violent video games persuasive speech

Sample Persuasive Speech: Video games do/do not promote violence

I am not a video game addict but many of my acquaintances are. I am not a video game fan simply because I am not good as others at playing with the same enthusiasm and commitment. My acquaintances like playing video games because it helps them relax and feel as if they were kids again. Their children also play video games developed specifically for their age group. Video games develop reaction, problem-solving abilities, attention, and concentration. None of my acquaintances has ever committed a violent act. Video game exists in its virtual space, which does not make claims on real life. Video games get the brunt of the criticism. Our government is anti-video game. Yet, market forces can be the only regulatory mechanisms of violence in video games. Only two or three of the top best-selling video games are violent. Video games have no violent impact on a video gamer. Younger players may be vulnerable to the violent game content when the play video games that are not suitable for their age. Although first person shooter violence is common to video games, it is not likely to promote aggressive behavioral models. Kids play with toy soldiers but nobody thinks that this teaches them violence. Video games cannot be considered violent in relation to age, gender, socio-cultural belonging, and educational level. The reaction to the game’s content depends on the individual’s personal traits. Girsl do not react with greater arousal to violent content than boys. At least, no research has found any significant difference. It is unlikely that performing violent actions during the play may cause aggression in kids. Although Grand Theft Auto 3 was banned in Australia because of its graphic violence, it does not mean that it could have influenced the increase in crime rates. The problem is that minors often have uncontrolled access to adult games with violent content. Boys aged 7-12 like “action adventure”. They develop “killing instinct” only in virtual games but also in the games they play outdoors. Nevertheless, children’s exposure to violent content targeted at mature video gamers should be restricted by their parents and caregivers. I am defending video gaming on behalf of long-time gamers whose hobby has not turned them into psycho-terminators. Video gamers live in their own world of established video game rules, and they wish they could play safely without being disturbed. We’re in the habit of regulating our most innocent activities.

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Introduction

Various studies have shown that violent content in video games desensitizes players , especially children, to real-world violence. When players become desensitized, they tend to increase their aggression and decrease their empathy. Other researchers have indicated that playing video games among children does not lead to significant aggressive behavior, since the magnitude of the effect in the meta-analysis may be an outcome of publication bias. Despite pressure from various societies, many video games contain a considerable amount of violence. Violent games are seen to promote feelings of excitement, satisfaction, and empowerment among players (Hagan, et al. 2002). However, Przybylski et al, carried a study on video games and concluded that the desire and enjoyment for future play were linked to competence and the experience of autonomy in the video game, and not the level of violence. Different scholars have argued about the negative and positive effects of playing video games among children. This research paper will discuss the various effects that playing video games have on children. They impact children’s lives socially and they increase violence among children (Sherry, 2001).

The debate on whether video games have social effects and cause violence among players, especially children, can be traced back to 1976 when a video game entitled Death Race was released on the market. The main aim of the game was to run over screaming gremlins using a car which would then turn into tombstones. The pace of the game was pedestrian and the gremlins resembled human figures. There was a public outcry over this video game and eventually its production ceased. There were other violent video games that were produced later in 1993, such as Night Trap and Mortal Kombat , which were followed by public outcry. In the same year, a board was established in the United States to look into video games and rate them according to their content (Siwek, 2007). The board is known as the entertainment software rating board (ESRB). The other video game that attracted media attention was Rapelay, produced in 2006 (Siwek, 2007). The video game required players to rape and stalk a woman and her two girls. Such video games are said to cause behavioral change among children.

There have been several incidents that are linked to video games, such as the massacre at Columbine High School that claimed 13 lives. Laws have been enacted to ban or control the sale of video games. For example, on the 27th of June 2007, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned the law in California that banned the sale of video games to minors (Siwek, 2007). The court ruled that the law violated the freedom of speech even though the state has an obligation to protect kids from harm. Another aspect that should be noted regarding video games is that boys spend more time playing than girls. Not many girls are interested in playing video games, hence they are not affected as much as boys of a similar age (Anderson & Bushman, 2001).

The Drawbacks of Children Playing Video games

Most of the negative effects as a result of playing video games among children can be blamed on the violent scenes contained in these games. When a child spends an extended amount of time playing such video games, they becomes socially isolated. This means that a child does not have enough time to interact with other members of their society (Anderson & Bushman, 2001). The child who spends many hours a day playing video games will have little time to meet and make new friends. They may in turn become more depressed and lonely in their homes. Children will also spend little time on other activities such as sports, reading, and doing homework. The child becomes socially inactive since they do not get involved in social activities.

Some video games teach children wrong values (Gunter, 1998). Most of the children who spend much of their time playing video games are likely to perform poorly in school. A solid number of video games are addictive. Rather than studying or completing homework, a child spends time playing video games. As a result, poor performance will be seen at schools. Video games reduce a child’s imaginative thinking as well. This means that a child who ends up spending most of their time playing video games does not get a chance to think creatively or independently. Imaginative thinking is crucial in developing a child’s creativity. By fostering isolation, video games may also affect a child’s health. Since they do not get enough bodily exercise, children who spend the majority of their time playing video games are likely to suffer from video-induced seizures, obesity and skeletal, muscular and postural disorders like tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, among others.

