In the past two decades Video Games have evolved from consoles to world-wide-web interactive worlds. Video Games are becoming increasingly stimulating – captivating a growing population of users. There is no doubt that not only children but adults use video games as an entertaining hobby. With recent school shootings creating controversy regarding their violent content – this essay will investigate the addiction behind the entertainment; and how the Video Games contribute as provocation to Violence.
Video Games are often accused of being a distraction from reality. As well as a distraction from reality, they can also been seen as a distraction from School work and exercise – normal things that children and adolescents should be incorporating into their daily lives. The National Institute on Media and the Family (2005) defines Video Game Addiction as: “when time spent on the computer, playing video games or cruising the Internet reaches a point that it harms a child's or adult's family and social relationships, or disrupts school or work life”. According to Kerry Hempenstall (2000, p.2) a study found that 29 percent of Year 7 and 8 boys played Video Games 3-6 hours a week, and 23 percent played more than 6 hours. Video Game Addiction has been compared to Pathological Gambling because it affects people around the victim (Orzack). Lucien King (2002) comments on the life of a gamer:
‘Sleepless nights are common. Your chair replaces your bed. The habitual flicker of the monitor punctuates your dreams. You dream games, you wake to play games, you long to play games – you can’t live without games.’
Looking at addiction from a psychological point of view it is said ‘Exposure to a substance that creates a euphoric mental state brings about neurological adaptations that produce feelings of discomfort and craving when it is no longer present’ (Feldman, Olds, & Papalia, 2007). In this case, Video Games are considered the substance that the addict uses to get their fix – so that they may again reach their euphoric state of mind.
The Game ‘World of Warcraft’ is a Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG) that is known for its ‘addictive’ attributes. Leigh Schwartz (2006) comments that World of Warcraft is ‘a fantasy world occupied by real people’, thereby influencing a need for the player to continue playing. Schwartz created a chat room in which game users could answer some of her questions regarding several differing games, including World of Warcraft. Regarding Schwartz’ question of the aspect of escapism in the games, one of the users commented “Escapism all boils down to control, the more control you have over the game environment and your character the more you lose your self in it.” An additional problem of Video Game addiction lies in the content of the Video Games; and the player’s exposure to strong violence within the entertainment.
Violence plays an important role in the popularization of video games. ‘An expert on the sociology of video games highlights the power of this medium to popularize violence among children’ (Lugo, 2006). When considering that many Video Games are popularized as a result of their violent appeal to users; this addiction may be harmful to more than just the addict’s friends and family. Video Games such as Medal of Honor; Rising Sun and Doom 3 both involve brutal violence where the player is the “murderous hero” that battles against their enemies. The two games involve a selection of weapons and methods that the hero may kill its enemies with. The player is ‘rewarded’ by gaining points or levels for their use of violence. Although both games have a rating of MA15+, this is a small obstacle for children whose parents are unsuspecting of the brutality involved. When we link this advertising of Violence in Video Games to Violent School Behavior, the outcome is frightful.
‘Most studies show that subjects in laboratory experiments who observe media violence tend to behave more aggressively than do subjects in control groups’ (Felson, 1996). Anthony Lane (2006) states that the two boys who were responsible for the Columbine shootings were obsessed with shooter Video Games. For this reason, there have been protests against further production of violent Video Games (Lane, 2006). A group who named themselves the “Peaceaholics” and attorney Jack Thompson publically protested the game ‘Bully’ calling it a “Columbine Simulator” (Paprocki, 2006). In fact - the American Police and Army Forces use video games (known as point and shoot video games) to train their recruits (King, 2002), so it is no surprise that there is such protest against shooter games. According to Hempenstall (2000, p.2), a study was conducted to test the impact of violent video games on children. A group of year five girls were exposed to a violent video game, and they exhibited increased aggression in free-play. Hempenstall goes on to say that these effects are only short-term and the long-term effects are unclear.
Conclusively, Video Game addiction certainly does exist. To the compulsive gamer, Video Games are their fix, like drugs to the drug-addict. Excessive gaming may be a cause for aggression when the “fix” is no longer present, though there is no proof that video games produce a long-term aggressiveness; no matter what excess of time is spent playing. Regarding the provocation of Violence within Video Games, it may be extravagant to say that Video Games are the cause for School Shootings, thugs and much of the violence that is seen in today’s Society. There is no legitimate proof to make such a statement. It can not be generalized that Video Games create Killers, for there are deeper psychological issues involved. With the presented evidence, however, it is appropriate to say that Video Games are contributors to violence in society. It has been proven that aggression is increased for a short-term after exposure to video games; and that video games are used as training for our real-life killers. Using violence as entertainment; Video Games teach users to accept it as sport, rather than rare necessity. The basic issues such as, guilt and punishment, that are confronted with real-life violence are lost; and the user is free to go on a virtual killing rampage with no consequence.
Bibliography
Feldman, R. D., Olds, S. W., & Papalia, D. E. (2007). Human Development; Tenth Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Felson, R. B. (1996). Mass Media effects on violent behaviour. Annual Review of Sociology , 26.
Hempenstall, K. (2000). Playing Games: Vicarious Satisfaction Vs. Violent Thrill. Australian Educator , 2.
King, L. (2002). Game on; the History and Culture of Videogames. London: Laurence King Publishing Ltd.
Lane, A. (2006). Learn to be a Bully. New Statesman , 2.
Lugo, W. (2006). Violent Video Games Recruit American Youth. Reclaiming Children and Youth , 4.
National Institute on Media and the Family. (2005, November 3). Computer and Video Game Addiction . Retrieved May 6, 2007, from National Institute on Media and the Family: http://www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_gameaddiction.shtml
Orzack, M. H. (n.d.). Computer Addiction Services. Retrieved May 6, 2007, from Computer Addiction Services: http://www.computeraddiction.com/
Paprocki, M. (2006). Video Game Industry in New Fight: Rockstar's Bully May Have T Rating. Blog Critics Magazine .
Schwartz, L. (2006). Fantasy, Realism, and the Other in Recent Video Games. Space and Culture , 13.
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