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Violence
Violence Perspectives
Despite the ubiquitous nature of video games in our society they have generally been treated
with uniform contempt by our educational system. Within the news media there is a dramatic
dichotomy in terms of their representation. There are very positive articles that review
games and say how cool (or boring) they are; then there are news articles that generally
focus on the negative aspects of gaming.
The Presence of Violence in Video Games
One focus of concern is on the violence depicted in games. Numerous studies
(Anderson & Bushman, ;
Anderson, ;
Bartholow, Sestir & Davis, ) show violence
in videogames can lead to aggressive and violent behaviour. The media has responded to
these studies with facts, but also with much speculation and sensationalism. The combination
of violence and the perception that children are the ones playing these games has resulted in
these issues being a hot topic. Individuals strongly entrenched on both sides of the issues
engage in heated debates over the safety of children and society, but neither side have many
answers on what to do about it, nor are they asking the right questions.
Aggression and Violence
Sensationalism has lead to public myth and misinterpretations about findings from research
on violence and video games. Boyle and Hibberd
() concluded that there are inconsistencies
in the quantity and quality of research on media violence even though most US research claims
a causal or correlational link between violence in videogames and violence in the real world.
Bensley and Van Eenwyk () argue that from the Department of Health's standpoint, "current
evidence is not supportive of a major concern that video game violence leads to real violence
but that more research is required, especially on recent and more realistic games." Although
violence is a concern, we can see there are many viewpoints on the topic and any one claim can
not be taken at face value without the context surrounding all of the studies and researchers'
agendas.
Individual Obligations
Where does that take us in our quest to understand violence and gaming? While the studies
indeed provide important information to consider and should not be taken lightly, one thing
is being left out: personal accountability. Violence in video games is reason for adults and
parents to step up and take responsibility in the choices their children have over which games
they may play and to be a part of their gaming world. This is the same responsibility that
needs to be taken in regards to violence in television programs, movies and books. Discussions
need to ensue in order to ensure critical thought about what is being played and how gaming
fits in with real life issues.
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