Video games promote children to associate happiness and pleasure with the capability to cause pain to others. They develop the feeling that in order to be happy, one has to make other people suffer. Children who play video games tend to develop selfish behavior (Anderson & Bushman, 2001). Video games teach the player to be dependent and since the child is often left alone while playing a video game, he or she can develop selfish behavior. A certain study that was done at a Minneapolis-based national institute for media indicated that kids can get addicted to video games and exhibit social phobias. The interactive quality of video games is quite different from passively viewing movies or television. The games allow players to be active participants in the script. The players who are able to benefit from acts of violence are then able to proceed to the next level (Sherry, 2001).

As a negative result of playing video games, violence in children has shown an increase. “Anderson and Dill found that males who were high in aggression and irritability, showed the strongest association between video game play and aggressive behavior” (Lillian Bensely & Juliet Van Eenwyk, 2001). There are many incidents of violent behavior among children who play violent video games worldwide (Gunter, 1998). One of the high-profile incidents is the Columbine High School massacre that was caused by 17-year-old Dylan Klebold, and 18-year-old Harris Eric. The massacre happened on the 20th of April, 1999, at Columbine High School, located in Jefferson County. 12 pupils and a teacher were killed by two pupils. It was later revealed that the two shooters in the massacre were frequent players of weapon-based combat games . It was also noted that the two shooters used to play Wolfeinstein 3D and Doom , games which are violent. After the incident, many newspaper articles claimed that the key cause of that incident was violent video games.

Another incident occurred in April, 2000, when Jose Rabadan, a sixteen-year-old Spaniard, killed his parents and his sister using a katana sword, claiming that he was Squall Leonhart, the main character in the video game titled ‘Final Fantasy V111,’ on a mission of revenge. This was a consequence of playing the game too much and fantasizing about what he saw in the video game (Williams, & Marko, 2005). In 1997, there was the case of a thirteen year old, Wilson Noah, who was killed by his friend using a kitchen knife. The mother of the deceased claimed that Noah was stabbed because of the obsession his friend had with the video game known as Mortal Kombat. She alleged that the child who killed Noah was obsessed with the game, and thought he was one of the characters in the game named Cyrax. In the game, Cyrax uses a finishing move whereby he grabs the opponent and stabs him in the chest. It was alleged that this was the move that motivated the killing of that child. There are many other incidents that were caused by the effects of playing video games. A report that was compiled by the FBI in the year 2006 showed that the playing of video games among children was one of the behavioral traits linked to school shootings. The report outlined several factors behind school shootings of which playing violent video games was the most obvious (Anderson & Bushman, 2001).

According to Gentile and Anderson, playing video games increases the aggressive behavior of the player, since the acts of violence are continually repeated during the game (Gentile, & Anderson, 2003). “Although heightened physiological arousal (e.g., heart rate, blood pressure, skin conductance) can be beneficial in certain situations, physiological arousal produced by violent media (or by other sources), can be linked to an increase in aggressive behavior, especially when that arousal can be erroneously attributed to another provoking event, rather than to the violent media. Repetition of an act has been considered an effective teaching method, reinforcing learners patterns” (Barlett, Harris & Bruey, 2007).

The games encourage the players to roleplay or identify with their favorite character (Gentile & Anderson, 2003). The increase in physical bullying in many schools can also be linked to the popularity of video games that contain violent content. A study done in 2008 indicated that about 60% or more of middle school boys ended up striking or beating somebody after playing at least one mature-rated video game. The research also showed that about 39% of boys who never played violent video games were not involved in any form of violence. When playing video games, players are rewarded for simulating violence. This enhances the learning of violent behavior among the children who find pleasure in violent video games. When violence is rewarded while playing video games, players tend to develop aggressive behavior. As noted earlier, video games desensitize players to real-life violence. The exposure to video games causes a reduction in P300 amplitudes that are contained in the brain. The child will later experience aggressive behavior and desensitization to violence (Bartholow, Bushman & Sestir, 2006).

After children experience violence while playing video games, they are likely to develop a fear of becoming victims of violent acts. According to the report compiled by six leading national medical associations in 2000, children do not trust their fellow children and hence will develop violent, self-protective measures. The exposure to cruel video games also leads to reduced empathy among the players. From a survey conducted by Jeanne Funk in 2004, video games are the only media linked or associated with low empathy. Empathy is described as the capacity or ability to understand other people’s feelings. The level of empathy plays a noteworthy role in evaluating a person’s morals. Empathy also controls aggressive behavior among individuals, especially children (Bartholow, Bushman & Sestir, 2006). After lacking empathy as a consequence of violent video games, these children are likely to be violent. Repetition of actions when one is playing a video game affects the subconscious mind, hence a behavioral script is developed. An example of a behavioral script is that developed by drivers. It urges the driver to first get into a car, fasten their safety belt and then start the car. Similarly, video games induce a child to develop a behavioral script that urges them to respond violently to certain situations (Gunter, 1998).

