Research Paper
Introduction
Technological advancements have introduced a new and innovative method of entertainment which are readily available at all times. Unlike back in the day where you had to get a ticket to watch a movie, today’s mass media communication channels like Netflix have brought the thrill to the living room. You no longer have to take long queues to go to the movies. All you need is the monthly subscription, and you get all the content readily available at all times. However, with the onset of the mass media channels as forms of entertainment, a new kind of evil has erupted (Malliet, 2017). Through these mass media channels, there has been an increased number of violent scenes which have begged the question; what role do these violent scenes play in contributing to violent behavior?
According to Huesmann & Taylor (2016), media violence is directly associated with an increase in the number of real-life violent cases in society today. The research found that exposure to violent scenes contributes to the general increase in aggression and violence in today’s youth, both in the long term and in the short term. In today’s mass media channels, violent scenes are on the rise, from films and movies that contain a lot of violent scenes to television news, which, for some reason, tend to concentrate more on news that is full of violent scenes. The other common form of entertainment for the young generation, video games, is also associated with the increase in violent behavior among these youths (Huesmann & Taylor, 2016). Further studies indicate that video games are capable of directly influencing violent behavior in the youth who are fond of games that contain violent scenes. Researchers and theorists have ventured into the study of how the different aspects of video games, which include the explicitness of graphics, the playing rules, and social interactions found within the video games influence the behavior of those who are fond of these games.
In the recent past, the study of video games has attracted the interest of many multidisciplinary scholars, keen to unravel the social impacts of this ‘new media’ form with the focus being on the youths Huesmann & Taylor, 2016). This multidisciplinary approach is attributed to the numerous theories relating to the impact of these games on the violent behavior of the youth. Based on the evidence developed by these theories, I believe that video games have had a significant impact on the development of violent behavior amongst today’s youths (Huesmann & Taylor, 2016).
Discussion
While researching the contribution of video games on the violent nature of the youth and adults who are fond of video games, the lines of thinking concentrate on analyzing these video games by considering the absence or presence of violent scenes in the games and the explicitness of these violent activities, if any. To achieve these goals, researchers consider several methods;
- Determining the goal of the game
What the rules of the game require the player to do to be a champion determines the level of impact that the video may have on the individual players. In the 1990s and early 2000s, one of the most popular and famous video games was Mortal Kombat. In this game, every single player was required to choose and develop a character then the two separate players would take it to any environment in the movie, and the characters would fight each other (Malliet, 2017). In this game, just as the name suggests, to win, one player’s character would have to kill the other player’s character. To add on that, the players found it more fun when they ‘killed’ their opponents through the cruelest way possible and using all sorts of weapons that are thinkable (Malliet, 2017).
According to Zorrilla (2011), men are more likely to play video games that have adult content than women in the same age group. Therefore, as the common phrase goes, ’boys will always be boys.’ That being said, male players are bound to transfer what they observe and do in video games and transfer it to the real world. Similarly, they are capable of moving the type and level of violence witnessed in video games and applying them in real life. In doing so, such imitations are bound to influence their behavior accordingly, and the result is that they tend to develop violent behavior (Malliet, 2017).
When relating this to gender, the research found that male players whose characters fought against female characters, in the case of Mortal Kombat, usually tend to be more violent towards women in real life as compared to players whose avatars are both male (Malliet, 2017). Similarly, female players who play using male avatars in the game also tend to be more violent towards women in society. Additionally, these women generally find it challenging to start and maintain social relations with the outside world, forcing them to be introverts. Therefore, such video games where you are required to ‘kill’ an opponent have dire consequences, which affect even the social interactions of the individual players and the outside world (Malliet, 2017).
- Content Analysis.
Video games act as a medium for passing information to their players. The sole reason for the development of mass media channels was to enhance communication, which is the conveyance of messages, verbal and non-verbal from the sender to the recipient. In performing this role, video games have been associated with the passing of the wrong information to the youth. For example, one of the controversial video games, Grand Theft, has, for the longest time, been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. For one, the numerous violent scenes that characterize the game have been linked to encouraging violence among the youth. Additionally, the script of this game is usually based on violent robbery and killings (Dill, K. E., Gentile, Richter, & Dill, 2015).
In this category, the aim is to determine the amount of violence that the video game contains and how exposed is the player. In content analysis, the focus is placed on the ideologies of revenge, bribery, and murders as the basis for all the games that are associated with cultivating violence in the youth (Dill, K. E., Gentile, Richter, & Dill, 2015). Additionally, video games like Grand Theft are associated with aggression as their central theme and portray aggressive people as the most successful and respected persons. In doing so, the youth are encouraged to develop similar characteristics to assimilate character traits identical to those of avatars in the video games (Malliet, 2017). Additionally, content analysis involves assessing the motives for the violent behavior found in these games and the consequences of committing violent crimes in these games.
Such investigations find that these video games often provide adequate justification that warrants for the violent behavior exhibited by the avatars. Additionally, in a majority of these games, these violent behaviors usually are rewarded other than being punished (Malliet, 2017). Based on such findings, it is clear that these games make violence seem to be ‘cool’ for the youths who play them. Therefore, the teens are encouraged to assume similar violence as that portrayed by the avatar, thinking that they will also appear ‘cool’ in the eyes of their peers. This is, therefore, a method of encouraging the development of violent behavior in such youths.
