Video game violence. Violent video games seem to become the target of the blame game, from school shootings (Columbine, Virginia Tech), to an increase in bullying and violence towards women. Researchers argue that violent games would reduce players to

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Delosh

Jonathan Delosh

Lisa  Mastrangelo  

College Writing

13March 2011

Violent Video Games:  The Real World Controversy

        Violent video games seem to become the target of the blame game, from school shootings (Columbine, Virginia Tech), to an increase in bullying and violence towards women.  Researchers argue that violent games would reduce players to violence, players would be rewarded for simulating violence, and it would teach younger children that violence was ok.  Advocates of the video game industry state that a majority of the research that is presented is deeply flawed and no such relationship is linked between video game and social violence.  Advocates will state that violent video games will reduce violence, and provide a safe way for a person to outlet their aggressive and angry feelings.  Is violent video games really the blame factor for children's violent behavior?  I don't think so, but I'll let you be the judge of that.

        Video games often reward players for simulating violence, and thus enhance the learning of violent behaviors.  Studies suggest that when violence is rewarded in video games, players exhibit increased aggressive behavior compared to players of video games where violence is punished. (Procon.org)  Individuals, in this case boys and girls, must organize their behavior based upon their interactions with others and these interactions conversely affect the development of the self.  In other words, interaction with others enables children to constantly redefine roles and expectations.  Thus, their concept of self is based in large measure on their interpretations of the interactions they have with others.  The self that is developed through the on-going interactions is not unique to a given situation, but, instead affects the outcomes of subsequent situations.  Thus, the gender identity that is established by the child has consequences for the rest of the statuses and identities of that individual. (Dietz)  Several researchers "found that participants who played a violent game for as few as 10 minutes associated themselves with aggressive traits and aggressive actions on a self-rating scale.  These results led the researchers to contend that even short-term exposure to violent video games can have an effect on the player's self-concept, primarily at some unconscious, 'automatic' level," said Kevin Kieffer, PhD. (Moyer)  A content analysis showed that in 73% of the games, acts of violence are rewarded, with extra points or advancement to the next level of the game, rather than being followed with negative consequences, such as pain, injury, or imprisonment.  Other research has shown that when children are exposed to scenarios in which violence is punished, they are less likely to engage in violent behaviors, Dr. Kieffer added. (Moyer)

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        Playing violent video games causes the development of aggressive behavioral scripts.  A behavioral script is developed from the repetition of actions and affects the subconscious mind.  An example of a common behavioral script is a driving script that tells drivers to get in a vehicle, put on a seat belt, and turn on the ignition.  Similarly, violent video games can lead to scripts that tell youth to respond aggressively in certain situations.  Violence in video games may lead to real world violence when scripts are automatically triggered in daily life. (Procon.org)

        It is important to recognize that behavioral scripts do ...

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