Do Video Games Encourage Violent Behavior?

The real question is, Do Violent Games Encourage Violent Behavior? Both Craig Anderson and Henry Jenkins argued this topic. Anderson believes that the games do put us into a violent act, and Jenkins highly disagrees. Parents of the gamers and critics believe that games are a unique form of entertainment that warrants special consideration put into place. Since the majority of the games are played alone, the creates the users interactions with the game to be interactive and directed. Many don't really put much attention on how the games affect adults, its more directed to how teens and adolescents are affected. I believe they shouldn't target a certain group, only because everyone is affect in the same way with the violence in the game. Anderson conclude her results from research and Jenkins concluded his answers from studies and professionals.

Let's start with Anderson's argument; who is an expert on the effects of violence in television and film. She argued strictly for yes, video games do encourage violent behavior. She explains that upon her research she has done and comes to believe that the game prompt young people towards even more aggression and violence then other media content. Upon her research she has found varies of proof which has been studied for 40 plus years. There are four types of media violence; laboratory experiment, field experiment, cross sectional correlation studies, and longitudinal studies. The average effect sizes for experimental studies and correlation studies appear to be comparable between the two. One thing that is wrong is that some games actually reward someone if they have a completed kill. To my beliefs, this is just wrong. In real life, they are only going to be successful in the kill, but wont get anything in return. Some studies show that the high level video games expose links to more violent behavior in school and social life. This has been an increase, even with unrealistic games. I think since it's unrealistic, no one should be offended by it, but they still do. Even people are more addicted to games then they are to tobacco. This is because games make people feel positive and good about themselves.

On the other hand, Henry Jenkins highly disagrees. He argues that the primary audience aren't just children, and the violence is not increasing in society. Even though he has some sort of proof of this, i still disagree very much. He is concerned about the isolation, desensitization, and violence gets overblown. In the US, 90% of the gamers are boys, and only 40% are women. The rate of the juvenile violent crimes is at 30 years times low. This doesn't mean anything thought because this is the result they collected awhile back. The new generation is a whole different thing. The US Surgeon states that 'the way they grow up is what effects them and the way they were raised, not the media." I sort of agree with this statement some what only because if you were raised in a violent family, that's is what you are taught and how your going to be. So you only do what you were taught. Because of this, the result are that 83% of the game purchases are made of underage children. So the parents are just letting their children play this. There is proof right there. Even though the games are violent, it also can enhance your learning and social skills on a way thinks Jenkins. 60% of the gamers play with others and friends. 33% play with their siblings and 25% play with their spouses. The numbers can go on and on. Even though men are huge on video games, women outnumbered men on web-based games. Women usage rate went up when the game Sim's came out; women liked the fact they can control what the house looks like and how the family was ran. Either way these games have a way for people to show and express their feelings and impulse.

I believe even though this controversy can go on and on, violent play always will lead to more violent play. It's just something you can change. These games get you so addicted to them, that when you go out and social you automatically do something without realizing it. It is as almost as if you are a robot; your brain can't control you. Your body has. This type of controversy with violent video games has been taken into consideration whether a media industry can control access information to questionable material through the rating system. I believe that the games do have some kind of impact on you, but on the other hand you can control yourself. But that isn't always the case. Since I'm not a gamer, i couldn't say. I have experience in my past that a lot of people are addicted. Either way video games will always be a part of television, film and recorded music.