Trying to link video game to real world violent crimes is a bit of a stretch and this general opinion was shared with the group. Whenever a heinous crime is committed be it a school shooting, bashing, murders etc. 99% of the time someone will blame video games saying that they are the sole cause or one of the causes for the event and that something should be done about it. They never sit back and think that maybe the person or persons who commit these crimes have psychological problems.
The same thing has been happening for who knows how long, anything popular that the older generation is not quite familiar with or understands is used as the reasoning behind actions that the younger generation. Anything that the generation that uses, listens, watches or plays is the reason that they or someone did this or that. Look at the 50-60’s with rock n roll, the 80’s with hiphop, and the 90’s onwards with video games. The blame is always shifted from one medium to another with the next generation.
For example the Columbine High School shooting back in 1999, if you watch news reports they mention video game Doom, and how they created the school in the map editor and “lived out” their fantasy before making it a reality. The same could have accomplished with a box of Legos and plastic army men, but because it’s a video game they seem to portray it as the sole deciding factor in committing the crime.
The same thing has been happening for who knows how long, anything popular that the older generation is not quite familiar with or understands is used as the reasoning behind actions that the younger generation. Anything that the generation that uses, listens, watches or plays is the reason that they or someone did this or that. Look at the 50-60’s with rock n roll, the 80’s with hiphop, and the 90’s onwards with video games. The blame is always shifted from one medium to another with the next generation.
For example the Columbine High School shooting back in 1999, if you watch news reports they mention video game Doom, and how they created the school in the map editor and “lived out” their fantasy before making it a reality. The same could have accomplished with a box of Legos and plastic army men, but because it’s a video game they seem to portray it as the sole deciding factor in committing the crime.
Linking video game violence to real life violence
http://www.news.com.au/technology/gaming/violent-video-games-incite-kids-to-crime-says-scipione/story-e6frfrt9-1226443402160
"How can it not affect you if you're a young adolescent growing up in an era
where to be violent is almost praiseworthy, where you engage in virtual
crime on a daily basis and many of these young people (do) for hours and
hours on end"
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/get-psyched/201201/do-violent-video-games-increase-aggression
"These studies show that violent video games increase aggressive
thoughts, angry feelings, physiological arousal (e.g., heart rate, blood
pressure), and aggressive behavior."
http://www.uq.edu.au/news/index.html?article=23987
"New research by Dr Brock Bastian from UQ's School of Psychology has
found evidence that playing violent video games leads players to see
themselves, and their opponents, as lacking in core human qualities such
as warmth, open-mindedness, and intelligence.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20067918-10391704.html "In other words, the violent games desensitized players to violent imagery -
and subsequent testing showed that gamers who played violent games like
"Killzone" and "Grand Theft Auto" behaved more aggressively against their
gaming opponents."
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-violent-video-games-lead-to-reckless-driving-study-says-20120912,0,3873910.story
"The researchers suggest, the players become more like the characters
they are controlling on screen.
Against video game violence to real life violence
http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/08/30/competitive-video-games-may-lead-to-aggression/29021.html “These findings suggest that the level of competitiveness in video games is
an important factor in the relation between video games and aggressive
behavior, with highly competitive games leading to greater elevations in
aggression than less competitive games,”
http://ideas.time.com/2011/12/07/video-games-dont-make-kids-violent/
"Quite simply, the research just hasn’t panned out. For one thing, even
while video game sales have skyrocketed, youth violence plummeted to its
lowest levels in 40 years according to government statistics."
http://www.thelocal.se/37756/20111206/
"As a result, the Council concludes, “there is no evidence that violent
computer games cause aggressive behaviour”."
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/violent-games-dont-really-beget-violence-20120505-1y5j0.html
"One reason we think violent games lead to violent behaviour is because of
killers such as Anders Breivik, who played violent games."
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/story/health/story/2011-09-14/Dont-study-the-video-game-study-the-player/50406018/1
"It appears that competition in games is what may influence aggression, not
the violent content," says lead author Paul Adachi"