Playing video games teaches children that violence is an acceptable way of solving their conflicts. Those who play video games, especially games with violent content, do not develop the belief that using non-violence means can solve a problem. They tend to be less forgiving when compared to those children who play non-violent video games (Sherry, 2001). Children tend to confuse real-world violence with video game violence. After fantasizing about the violence in video games, children are likely to fight in schools and in the streets. New video games allow a lot of physical interaction with the players. Some video games train players on how to be a killer. For example, in 1996, the Marine Corps in the United States authorized the release of Doom 11 , which was a violent video game. The game was previously used to train marine soldiers. Such games can train children to be high-profile killers. Also, most video games have portrayed a negative attitude towards women. Violence against women is likely to increase in a child who plays brutal video games (Gunter, 1998).

Counter Arguments

In any life situation and with any sort of problem, there are those who disagree with the majority. Likewise, there are researchers who present various counter arguments to support the idea that video games can be beneficial for children. The first counter argument against the side effects of video games is the fact that children are not isolated, as they have online gaming communities. Children who are unable to associate with others do not feel isolated since they can play video games. For example, a child who is not physically fit to play with others can turn to video games during their free time to reduce boredom (Dietz, 1998).

It has been noted that violent juvenile crimes have been decreasing in the recent years, yet the popularity of video games has been increasing. For the period from 1995 to 2008, the rate of the arrest of juvenile murderers decreased by 71.9%, while the overall arrest cases concerning juvenile violence decreased by 49%. In the same period, the sale of cruel video games increased by almost 4 times compared to the years before. From these statistics, one can conclude that there is no direct correlation between violent juvenile crimes and video games. There has been no scientifically-proven link between violent behavior among children and video games. Most of the surveys carried out on video games are affected by design flaws. The surveys are done within a short duration of time and do not follow kids for any considerable period of time. After a short observation, conclusions are drawn (Barlett, Harris and Bruey, 539-546).

The other counter argument against video games is that children learn real life-skills when playing video games. Players of brutal video games are able to learn how to regulate their emotions when playing (Anderson, Gentile, & Buckley, 2007). The level of control developed while playing video games in terms of directing actions and pace are prudent ways of regulating the emotional state of children. The perception of being in control of actions minimizes emotional and stressful responses to events. Aggressive and angry feelings can be relieved by playing video games. When a child plays video games, it is one of the best ways of relieving aggression and depression. Many children play video games to relieve anger while others play video games to relax their bodies. Children are given healthy and safe opportunities to virtually explore the rules and consequences of violent behavior when they play video games (Bartholow, Bushman & Sestir, 2006).

After playing videogames, especially ones that contain violence, children are able to develop ways of escaping violence. The form of violence can be affected by video games, but does not necessarily lead to the occurrence of violence. Through the challenges faced while playing some video games, children are able to learn how to avoid violence, or how to escape from violence. Those who hold the view that video games do not have negative effects on children indicate that video games do not lead a child to violence, but instead, violent children are the ones who are interested in video games (Anderson, Gentile & Buckley, 2007).

The argument about whether video games have negative or positive effects on children is broad, and depends on one’s philosophical views. “Most of the research projects that have been conducted on the authentic effects of media brutality on behavior of children have included small, often unrepresentative samples and unique examples of media violence” (Dietz, 1998). This paper has compiled some of the negative effects of video games among children. Some of the negative effects include children feeling isolated from their society, becoming more violent and aggressive, as well as lacking communicative skills. When playing video games, children spend extended periods of time by themselves and do not have much interaction with other children, except for the virtual ones. As a result, children who play video games excessively do not develop effective communication skills with others, since hours, if not all their spare time, is spent on video games. There has also been a rise in violence among children who play video games, the Columbine High School massacre being one such example. Injuries and fighting at home and outdoors have risen because of children playing brutal video games (Anderson, Gentile, & Buckley, 2007). Some researchers however argue that video games can and do have positive effects on children. They point out that children are not isolated, as they develop online gaming communities. Children are also able to learn real-life skills while playing video games, as well as learn how to escape violence. However, what both sides agree upon is that parents should guide their children on the outcomes of playing video games. Personally, I think that video games can be allowed when selected with caution and are not played frequently. As long as virtual reality does not replace a child’s real-life communication, video games can become a great option for a child’s leisure.

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Violent Video Games and Aggression

After mass shootings, the media and public officials often question the role of the shooter’s video game habits.

The American Psychological Association (APA) considers violent video games a risk factor for aggression . [1] In 2017, the APA Task Force on Violent Media concluded that violent video game exposure was linked to increased aggressive behaviors, thoughts, and emotions, as well as decreased empathy. However, it is not clear whether violent video game exposure was linked to criminality or delinquency.

