Do (violent) video games contribute to (gun) violence?

[HonestJoe]

Whenever the question of if video games contribute to a culture of violence is brought up, all of the gamers simultaneously shout down the question.

No, gamers (and many others) make reasonable arguments against the assertions that games cause violence and crime. Countless millions of people play these games, which are increasingly popular and increasingly realistic, yet there is no measurable increase in related violence or crime (if anything, the correlation tends to go the other way, however coincidentally).

The Uvalde parents seem to think there is a connection. They are suing the makers of Call of Duty over their perceived connection to inspiring the shooting.

I wouldn't claim to know what the parents themselves think or know, but in their justified grief, I could understand them lashing out at any identifiable targets to blame. The lawyers who are actually bringing the cases don't have that excuse, and are just seeking to get as much money as possible.

I doubt they'd be able to win in court against the makers of a video game on any general principle and would have to prove some specific actions by that specific company to demonstrate any valid case. Of course, they could still get some money in a settlement by the company to avoid the inevitable negative media coverage.

I wanted to ask your thoughts on the question. I think violent video games obviously desensitize people to overt violence. In games like Grand Theft Auto you can go on mass shooting sprees freely. It is made to be fun.

I think violent video games negatively contribute to a culture of violence.

For the vast majority of people, that simply isn't the case though. Similar claims have been made about violent films and roleplaying games, but if you look for any actual evidence of generalised causal links, you will come up empty. You might be able to pick out individual cases, but not ones where games can be identified as the sole, or even primary, factor.

 

[Quintessence]

Do we see this? I haven't seen any source that makes a good argument that we do.

Also @HonestJoe

You haven't read any of the research documenting this? Here's another, in addition to the study I just posted:

The effects of violent media content on aggression - PubMed

Decades of research have shown that violent media exposure is one risk factor for aggression. This review presents findings from recent cross-sectional, experimental, and longitudinal studies, demonstrating the triangulation of evidence within the field. Importantly, this review also illustrates...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Decades of research have shown that violent media exposure is one risk factor for aggression. This review presents findings from recent cross-sectional, experimental, and longitudinal studies, demonstrating the triangulation of evidence within the field. Importantly, this review also illustrates how media violence research has started to move away from merely establishing the existence of media effects and instead has begun to investigate the mechanisms underlying these effects and their limitations. Such studies range from investigations into cross-cultural differences to neurophysiological effects, and the interplay between media, individual, and contextual factors. Although violent media effects have been well-established for some time, they are not monolithic, and recent findings continue to shed light on the nuances and complexities of such effects.

It's unfortunate that folks are in denial about the reality of this because some folks make xtreme, exaggerated claims about the impact violent media has. It is absolutely a risk factor and this is no longer in dispute at all.

 

[an anarchist]

If the net effect of violent video games were to increase actual violence, we should see this in the data: violence trending upward, uncorrelated with other factors but correlated with the popularity of these games.

Do we see this? I haven't seen any source that makes a good argument that we do.

How would we see it really if video games are completely integrated in first world culture?

Everything advances at the same time. I think it would be hard to pin point.

Can someone tell me how mass shooter simulators are not bad for you? Especially for children.

I think we are approaching this backwards.

 

[Twilight Hue]

How would we see it really if video games are completely integrated in first world culture?

Everything advances at the same time. I think it would be hard to pin point.

Can someone tell me how mass shooter simulators are not bad for you? Especially for children.

I think we are approaching this backwards.

I find mass shooter games extremely gratifying.

Someone has to kill all those homicidal infectious zombies!

 

[an anarchist]

I find mass shooter games extremely gratifying.

Someone has to kill all those homicidal infectious zombies!

Zombies, yes.

Innocent civilians at an airport?

 

[Quintessence]

How would we see it really if video games are completely integrated in first world culture?

Everything advances at the same time. I think it would be hard to pin point.

Nah, it's very doaable. Dig into the methods of the couple studies I posted if you want to learn more, though granted you may need to go thorugh a university library to get access as peer reviewed studies like this are often behind paywalls.

Short explanation - you gather a lot of data and do statistical analyses on it. A combination of observational and experimental studies over time help examine the relative contribution of various causal factors on outcomes. I haven't looked into this issue specifically in some time, but when I was in college I did a fair amount of digging on it out of personal interest. I wasn't interested in the hearsay of the effects of violent media, I wanted to see what the actual data and science and research said.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Zombies, yes.

Innocent civilians at an airport?

If I had a choice of seeing a mass shooting in real life between a mass shooting of pixels I'll always choose the latter.

It's why I say games are the perfect punching bag and release of pressure and anger.

 

[Quintessence]

If I had a choice of seeing a mass shooting in real life between a mass shooting of pixels I'll always choose the latter.

It's why I say games are the perfect punching bag and release of pressure and anger.

Hmm... I'm now curious to dig up a study or few on anger management in relation to this topic. From what I know offhand, it is actually not recommended to use anger or violent behaviors for anger management because it does... it does not address the underlying issues or express things in a productive or positive way. But I'd need to look into it. It's been a long time since my undergrad psych coursework...

 

[an anarchist]

If I had a choice of seeing a mass shooting in real life between a mass shooting of pixels I'll always choose the latter.

It's why I say games are the perfect punching bag and release of pressure and anger.

Do you need to shoot simulated civilians to release your anger?

