Violent video games and child aggression

Survey finds 75 percent of parents think violent video games contribute to actual violence.

By Charyn Pfeuffer - MSN Living Editor Jan 16, 2013 9:40PM

Little more than one month has passed since the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut and the world still grieves for the 26 lives lost.

As the community of Newtown and the nation struggle to make sense of the devastation, gun control, mental health issues and violent video games have all been called into question. Groups like Sandy Hook Promise call for a ‘national conversation’ and President Obama is rolling out plans to curb gun violence, but the search for solutions on how to avoid a repeat incident remains.

In the days following the shooting, details unfolded surrounding Adam Lanza, the 20-year-old Newtown shooter, his “strange” behavior and “obsession” with violent video games kept surfacing. Lanza lived at his mother's colonial-style mansion, where he had two of the house's four bedrooms – one for himself and the other for the computer where he played violent video games, reports the The Telegraph.
According to express.co.uk, Lanza's favorite video game was said to be a shockingly violent fantasy war game called Dynasty Warriors. Was it a game or easy access to a deadly arsenal of guns – he reportedly learned how to shoot after his mother took him to local ranges - that inspired Lanza to carry out the deadly massacre?

The topic of virtual violence resulting in real life aggression has long been controversial. Are these games simply a fun hobby, or for children who may already be mentally or emotionally unstable, do these games have the ability to push someone over the edge?

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A new survey from Common Sense Media found that 75 percent of parents think violent video games contribute to actual violence. 1,050 people were surveyed, and 89 percent of them say violence in video games is a problem. (45 percent say it's a major problem; 44 percent say it's a minor problem.)

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"There is a real harm in children having exposure to violence, such as playing violent video games," says Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Debra Kissen, Ph.D., M.H.S.A. of Chicago, IL. "By playing violent video games, children (and adults) become desensitized to this content and therefore experience less of an emotional reaction to violence," says Kissen. "Therefore, violent behavior becomes normalized and becomes a more reasonable alternative when experiencing a conflict."

News: Gun group: Our industry didn't cause Newtown

Jason Schreier, Editor of Kotaku, the Gamer's Guide challenges the Common Sense Media survey findings and the association between violent video game use and violence.

Bing: How to tell if your child is emotionally disturbed

“There have been no scientific studies that connect violent video games to violence,” he wrote on the site. “There have been studies that connect violent video games to aggression (more on that in the near future), but there is absolutely zero evidence, according to leading researchers in this field, that links violent video games to violent crime in any way.”

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803Comments

Newest

Jan 17, 2013 8:12PM

This is pretty silly. These same exact games are exported all over the world. They aren't just here in the U.S., but many other countries, where these games are just as popular, don't have the same violent crime rates that we do.

And all a tax is going to do is promote piracy. People are still going to get, and play, these games. Ooooh. That's perfect! It'll give the government more reason to keep trying to take control of our internet access!

People want to blame everything but the nutballs who commit violent crimes.

Previous replies

JohnnyQ2004 NYYNYGNYRFLG (JohnnyQ2004)

Jan 17, 2013 8:12PM

to say I am a gamer is an understatement, been one since the 80s and 90s and yet here I am not going out and killing people at the movies or kids at a school. parents and people blaming guns and video games and movies for real life shootings is and always will be an easy cop out. last time I checked the guy who shot up the theater and ones who did shootings at schools were operating the gun so the guns weren't shooting by themselves. on entertainment things such as video games, movies, music, and all can and should be researched by the parent or at least cared for enough to ask questions. was at a best buy and gamestop the other day and it's always asked whether or not the parent cares about the item being rated m for mature or care about the mature content and every time, the parents' say nope they don't care. a long time ago a parent complained about kinder eggs which are chocolate candies from Germany but has a toy in a container no less and her kid choked on the toy a little and is fine by the way but it was her job to watch her kid but instead she didn't and she blamed the candy and got it banned from the states, that kind of ignorance is just stupid hopefully that woman is banned from having more kids otherwise they might trip and fall all the time since she probably isn't making sure her kids' shoes are tied. for the record if Jackie Chan sees what's wrong with the country why don't americans as a majority see what's wrong, as a minority I think americans do but more need to open their eyes or maybe use their brains

Previous replies

Felecia360

Jan 17, 2013 8:12PM

I do think that children have early exposure to violence in both video games and movies become desensitized to real-life violence.

When young children are in early developmental stages, they are unable to comprehend the deep meaning of death and its consequences. When violent deaths are portrayed in the absence of all emotions- grief, empathy, sympathy, compassion, young children don't associate those emotions with death.

I am not blaming the video games/movie industry. It IS the parent's responsibility to make sure their children are not exposed before they are cognitively and emotionally able to process it.

Previous replies

cindulka

Jan 17, 2013 8:11PM

Duh......violent video games contribute to a child's violent behavior? What a concept!

Previous replies

superman7862

Jan 17, 2013 8:11PM

Dynasty warriors... NAH

Previous replies

NightNight92

Jan 17, 2013 8:11PM

I don't see why they always bring back the idea that someone did what they did because of video games. STOP BLAMING THE GAMES! The world needs to stop blaming them. The people who do those kinds of thing's are already messed up in the head and have some psychological disorder. There is NO EVIDENCE that says violent video games make you violent. I play mainly all violent video games and i am not violent of what so ever. This whole thing of blaming guns and games needs to stop...blame the people that control the guns and actually shoot others. I have a similar argument, I blame my pencil for making mistakes so we should ban pencils all over the country because so many other people do it too.

Previous replies

D3rScrubWolf

Jan 17, 2013 8:10PM

Look people, Video Games are merely a way to have fun, much like bumper carts at a carnival. Do we blame bumper carts for car accidents? No, we blame the person behind the wheel. If anything or anyone were to blame here it is the parents and whoever allowed them access to guns (probably the parents). We just keep blaming other things and people because we (the parents) don't want to accept the blame for what happened. I myself play violent video games on a DAILY basis. I also happen to work for Wal-Mart and have done so for over 9 years. Also may I add that I've played such video games as Duke Nukem 3d and Quake since I was about 12 years old. I haven't injured anyone even with my bare hands. So what does that say?! If video games are any part of the cause then why have I not gone berzerk and killed a bunch of people?! I'll tell you why, because I realise the difference between reality and a video game, because I was raised better than that, because I realise the value of human life, because I would much rather give my life to save another than to take one. I was surrounded by violence as a child. Between an abusive father and abusive step fathers and living in a car at times, my life was not pretty. I still carry those memories with me and it made me who I am but I am not a violent person. Just the opposite. As a closer I'd like to add my Mother was always there for me and taught me to be a better person, video games and my choice of music are merely outlets that allow me to cool off and forget the day behind me. Stop Blaming Video Games. Blame yourself!