Do Violent Video Games Increase Aggression?

Studies have shown that playing violent video games can increase aggressive thoughts, behaviors, and feelings in both the short-term and long-term. [2] Violent video games can also desensitize people to seeing aggressive behavior and decrease prosocial behaviors such as helping another person and feeling empathy (the ability to understand others). The longer that individuals are exposed to violent video games, the more likely they are to have aggressive behaviors, thoughts, and feelings. These effects have been seen in studies in both Eastern and Western countries. Although males spend more time than females playing violent video games, violent video game exposure can increase aggressive thoughts, behaviors, and feelings in both sexes.

Aggressive behavior is measured by scientists in a number of ways. Some studies looked at self-reports of hitting or pushing, and some looked at peer or teacher ratings on aggressive behaviors. Other studies looked at how likely an individual was to subject others to an unpleasant exposure to hot sauce or a loud noise after playing violent video games.

Unfortunately, few studies have been completed on violent video game exposure and aggression in children under age 10. There is also little information about the impact of violent video game exposure on minority children.

There have not been many studies on the effects of different characteristics of video games, such as perspective or plot. However, some studies have found that competition among players in video games is a better predictor of aggressive behavior than is the level of violence. [3] 

Do Violent Video Games Increase Violence?

Violence is a form of aggression, but not all aggressive behaviors are violent. Very few studies have looked at whether playing violent video games increases the chances of later delinquency, criminal behavior, or lethal violence. Such studies are difficult to conduct, and require very large numbers of children. It makes sense that since playing violent video games tends to increase the level of aggressive behavior it would also results in more lethal violence or other criminal behaviors, but there is no clear evidence to support that assumption.

In the aftermath of the Parkland shooting in Florida in 2018, policymakers are again questioning the influence of violent video games. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) affirms that their rating system is effective, but the APA Task Force on Violent Media recommends that the ESRB revise their rating system to make the level of violence clearer. The Task Force also recommends that further research must be done using delinquency, violence, and criminal behavior as outcomes to determine whether or not violent video games are linked to violence.

Bottom Line

It is important to keep in mind that violent video game exposure is only one risk factor of aggressive behavior. For example, mental illness, adverse environments, and access to guns are all risk factors of aggression and violence.

All articles are reviewed and approved by  Dr. Diana Zuckerman and other senior staff.

The  National Center for Health Research  is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research, education and advocacy organization that analyzes and explains the latest medical research and speaks out on policies and programs. We do not accept funding from pharmaceutical companies or medical device manufacturers.  Find out how you can support us here .

References :

• The American Psychological Association Task Force on Violent Media. (2017). The American Psychological Association Task Force Assessment of Violent Video Games: Science in the Service of Public Interest. American Psychologist . 72(2): 126-143. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0040413 . Accessed on March 9, 2018.
• Anderson CA, Shibuya A, Ihori N, Swing EL, Bushman BJ, Sakamoto A, Rothstein HR, Muniba. Violent Video Game Effects on Aggression, Empathy, and Prosocial Behavior in Eastern and Western Countries: A Meta-Analytic Review. Psychological Bulletin . 2010.
• Adachi, PJ and Willoughby, T. (2013). Demolishing the Competition: The Longitudinal Link Between Competitive Video Games, Competitive Gambling, and Aggression. Journal of Youth Adolescence. 42(7): 1090-104. doi: 10.1007/s10964-013-9952-2.
• Sanstock, JW. A Topical Approach to Life Span Development 4th Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007. Ch 15. 489-491
• Lemmens JS, Valkenburg PM, Peter J. The Effects of Pathological Gaming on Aggressive Behavior. Journal of Youth Adolescence . 2010.
• Huesmann LR, Moise J, Podolski CP, Eron LD. (2003). Longitudinal relations between childhood exposure to media violence and adult aggression and violence. Developmental Psychology . 35:201-221.

Do Violent Video Games make People Violent? Research Paper

Introduction, arguments proposing that video games cause violence, arguments opposing that video games cause violence, works cited.

Video games have exhibited exponential growth in the past few decades. They have advanced from their humble origins in the computer lab to a contemporary status as one of the leaders in the multibillion dollar global entertainment industry (Newman 1). Most of the popular video games in the present times are characterized by their ability to allow players to role-play in various scenarios.

Owing to the market appeal of violence, most of the scenarios involve acts of violence and destruction which are performed by the player on screen. Concerns have been raised as to the effect that this overexposure and subsequent desensitization to violence is having on people especially bearing in mind that video games are quickly becoming the most fashionable pass time activity for children in the developed world.

Arguments have been forwarded that the violence in video games is directly responsible for the rise in violence by young people. On the other hand, other arguments propose that personal responsibility takes precedence and as such video games do not result in any violent behavior.

