Violent video games and attitudes towards victims of crime: an empirical study among youth

Previous research has indicated that playing violent video games may be associated with an increase in acceptance of violence and positive attitudes towards perpetrators of crime. This study is the first to investigate the relationship between playing violent video games and attitudes towards victims of crime. A total of 206 young people (aged 12-24 years) completed measures of attitudes towards victims and violent video game exposure. The results suggest that exposure to violent video games is associated with less concern being reported for victims of crime. Young people who play more violent video games reported less concern for general victims and for culpable victims, and these effects cannot be explained by gender or age differences. The results are discussed in relation to relevant research in the area, along with recommendations for future research

Video game violence and the effects on children : a review of the literature

This is a review of the literature on video game violence and its effects on children. I looked primarily at the aggressive and desensitization effects on children when exposed to violent video games

Media Violence Effects on Brain Development: What Neuroimaging Has Revealed and What Lies Ahead

Substantial research has indicated that media violence induces both short- and long-term increases in aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Recently, neuroimaging techniques have begun to identify the mechanisms driving these changes. An important avenue that these neuroimaging tools can address is how exposure to media violence in childhood affects brain development, which can have lifelong behavioral consequences. This review highlights neuroimaging research examining how media violence exposure affects the pediatric brain. While such research is limited, evidence suggests that prefrontal mechanisms for controlling emotion and behavior are altered by exposure to violent media. Therefore, long-term increases in aggression and decreases in inhibitory control due to excessive media violence exposure may result from impaired development of prefrontal regions. However, additional neuroimaging research is necessary to establish whether and how exposure to media violence specifically shapes subsequent neural maturation. To optimize the use of neuroimaging in this inquiry, imaging studies should not stand on their own, but instead must be integrated with more traditional research paradigms to establish a more complete picture of effects. Future research must employ more longitudinal approaches to better characterize long-term effects that high exposure to violent screen media may have on brain development, particularly prefrontal and limbic brain regions

Factors Influencing the Impact of Aggressive and Violent Media on Children and Adolescents

The influence of aggressive and violent media on children and adolescents has been a topic of concern for several decades. Research on this topic has suggested that both short term and long term exposure to aggressive/violent media can negatively impact this population. The purpose of this literature review is to discuss relevant research on the topic and examine various factors that may impact the risk of being influenced by this type of media. These factors can include time spent viewing media, content of the media viewed, gender, age, psychological characteristics, family, and peers. Various theoretical approaches to explaining the influence of violent media are also examined, as well as directions for future research

Blaming Halo: The Effects of Violent Video Games and What Should Be Done about Them

In the wake of such incidents as the Newtown, Connecticut and Aurora, Colorado, shootings, much scrutiny has been applied to the topic of violent video games, because there appears to be a link between school shooters and video games that contain gratuitous violence. This paper examines the alleged link between video game violence and real-world violence. Copious amounts of research have been dedicated to this topic. Although many researchers conclude that violent video games lead to increases in aggression, a causal link between violent video games and real-life acts of violence remains unseen. This paper explores the origins of this controversy and then seeks to find a solution to the problem of children playing video games that they should not. Additionally, this paper strives to dispel certain erroneous beliefs that many people have about violent video games

The Media and Teenage Violence: How Much Is Too Much When It Comes to Adolescent Aggression?

With the advent of increasingly accessible technology and the growing prevalence of both fictional and nonfictional violence in the media (American Academy of Pediatrics 2009; American Psychological Association 2013; Emmons 2013; Pew Research Center 2015), the effects of such content on emotional states and behavioral patterns in youths has garnered a great deal of interest among sociologists, psychologists, and developmental experts. However, the results of existing research are inconclusive and often contradictory (APA 2013; Siegel and Welsh 2017:86-87), providing no clear answer to the question of whether or not this content actually affects viewer behavior. I explore the current body of literature examining the relationship between exposure to media violence and its elicitation of aggression and violence in children, adolescents, and young adults before performing my own analysis of data from a previously completed study (Schneider and Waite 1998-2000), specifically analyzing variables that have not yet been examined together. Finally, I suggest directions for future research, discuss relevant limitations, and offer conclusions based on the past and present results

Exploring attitudes towards victims of crime among video game players: a vignette study

Research on video game playing has focused mainly on the effects of such games in relation to aggression and attitudes towards perpetrators and towards crime. The present research was designed to investigate gamers’ attitudes towards victims of crimes and incidents that were designed to mirror those portrayed in violent video games. Vignettes were used during interviews to explore 50 participants’ attitudes towards different types of victims. The results indicate that long-term playing of violent video games appears to be associated with more negative attitudes towards victims of crime. This is the first study to directly explore attitudes towards victims of crime, in relation to violent video game exposure. Compared to nonviolent video game players, the violent video game players in the study reported less positive attitudes towards the victims in the study and attributed more blame to the victims. The implications of this finding in the context of previous research on violent video games, and on attitudes are explored. Directions for future research in the area are also highlighted

Interactive software and its effects on hostility

The researcher will be exploring the relationship between violence in video games and the emotional responses to them. The goal of the study is to confirm the previous body of research that a short term increase in aggression and hostility exists after a violent video game is played. The study will also expand on the current existing body of data by examining other variables such as gender, age, typical time spent in a week playing videogames, overall familiarity with video games, the game genre that is normally played, and what consoles and systems are typically used to be played on. This data will be collected to see if they too have any significant effect on emotional responses. As interactive media increasingly becomes integrated into our day-to-day activities, data on how they may affect aggression and hostility become progressively more crucial. This is especially true at present as video games come under fire from current state legislation

A Meaner, More Callous Digital World for Youth? The Relationship Between Violent Digital Games, Motivation, Bullying and Civic Behavior amongst Children

The relationship between violent digital games and youth behavior remains contested in the scholarly literature. To date considerable scholarship has focused on university students with fewer studies of adolescents or children. The current study examines correlational relationships between violent game exposure and bullying behaviors, antisocial attitudes, civic attitudes and civic behaviors in a sample of 304 children from the United Kingdom (Mean age = 12.81). The paper also considered motivational influences on use of violent digital games. Results indicated that violent game exposure did not correlate meaningfully with either antisocial or civic behaviors or attitudes. These results are discussed in a motivational and developmental context