- Explicitness of Content
In many instances, the debate over the impact of video games on the development of violent behaviors among the youth revolves around the explicit nature of scenes in video games. As a form of ‘new media, ‘ which is a fraction of social media, the technical quality of video games is on the rise, and the avatars continue to resemble real human beings more and more. The process of improving the technical quality of these video games has come to be termed as graphical realism (Malliet, 2017). The improved graphical realism found in modern-day video games formed the basis for the motion brought before Senate recommending for the banning of some of the video games that were considered to be too explicit. The argument was that the graphics made video games look so real, to the extent that avatars can be perceived as real-life human beings, only that the player controls them. This graphical realism is a vital factor of consideration while looking at the impact of video games on the youth (Dill, K. E., Gentile, Richter, & Dill, 2015). By using almost-human avatars, the players develop a form of aggression towards human nature, not to mention the skills gained regarding how to deal with a real-life human being. These skills are also attributed to the development of the mentality that people should resolve their differences through aggression in these youths. This further cultivates violent behaviors in them.
Additional research found that when the youth are exposed to the up-close scenes which are characterized by bloody and gore images, their overall aggressiveness is bound to increase, especially when facing real-life situations (Malliet, 2017). These explicit scenes have more severe consequences on players who play on video games that have advanced graphical realism. Graphical realism also makes such scenes seem humorous, fictional, or unrealistic; therefore, reducing the ability of the players to relate to other people’s suffering.
This explicitness is also found to have different impacts on either male or female gamers. According to Zorrilla (2011), for fifth-to-sixth graders, violent games are bound to lead to the development of hostility among boys but not among girls. This observation focuses on the perception that girls hold towards violent situations as compared to boys. At this age, boys will find violent games to be exciting and captivating, therefore, luring them, and the result is increased hostility. In contrast, girls at this age are more compassionate and sympathetic (Dill, K. E., Gentile, Richter, & Dill, 2015).
Additionally, at this age, while boys can associate with the justification behind the violent scenes in games, girls cannot. At a more advanced age, women who play violent video games are associated with an anti-social trait, meaning that they find it challenging to create and maintain human relations compared to men in the same age bracket. This is because women are more likely to adopt aggression and violent behavior from video games for ‘protection’ purposes as compared to men (Zorrilla, 2011).
The Case for Catharsis
While a vast majority of research focuses on video gaming as a contributing factor for the development of aggression and violence among the youth, contradictory research suggests that video gaming is a stress reliever which aids in “steam venting,” therefore, reducing the likelihood of developing aggressive behavior (Busching, Allen, & Anderson, 2016). This forms the basis for the catharsis theory. Great researchers like Aristotle and Freud argued that violence and aggression are not adapted from external forces. Still, instead, it develops from within the individual, and if not channeled out, it is bound to explode, leading to the development of violent behaviors. The catharsis theory is enforced by certain beliefs. One such is that video games, violent or non-violent, generally improve people’s moods. With good moods, people believe that their probability of acting aggressively usually reduces (Busching, Allen, & Anderson, 2016).
However, numerous facts have been developed to counter the theory of catharsis. The first is that assuming the assumption that both violence and aggression are drives is wrong. This is because both of these are not results of biological consequences, and classifying them as drives is wrong. Another reason is that the catharsis theory only applies to particular forms of storytelling, which does not include video games. Finally, scientific research has proven that there exists a relationship between video gaming with violent scenes and the development of violence and aggression in gamers (Busching, Allen, & Anderson, 2016). Therefore, the theory of catharsis does not apply to this situation. The traits on which catharsis is based are on opposite sides with scientific discovery.
Conclusion
In conclusion, decades of research have been conducted to determine the effects of video games on gamers and whether or not violence in video games encourages aggression, erosion of empathy, and development of violent behavior among the youth (Busching, Allen, & Anderson, 2016). On these issues, extensive research has found that teens who spend lengthy periods playing violent games are more likely to develop aggressiveness and violent behaviors as compared to those that do not. According to the American Psychological Association (2015), violent games are associated with a general reduction in empathy, remorse, and pain on behalf of the other person, while they contribute to a general increase in violence among teenage gamers. These teenage gamers attempt to integrate the kind of violence and aggression that is highly appreciated in video games and end up developing those same violent behaviors in their lives. Since our minds are generally receptive to any form of communication that it perceives as relevant or exciting, these teens are bound to borrow some character traits that are not all well. It is, therefore, true that there exists a relationship between video gaming and violent behaviors.
References
American Psychological Association (2015). Resolution on Violent Video Games. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/about/policy/violent-video-games
Busching, R., Allen, J. J., & Anderson, C. A. (2016). Violent Media Content and Effects. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication.
Dill, K. E., Gentile, D. A., Richter, W. A., & Dill, J. C. (2015). Violence, Sex, Race, and Age in Popular Video Games: A Content Analysis.
Huesmann, L. R., & Taylor, L. D. (2016). The role of media violence in violent behavior. Annu. Rev. Public Health, 27, 393-415.
Malliet, S. (2017). The challenge of video games to media effect theory.
Zorrilla, M. (2011). Video Games and Gender. Radford University.