PBS News Hour: Can Violent Video Games Play a Role in Violent Behavior?

PBS: In our continuing look at the gun debate for PBS's weeklong special "After Newtown," Jeffrey Brown explores whether there is any connection between violent video games and violent behavior.

[ZBlacktt]

What about violent movies, books, etc. Or the fact that countries go to war all the time. What about our daily news on TV? Why so much death and killing????

[pixelsword]

Yep.

I agree: the root of the problem is that violence has lost it's context in "modern" society.

WALL OF TEXT WARNING: if you need pretty pictures in order to read or have no attention span, stop now and read my other comment below.

People are so detached from reality that they think zapping graphics on a screen are people, or training people to do such a thing.

I didn't grow-up on a farm, but I spent my childhood around farmers and people who prepare their meals by butchering animals. Butchering animals wasn't something done lightly; you just didn't do it because there was nothing to do, and you didn't waste your food because replacing something like a chicken, hog, or cow is time-consuming and takes a lot of resources. When you grow-up like that, the first thing you learn at childhood is that harming another has to have a purpose, and if it serves no purpose then it's a waste. City folk can go to the store and never have to raise nor butcher their food, so there's an instant detachment from the primary reason why something was to be Butchered: nourishment. If there's detachment, sometimes you fail to see the parallels, so try to keep that in mind as you read the rest of this.

There's also protection. When my grandfather was a kid, he was paid to fire-on crows from fields to protect whatever was growing in the fields. When he was a kid you would also keep a something on you at all times because where he grew-up scorpions and snakes could come into your house. Again, violence in context.

Now, looking at this from a novice farmer's eye, these people aren't doing anything in any context. Games or no games these people are off of their rocker in the first place. City folk don't usually talk to random people, so why would hurting random people enter their mind?

In games, there's a context: the enemy or a goal presented. Harming people is not something the gamer would have normally done if they didn't get some sort of reward for it: if GTA told and rewarded you to help people you *would* do it; because you're working within context.

That's also why racism is flat-out stupid. Racism suggest the same lack of context these murderers are displaying. I can no more pick out a person of another race to be bad or good just by looking at their features than you can, so why hate on groups when individuals tick me off? News reporters, and I guess people trying to change laws, don't have that basic sense to see that these so-called "nut-jobs" aren't working in any context whatsoever: so even if they didn't have games or weapons they will still be violent and try to harm people.

It also shows that 100% of these kids/adults have had training because you don't learn how to a lot of the things they are doing from pushing a button on a controller.

[sway_z]

Yeah cos I always shoot people after watching Terminator movies....I know...I'm far too sensitive tsk!

[crazysammy]

It is factual proven that video games increase aggression because most games are competitive. However this does NOT relate to psychotic behavior or murderous tendencies. Anything competitive is the same way. Sports stars are aggressive, but not psychotic.

So then the most important point is what your question is. Do violent games make you violent? No. 100% proven in multiple studies no. Do gamers have raised levels of aggression and along with that sometimes anger? Yes, because of the competitive nature of the activity.

Anger =/= Violence.
Playing games =/= Psychotic behavior.

I hope this gets put to rest sooner than later.

[ZBlacktt]

So does driving in traffic or being cut off.....road rage.

oh and nice avie....

[crazysammy]

Same to you!

Exactly rage doesn't equal homicidal behavior. I rage all the time, but have yet to murder someone.

[Cupid_Viper_3]

Well of course it does. As long as we're going to also agree that playing Monopoly is a cause of bank robbery. And playing card games causes you to gamble, and watching Harry Potter causes you to become sorcerer, and watching the Hobbit turns you into a midget.

Feel free to add any other nonsensical BS you can come up with. As for me, I have been unable to sleep for the last 24 hours as I'm too excited for the Sony Event today. So I have just enough energy left for the event, and I'm sure I'll faint after it concludes.

[sway_z]

If someone is half baked, has violent tendencies or a drug related issue, then surely almost anything can influence this person....I believe you have to be pretty messed up to begin with if Video Games, Movies or any medium can have an adverse affect on your psyche.

Now excuse me while I go 'snipe' my annoying neighbour across the street ;)

[pixelsword]

Soooo.....

...what video game did Hitler play, exactly?

[crazysammy]

Flower on PSN. Its in the history books look it up.

[pixelsword]

lol!

[jakmckratos]

I think they can just how the Columbine shooters were obsessed with violent culture. But there is something in them that already makes them violent. That's not to say a normal child will play Call of Duty and want to shoot up the place. No people are either bullied/have a mental illness that makes them think violence is acceptable and use video games/movies/music/other media to facillitate this obsession. It doesn't create the problem but it can further delude a sick individual. Im a (reasonably) normal human being who loves Sly Cooper...but you don't see me dressing up like a raccoon jumping all willy-nilly committing burglary.