2. The player actively participates in the violence. |
| between classes at high school. In the late '80s, | | | | These studies found that playing violent video |
| strategy/role-playing games like Ultima and | | | | games is a way to rehearse violent behaviors and |
| Balance of Power challenged me to think. I loved | | | | makes it easier to bring that behavior into real life. |
| the thrill of winning after hundreds of hours of | | | | If you practice shooting basketballs thousands of |
| struggle. | | | | times, you get better at scoring. If you practice |
| However, in the early '90s, action games like Dune | | | | killing thousands of times, you get better at that |
| and first-person shooters like Wolfenstein | | | | as well. The Columbine shooters, Eric Harris and |
| emerged. More recent games like Quake, | | | | Dylan Klebold, had been playing "first-person |
| Half-Life, and System Shock are so graphically | | | | shooters" for more than a year before that |
| real and mentally absorbing in their storylines, you | | | | fateful day. When the time came to "play the |
| don't just play the games anymore, you are part | | | | game" in the real world, they were ready. |
| of the game. | | | | As a result of actively participating in the |
| These game worlds have very few laws (if any!) | | | | violence:a) The player develops a total disregard |
| governing what goes on inside them. It is a | | | | for societal norms, property rights, and even the |
| dynamic that is limited only by the imagination of | | | | general value of other lives;b) The player see the |
| the designer and the desire of the game player to | | | | world as a violent, unsafe place (everyone is out |
| be absorbed in the fantasy. No holographic | | | | to get you);c) The player learns that aggressive |
| policeman exists in the virtual world to enforce | | | | actions against others, such as fighting and |
| what is right. Gamers are left to do what is right | | | | shooting, may be appropriate, even necessary. |
| in their own eyes. This freedom to influence our | | | | 3. Violent video games have an addictive nature. |
| children has many parents concerned. | | | | For aggressive performance, players receive |
| Two studies published in the Journal of Personality | | | | constant and immediate reinforcement in the |
| and Social Psychology on April 23, 2000 (Read the | | | | form of visual and auditory (sensory) stimulation |
| article yourself at Violent Video Games Can | | | | During a kill. With special effects such as exploding |
| Increase Aggression ) This article clearly | | | | body parts, blood, gore, and general mayhem it |
| demonstrates that violent video games do | | | | provides an excellent environment for learning |
| negatively affect the behavior of those who play | | | | aggression. |
| them. One study demonstrated that graphically | | | | As a result of the addictive nature of violent |
| violent video games produce an immediate | | | | video games:a) Excessive exposure contributes to |
| increase in aggressive thoughts and behavior. The | | | | aggressive personality traits in the player, and |
| other study found that violent game play not only | | | | further playing can make an already aggressive |
| increased aggressive behavior, but also produced | | | | person even more aggressive;b) The player |
| a long-term, real life impact on the behavior and | | | | becomes more aggressive, changes his outlook on |
| relationships of the players. | | | | life and socializing, and tends to socialize with |
| Psychology professors Craig Anderson from the | | | | others who demonstrate similar attitudes of |
| university of Missouri, Columbia, and Karen Dill of | | | | aggression;c) The players socialization with |
| Lenoir-Rhyne College, conducted the study on 227 | | | | teachers, parents, and non-aggressive peers are |
| undergraduate college volunteers drawn from the | | | | likely to degenerate. |
| introductory psychology courses. They found that | | | | The more realistic the games are, the stronger |
| violent computer games affect the player in the | | | | the negative impact. If you observe your child |
| following ways: | | | | developing aggressive attitudes towards others, |
| 1. The player identifies with the aggressor. In | | | | you may need to make an evaluation of his or |
| "first-person" video games, the player assumes | | | | her video games and other forms of |
| the identity of the shooter and sees the world | | | | entertainment. These two studies validate the |
| through the character's eyes. In effect, the game | | | | probability that your child will become more |
| puts the weapon in the hands of the player to | | | | aggressive, irritable and possibly even violent if he |
| heighten the game's impact as the player kills the | | | | or she plays violent video games. |