As can be deduced from this, there are various opposing views on the effect that violent video games have on people. This paper shall examine several of the arguments raised so as to draw a conclusion as to whether video games actually do cause violence in people. The paper shall also discuss the various arguments advanced by proponents and opponents to consider their merit.

One of the factors that make video games especially prone to leading to violence in real life is the high level of engagement that video games have. Funk et al. theorizes that the intense engagement may increase the probability that game behaviors will generalize outside the game situation as a result of the active participation that video games require of the gamer (34).

Qualitative researches further on show that children who were exposed to violent video games engaged in fantasy play’s in which they copied the actions of the violent video characters. This effectively demonstrates that the high involvement of video games results in youths desiring to play out the violent actions in real life.

This inevitably leads to the perpetration of violence by people as a result of the influence of video games. Video game enthusiasts negate his point by arguing that people have the capability to differentiate simulations from real life. While this may be the case, it does not take into consideration the high impressionability of youths and the influence that media and in particular video games have on the lives of people.

The correlation between video-game violence and increased aggression amongst the youths is unnerving. Anderson and Bushman hypothesize that it is no coincidence that recent cases of high school and campus violence are in most cases perpetrated by individuals who habitually played violent video games (353).

Studies indicate that the reason for increased aggression with increased exposure to violence scenes is because aggression is largely based on the learning function of the brain and as such, each violent episode is in essence one more learning trial (Dill 83).

However, it may be argued that aggression is a function of nature and video games cannot influence a non-violent person into violence. While these assertions may be true, Anderson and Bushman demonstrate that video violence lead to the reinforcement of aggressive behavior which in some cases leads to full blown cases of violence and destruction (353).

One of the logical consequences of exposure to violence is desensitization; which implies the elimination of cognitive, emotional or even behavioral response to violence (Funk et al. 25). An interesting fact with regard to desensitization to violence is that it occurs in subtle and minute quantities and one is seldom aware of its occurrence. In other words, engaging in violent video games results in an increase for tolerance for violent behavior in real life.

Supporters of video games assert that video games are in no way the only source of violent material as media and even real-life experiences contain some episodes of violence. As such, it stands to reason that video games should not be held accountable for desensitization to violence as it is evident that there are many other avenues through which violence is presented to people.

However, research indicates that the high interaction levels of video games leads to blunted empathic responding and higher emotional desensitization that by any other media due to the active involvement of a person as they play. This subsequently results in stronger pro-violence attitudes which have been repeatedly blamed on the prevalence of violent videos.

While proponents of video games as a major cause of violence among youths point out that these games represent violence and murder as “cool and fashionable, it should be noted that video games are not the only media through which such notions are spread.

Ferguson highlights the fact that violence as entertainment has always been an aspect of mainstream media and as such, video games and their effects should not be viewed in isolation (13). As such, violence in youths should take into consideration the various TV and Newspaper presentations of violence and Hollywood films romanticizing of violence instead of laying the blame principally on video games.

Owing to the many studies which propose the negative effects of video games, it would logically follow that laws would be put in place to ensure that this social vice is controlled. However, this has not been the case and production of violent video games continues to be rife.

Ferguson documents that despite the research on the effects of media violence on children and the subsequent findings that media violence is mostly detrimental to children’s psychology, there are no enforcement mechanisms in place that deter the sale of violent games to children (13).

This lack of legislation is mostly because the various censorship laws proposed have been challenged in courts mostly on constitutional and scientific grounds. Ferguson highlights that some judges particularly criticized opponents of video games who were blamed for biased presentation of the existing research on effects of video game violence therefore greatly decreasing the objectivity and credibility of these anti-game scholars (14).

Opponents of media violence point to the rise in crime waves during the 1970’s and 1980’s which was largely assumed to be caused by violence in television. Subsequently, anti-game scholars indicate that the same could happen as a result of video violence.

Ferguson reiterates that this is a fallacy since records indicate that violent crimes in the U.S. population decreased in the 1990s, which is when the violent video games began to become popular and increasingly violent as the years progressed due to technological advances (13).

As such, the assertion that video games result in increased violence cannot be backed up by data therefore suggesting that violent video games may be more benign that is currently thought. However, opponents of video games point out that the mere fact that violent crimes decreased at the same time that video games came into the picture is hugely coincidental and does not indication that violent video games have no negative effect on people.

The prevalence of video games in the lives of younger age groups is evident and as such, the impact that this exposure may have on them is of great significance. It has been suggested that there is a correlation between violent video games and real life violence. Supporters of video games propose that this correlation is not causation but rather, they argue that the fact is that violent children prefer to play violent games.

As such, video games do not create violent people as opponents of video games suggest. While this argument may hold some truth, numerous research findings indicates that video games lead to an increase in the violent levels of the people who engage in the games. It is therefore plausible that while video games are played by violent children, the aggression level of such people is significantly increased as a result of the violence in the video games.

