Videogame Violence

[Fenghuang]

I've got an Opinion Essay I need to hand in to my English class tomorrow, short, not a big deal, but I'm having some trouble finding sources that don't outright condemn videogames and the violence in them, claiming they're going to be the death of us all, etc.

 

Some help would be appreciated.

[Llyranor]

There was an article that showed that teenagers and young adults have been killing less people in this decade than in previous ones, but I forgot the source.

[Fenghuang]

I know the one you're talking about, it had a graph from the CIA in it that supported such a claim.

 

I don't remember the source either though.

[alanschu]

I've got an Opinion Essay I need to hand in to my English class tomorrow, short, not a big deal, but I'm having some trouble finding sources that don't outright condemn videogames and the violence in them, claiming they're going to be the death of us all, etc. 

 

Some help would be appreciated.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I wrote a huge paper on the subject. Give me a second.

[Fenghuang]

You the man Alan Schuman.

[Llyranor]

Actually, I am.

[Fenghuang]

No, I don't think you are.

[alanschu]

Here's one that I found really good.

 

http://culturalpolicy.uchicago.edu/conf200...s/freedman.html

 

 

I have a whole list of references, but many of them are DOJ links and whatnot to statistics, as well as references to TV violence (since I drew a parallel to it, since the media does as well). I can give you a larger list, some of which is good/bad for video game violence defense.

 

For the most part, the non "fire and brimstone" studies point out inconsistencies with the other studies (the one I linked to you talks about a study that compared Myst to Wolfenstein3D, stating that the games are functionally identical in every aspect except for violence/aggression). It's an evaluation of the research on violent video games.

 

If you want more links I can give them to you, but you'll have to do a bit more sifting through them (which I would recommend anyways).

Edited April 18, 2006 by alanschu

[Llyranor]

Actually, screw the article I mentioned and just use the official source http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/glance.htm

 

You could also point out all kinds of studies how video games are beneficial. Such as, for example, the one where it shows surgeons tend to perform better and faster if they play videogames, and that most surgeons aren't cold-blooded murderers.

[Fenghuang]

You guys are awesome thanks.

[alanschu]

That link was one of my references as well

[LoneWolf16]

This is strange...but would those sources help me out too? I've got a 5 page research paper to do on the subject of "The Affects of Violent Video Games on the Developing Psyche". I wanted it to sound intelligent...and only succeeded in shooting myself in the foot in terms of source availability.

 

Not a lot of books written on the subject, or encyclopedia listings...which are two requirements I need to get around...most likely by bitching that I can't find any and getting 'em to just let me use the internet.

[Llyranor]

Wait, why aren't you writing your own essay, you lazy bum?

[Fenghuang]

Sounds like a plan Stan.

[alanschu]

Ok, here's a whole bunch of links that I had used. Some were used to demonstrate the position of anti-violence activists (i.e. they aren't in favour of the violence), as well as though that counterpoint the arguments. There isn't exactly a wealth of studies being attempted to indicate that there is NO effect. Most "defense" studies point out inconsistencies (or absurdities) with many of the claims. Stating that there is zero effect is just as insane IMO. The studies that I have seen typically agree that video game violence can seriously affect SOME people SOME of the time.....just like anything (i.e. the phenomenon is not isolated to video game violence).

 

 

Some of these links may not be appropriate, and some of them are from places like wikipedia (which may or may not go over well with your teacher. I used my Wikipedia link to find actual references to other discussions, and learn about people like Lt. Col. Grossman and whatnot.

 

http://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolutio...pact/myths.html

 

http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/video.games.html

 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/glance.htm

 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/gvc.htm#Violence

 

http://gr.bolt.com/oldsite/articles/violence/violence.htm

 

http://mentalhealth.about.com/cs/familyres...ameviolence.htm

 

http://culturalpolicy.uchicago.edu/conf200...s/freedman.html

 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/teens.htm

 

http://www.apa.org/science/psa/sb-anderson.html

 

http://mentalhealth.about.com/od/cyberment...violence805.htm

 

http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/yout...pter4/sec1.html

 

http://www.fotf.ca/familyfacts/analysis/010901.html

 

http://world.std.com/~jlr/comment/tv_impact.htm

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violent_video_games

 

http://www.slate.com/id/2099203/

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/04/...ain678261.shtml

 

http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,606...n_story_related

 

http://culturalpolicy.uchicago.edu/conf200...pers/kafai.html

 

http://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/bandura.html

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/24/...ain676446.shtml

 

http://www.gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/f...res/49517.shtml

 

http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/yout...1.html#epidemic

[alanschu]

Oh, one more thing. Some of these links might be more geared to TV violence than video game violence.

[metadigital]

This is strange...but would those sources help me out too? I've got a 5 page research paper to do on the subject of "The Affects of Violent Video Games on the Developing Psyche". I wanted it to sound intelligent...and only succeeded in shooting myself in the foot in terms of source availability.

 

Not a lot of books written on the subject, or encyclopedia listings...which are two requirements I need to get around...most likely by bitching that I can't find any and getting 'em to just let me use the internet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's the real problem: there is a dearth of reliable intelligence on the subject.

[LoneWolf16]

Wow! Thanks, Alan. I won't be failing after all. :D

 

And believe me, Meta. I noticed. It's mostly either anti-violence types or gamers getting violent over the fact that some people think their games make them more violent..

Edited April 18, 2006 by LoneWolf16

[Surreptishus]

Maybe it was typo but... Effects.

Edited April 18, 2006 by Surreptishus

[LoneWolf16]

Damn it, I missed that. It's right on the subject header though.

[Llyranor]

All I need is that video games have made me more violent

[alanschu]

This is strange...but would those sources help me out too? I've got a 5 page research paper to do on the subject of "The Affects of Violent Video Games on the Developing Psyche". I wanted it to sound intelligent...and only succeeded in shooting myself in the foot in terms of source availability.

 

Not a lot of books written on the subject, or encyclopedia listings...which are two requirements I need to get around...most likely by bitching that I can't find any and getting 'em to just let me use the internet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's the real problem: there is a dearth of reliable intelligence on the subject.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Another part of the problem is that the only real people interested in disproving the video game violence myth are those working with the industry. As a result, much of their research is immediately discarded as being biased, despite having good scientific methodology. Yet people like Anderson are given a free pass despite concluding an increase in violent crime in todays youth. He cites the surgeon general's assessment, using one particular graph for one particular type of crime, with one specific age (18 IIRC). Despite the fact that a few charts later, in the very same Surgeon General's warning (I think it's one of the links I gave too), the SG concluded that on the whole, violent crime in today's youth has decreased.

 

There's also other correlations, such as the increase in youth crime follow the increases in illegal arms distributions in the late 80s and early 90s.

[metadigital]

Sounds like a Doctoral Thesis!

[alanschu]

Heheh.

 

It was only 24 standard pages long

[Bokishi]

Tell me a good game these days that's not violent.