 

[an anarchist]

Hmm... I'm now curious to dig up a study or few on anger management in relation to this topic. From what I know offhand, it is actually not recommended to use anger or violent behaviors for anger management because it does... it does not address the underlying issues or express things in a productive or positive way. But I'd need to look into it. It's been a long time since my undergrad psych coursework...

In my anger management class, they said that the thinking of punching bags and yelling to release anger is fundamentally flawed. You are training yourself and your brain that angry actions will calm you down.

 

[an anarchist]

Hmm... I'm now curious to dig up a study or few on anger management in relation to this topic. From what I know offhand, it is actually not recommended to use anger or violent behaviors for anger management because it does... it does not address the underlying issues or express things in a productive or positive way. But I'd need to look into it. It's been a long time since my undergrad psych coursework...

^^^^^^^^^^ yes yes yes

 

[Twilight Hue]

Do you need to shoot simulated civilians to release your anger?

Some might and I'd rather see it go in that direction rather than in real life.

Games are therapeutic and a pressure release.

I'll bet even @Revoltingest would be giddy shooting cops in GTA with a rocket launcher and never would do that in real life but boy! What a thrill regardless.

Games are great!

 

[Quintessence]

In my anger management class, they said that the thinking of punching bags and yelling to release anger is fundamentally flawed. You are training yourself and your brain that angry actions will calm you down.

Yes, that's what I recall. Dug this up on the APA (American Psychological Association) website:

Is it good to “let it all hang out?”
Psychologists now say that this is a dangerous myth. Some people use this theory as a license to hurt others. Research has found that “letting it rip” with anger actually escalates anger and aggression and does nothing to help you (or the person you’re angry with) resolve the situation.

It’s best to find out what it is that triggers your anger, and then to develop strategies to keep those triggers from tipping you over the edge.

Control anger before it controls you

Anger is a normal, healthy response to a threat and may be used for a constructive purpose. When anger becomes uncontrollable or is unexpressed, it may lead to destructive thoughts or actions. Learn how to control it.

www.apa.org

The question from here then, is - is consuming violent media similar in effect to "letting it rip" in that it causes an escalation of anger and aggression? The answer is likely nuanced as with most things and someone's probably done a study somewhere... or I just discovered someone's next Ph.D. project. Haha.

 

[Eddi]

Do (violent) video games contribute to (gun) violence?​

If you have zero access to guns then no

 

[Revoltingest]

Some might and I'd rather see it go in that direction rather than in real life.

Games are therapeutic and a pressure release.

I'll bet even @Revoltingest would be giddy shooting cops in GTA with a rocket launcher and never would do that in real life but boy! What a thrill regardless.

Games are great!

I've no interest in video games.

 

[HonestJoe]

Also @HonestJoe

You haven't read any of the research documenting this?

A bit actually, though mostly back when I was at university 20-mumble years ago. You can certainly pick out studies that show a wide range of different results because ultimately it is an extremely complex and difficult thing to define and measure. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of vested interests in both directions.

I don't deny the possibility of violent video games (or even non-violent ones) being a contributory factor to some acts of aggression or violence, but I've not seen any evidence supporting the idea that it is a generalised risk to all people (even for young children). While violent games may trigger negative responses in some people, all sorts of other triggers could play the same role and in most people, those same violent games with have no significant or long-term negative consequences.

As with so many things in this area, I feel that there needs to be a lot more focus on the broader mental health of people rather than seeking tools or materials to blame for extreme events and actions. Games don't kill people, people kill people.

 

[an anarchist]

I feel that there needs to be a lot more focus on the broader mental health of people rather than seeking tools or materials to blame for extreme events and actions. Games don't kill people, people kill people.

I don’t know scientifically, but I am assuming that blasting your brain with ultra violent images everyday via video games is not good for the mental health. It just doesn’t make sense that it’s healthy, but of course, I’m pulling this outa my behind, I’m no researcher.

Yea, call of duty is fun, but why do I and most people find it fun? Have we desensitized the new generations to overt violence? We teach them it’s cool and fun. That’s the question I think.

 

[Twilight Hue]

What the newest video game you have played, old man?

They are much more violent than pong. Visceral, overt, and gleefully violent.

Right now I'm playing armchair general war games like Grimsbys War in the East and War in the West, Arma, Combat Mission, and Total Wars Revolutionary War and Napoleon campaigns , among many other titles aside from casual GTA , bunny hopping call of duty , medal of honor types. Not to mention fighting bugs in Earth Defense Force for brainless wanton carnage.

 

[Quintessence]

As with so many things in this area, I feel that there needs to be a lot more focus on the broader mental health of people rather than seeking tools or materials to blame for extreme events and actions.

Yeah, I think popular culture is sometimes looking for a scapegoat and I don't get this vibe from the actual researchers and health professionals. Understanding the human condition holistically is important for dealing with those mental health challenges you mention - that means acknowledging the full range of factors that can be contributing to someone's situation and not ignoring them just because pop culture likes to use it as a scapegoat.

In a clinical setting, say you're counseling someone on anger management or something. Are you going to recommend they channel that by playing shoot'em up video games and watching axe murderer horror movies or are you going to recommend they channel that by doing controlled breathing, taking a walk around the block, or sitting down with a coloring book?

 

[an anarchist]

Right now I'm playing armchair general war games like Grimsbys War in the East and War in the West, Arma, Combat Mission, and Total Wars Revolutionary War and Napoleon campaigns , among many other titles aside from casual GTA , bunny hopping call of duty , medal of honor types. Not to mention fighting bugs in Earth Defense Force for brainless wanton carnage.

Ah, well excuuuuuuuse me