The effects of exposure to violent video games are also undoubtedly higher to the younger age groups since they are still developing their moral values and therefore are more impressionable. As such, a violent game which may have little effect on an adult can have lasting impact on children whose moral reasoning principles are still being molded (Funk 34).

However, despite the negative sentiments that are associated with video games, they present a great means of telling stories to the youth. As such, the socially responsible thing to do would be to endorse and encourage behaviors that are sociable through these games (Kahne, Middaugh & Evans 8).

In addition to the alleged increase in violence levels, video game violence has also been blamed for frequent reduction of pro-social behavior by the players. This greatly negates the civil potential of the games and leads to a prevalence of anti-social behavior. From this, it is clear that the negative effect of violent video games is far reaching and not only limited to aggressive behavior and an increase in violence by youths.

While there are many experts who criticize the existing violent video game research literature, their credibility is uncertain since most of this experts working with or for the video game industries. It would therefore be absurd to expect them to make declarations that would be detrimental to their industry.

On the other hand, anti-game experts are mostly psychologists and scholars who have no vested interest in the results. This greatly adds to the credibility of they studies, most of which indicate that there is a strong relationship between youth violence and video game violence.

Video games are an ever-present youth experience and they can offer wide ranges of experiences to the individual. As has been demonstrated by the arguments presented in this paper, video games can be used to promote certain notions.

This paper highlights the reality that violence can in fact be promoted by use of violent video games. From this paper, it is clear that the youth are the ones who are most susceptible to being made violent and it is therefore the obligation of parents to ensure that the exposure of their children to these harmful games is limited.

However, it should be remembered that games can also be used for nonviolent and even educational purposes. Game designers should therefore be urged to create less violent video games and rather focus on the benign and beneficial facet of video games. By doing this, the tremendous educative power that the games wield can be harnessed for the betterment of the society.

Anderson, A. Craig. “An Update on the Effects of Playing Violent Video Games.” Journal of Adolescence 27 (2004) 113–122.

Anderson, A. Craig and Brad J. Bushman. “Effects of Violent Video Games on Aggressive Behavior, Aggressive Cognition, Aggressive Affect, Physiological Arousal, and Prosocial Behavior.” American Psychological Society. VOL. 12, NO. 5, 2001.

Dill, Karen, E. “How Fantasy Becomes Reality: Seeing Through Media Influence.” Oxford University Press US, 2009. Print.

Ferguson, Christopher. “Violent Video Games.” 2008. Web.

Funk, Jeanne, B., et al. “Violence Exposure in Real-life, Video Games, Television, Movies, and the Internet: is there Desensitization?” Journal of Adolescence 27 (2004) 23–39.

Kahne, Joseph., Middaugh, Ellen, and Evans, Chris. “The Civic Potential of Video Games.” 7 Sept 2008. Web. https://www.civicsurvey.org/publications/civic-potential-of-video-games

Newman, James. “Videogames.” Routeledge, 2004. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2021, June 17). Do Violent Video Games make People Violent? https://ivypanda.com/essays/do-violent-video-games-make-people-violent/

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Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Do Violent Video Games make People Violent?" June 17, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/do-violent-video-games-make-people-violent/.

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Playing video games doesn't lead to violent behaviour, study shows

Analysis of 28 global studies dating back to 2008 found a minuscule positive correlation

Video games do not lead to violence or aggression, according to a reanalysis of data gathered from more than 21,000 young people around the world.

The researchers, led by Aaron Drummond from New Zealand’s Massey University, re-examined 28 studies from previous years that looked at the link between aggressive behaviour and video gaming, a method known as a meta-analysis.

The new report, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science on Wednesday, found that, when bundled together, the studies showed a statistically significant but minuscule positive correlation between gaming and aggression, below the threshold required to count as even a “small effect”.

“Thus, current research is unable to support the hypothesis that violent video games have a meaningful long-term predictive impact on youth aggression,” the report said.

Between them, the various studies included in the research dated back to 2008, and had reported a range of effects, including a small positive correlation between violence and video-game use in around a quarter of them and no overall conclusion in most of the rest, with one 2011 study finding a negative correlation.

One common argument for a negative effect of gaming is that small harms can accumulate over time: if a player ends every game slightly more aggressive then, over the long term, that might add up to a meaningful change in temperament. But the study finds no evidence for such an accumulation, and in fact finds evidence pointing in the opposite direction.

Studies consistently find that the “long-term impacts of violent games on youth aggression are near zero”, they write.

“We call on both individual scholars as well as professional guilds such as the American Psychological Association to be more forthcoming about the extremely small observed relationship in longitudinal studies between violent games and youth aggression,” the authors conclude.

While that link may be slim, other studies have shown interesting effects on wider emotional behaviour. Research from the University of New South Wales in 2018 , for instance, found that people who frequently played violent video games were less distracted by violent images in other contexts, a phenomenon the study author called “emotion-induced blindness”.

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For the people in the back: Video games don't cause violence

But the white house wants to talk about 'em anyway..

Video games do not cause violent behavior. There is no scientific, consensus-backed research supporting the idea that playing video games -- even bloody, realistic shooters -- leads to real-life acts of brutality.

However, this misguided theory prevails. After a shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, left 17 people dead on February 14th, a handful of politicians decried video games for corrupting young minds and inciting violent behavior. Days later, President Donald Trump said during a meeting about safety in schools, "I'm hearing more and more people say the level of violence on video games is really shaping young people's thoughts."

Tomorrow, video game industry leaders are scheduled to meet with Trump to discuss the (non-existent, completely imaginary) problem. The Entertainment Software Association will be there and it has a clear message for the White House: "Video games are plainly not the issue: entertainment is distributed and consumed globally, but the US has an exponentially higher level of gun violence than any other nation."

This isn't a new setting for the ESA. The trade association represents due-paying titans including Sony, Microsoft, Activision and Nintendo, and it's the industry's first line of defense against federal attempts to regulate video games. For example, the ESA established the Entertainment Software Rating Board in 1994, at the height of video game panic in Congress. The ESRB's promise to put ratings on all games placated politicians who were calling for the government to step in and censor.

It's expected for the ESA to fight against a negative image of the video game industry. However, it isn't the only organization that argues against the link between video games and violence -- academics, the US Supreme Court and most Americans recognize there is no correlation between on-screen cruelty and actual violence.

"The statistical data are simply not bearing out this concern and should not be ignored."

First, the scholars. Numerous studies have found no connection between playing video games and actual expressions of violence. The US Secret Service conducted a review in 2004 aimed at identifying causes of school shootings, and it found just 12 percent of studied attackers -- that's 5 out of 41 -- expressed an interest in violent video games. That's much lower than the national average: In 2010, 85 percent of boys age 15 to 18 reported playing violent games.

In fact, video games are tied to a decrease in actual violence. An economic study published in February 2016 found a reduction in crime in the weeks after major video game releases. A handful of similar studies conducted from a range of perspectives have come to the same conclusion.

A 2013 review by the American Psychological Association noted a link between violent video games and short-term spikes in aggressive behavior -- but this study was quickly rebuffed by many experts. More than 230 psychologists, media scholars and criminologists signed an open letter arguing the APA used faulty methodology and relied on bias to reach its conclusions.

"This decline in societal violence is in conflict with claims that violent video games and interactive media are important public health concerns," the group wrote. "The statistical data are simply not bearing out this concern and should not be ignored."

In 2017, the APA's Media Psychology division advised officials and reporters to stop suggesting there was a connection between violent video games and real-life acts of brutality: "Journalists and policy makers do their constituencies a disservice in cases where they link acts of real-world violence with the perpetrators' exposure to violent video games or other violent media. There's little scientific evidence to support the connection, and it may distract us from addressing those issues that we know contribute to real-world violence."

The US legal system agrees. In 2011, the US Supreme Court struck down a California law that banned the sale of violent video games to children. It was a 7-2 decision and the majority opinion was written by Justice Antonin Scalia, a legendarily conservative voice on the bench.

"Psychological studies purporting to show a connection between exposure to violent video games and harmful effects on children do not prove that such exposure causes minors to act aggressively," he wrote. "Any demonstrated effects are both small and indistinguishable from effects produced by other media."

This view is held by most Americans, too. A 2015 study by the Pew Research Center found 53 percent of respondents disagreed with the statement, "People who play violent video games are more likely to be violent themselves."

However, 40 percent of people agreed there was a relationship between video game violence and violent behavior. That's high, considering the ridiculous amount of evidence to the contrary. This theory persists, in part, because it's an enduring component of some politicians' predictable post-school-shooting talking tours.

After the Parkland shooting, Florida congressman Brian Mast told NPR stronger gun laws were not the answer, despite calls for such legislation from student survivors. Instead, Mast said, "What do we do with the biggest pusher of violence? The biggest pusher of violence is, hands down, Hollywood movies, hands down, the video game market." Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin shared similar sentiments, while Arizona state Rep. Mark Finchem refused to vote on a bill banning bump stocks, arguing violent video games were the real concern.

The National Rifle Association is another loud voice in this conversation, and its leaders have long blamed mass shootings on video games. In 2012, after a shooter killed 20 children and six faculty members at Sandy Hook Elementary School, NRA president Wayne La Pierre said , "There exists in this country, sadly, a callous, corrupt and corrupting shadow industry that sells and sows violence against its own people." He was talking about video games, not the gun industry.

The NRA has donated to Mast's campaign and Bevin is " proudly endorsed " by the organization. Trump has an A-plus rating from the NRA.

"There exists in this country, sadly, a callous, corrupt and corrupting shadow industry that sells and sows violence against its own people."

Which brings us back to this week's White House meeting with the ESA. One week after the Parkland shooting, Trump floated the (unscientific, largely disproven) theory that video games can incite real-world violence, and questioned whether stricter regulation was necessary. These are sentiments designed to grab the attention of the ESA and video game fans alike, and they steer the conversation away from topics like gun legislation -- which is generally how the NRA prefers things.

The ESA has plenty of experience defending the reputation of the video game industry and its ability to regulate itself, and its arguments are backed up by decades of research into on-screen and real-world violence. It's highly likely that this week's meeting with Trump won't result in new federal regulations for the video game industry -- and besides, any attempts to censor would be challenged on First Amendment grounds, just as they have been (quite successfully) in the past.

It's also likely the Trump administration is aware of this stalemate. The desired outcome, in this case, is the conversation that draws energy away from a much more complicated, politically charged and emotional debate about gun control in the US -- a conversation that includes the 1,100 words above.

Images: Joshua Roberts / Reuters (Hillary Clinton); Jessica Conditt / Engadget ( Overwatch tournament); Jonathan Ernst / Reuters (Joe Biden meeting video game executives)

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• Speech Writing /

Speech on Should Violent Video Games Be Banned?

• Updated on  
• Dec 19, 2023

Speech on Should Violent Video Games Be Banned: Playing games always helps one to maintain physical strength. Whether it be long hours or for a few minutes, training the brain with an activity always helps one engage in an activity. 

But what if video games are blamed for spreading violence? Will it still be justified to support violent video games? 

Just like there are two sides of a coin, there are both negative and positive impacts of playing video games. Here’s a speech on should violent video games be banned or not.

Table of Contents

• 1.1 Pros For Banning Violent Video Games
• 2 Cons Against Banning Violent Video Game

Also Read: Online Games Good or Bad Speech

Long Speech on Speech on Should Violent Video Games Be Banned? 

Hello and welcome to all the teachers and fellow students. Today we all are gathered here to share our views on the contentious topic that has sparked across the various platforms— Should Violent Video Games Be Banned? 

Pros For Banning Violent Video Games

Let’s discuss what can be possible positive points for banning violent video games:

1. Potential Impact on Aggressive Behaviour

Violent video games such as Resident Evil, The Witcher, and Bioshock likewise suggest a correlation between video games and increased violent behaviour among children. 

The gaming disorder hinders them from understanding and regulating human emotions and results in aggression, depression, and an anxious state. 

2. Protecting Vulnerable Audiences

Younger players, who aren´t able to justify wrong and right actions might result in deficit or depressive symptoms. Symptoms of feeling sad, hopeless, and furious are some of the negative impacts of such negative impacts of violent video games. 

Banning such video games can help the vulnerable audience from potential negative consequences. 

3. Public Safety

Individuals who love to mitigate their favourite characters might carry the same with violent video games. Killing of people, and animals, foul language, and use and abuse of drugs and alcohol are some of the examples of harmful acts. 

Banning such fierce video games may be seen as a precautionary measure to mitigate the risk of such individuals. 

Also Read: 2-Minute Speech on What Makes Learning Fun

Cons Against Banning Violent Video Game

Let us understand whether it is correct to ban video games just because of their violent likeness: 

1. Freedom of Expression

Do you find it justified to ban a speech of expression? Video games are a part of art and creative voice like other forms of media. 

Banning video games with violence is a violation of the creator´s artistic freedom and its impressions. Also, it restricts the potential for storytelling and creativity. 

2. Impact of Industry

As per the data of Statista Market Insights, the video game market is forecasted to reach a revenue of US$389.70 billion by 2028, which is undoubtedly a considerable figure. Banning video games because of their depiction is not justified. 

Also, banning the violent video games industry could result in severe economic consequences, leading to job losses and economic downturns. 

3. Risk of Creating a Black Market

Banning video games with violence can create a secret illegal or black market. These video games, which will be accessed by different groups of children, including minors, might not be safe or regulated. 

Also, there is the possibility of creating hidden illegal businesses too. 

Banning video games with violent depictions is not a solution. Practice should be done to encourage children to consider what they are watching or playing. Instead of putting restrictions, suggest or advise them to learn how to handle situations.

Violent video games express freedom and individual responsibility; thus, one cannot hinder one’s fundamental rights and views.

Many factors contribute to a person’s behaviour. However, it cannot be denied that violent video games don’t create mental disorder problems. 

The relationship between violent video games and anxiety varies from person to person. Excessive video games with violent depictions without proper guidance can cause anxiety. 

Parents can communicate, keep themselves informed about the games, and use parental controls for violent video games. 

Some considerations related to violent video game behaviour are aggression, problems in decision-making, and real-life violence.

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Deepika Joshi

Deepika Joshi is an experienced content writer with expertise in creating educational and informative content. She has a year of experience writing content for speeches, essays, NCERT, study abroad and EdTech SaaS. Her strengths lie in conducting thorough research and ananlysis to provide accurate and up-to-date information to readers. She enjoys staying updated on new skills and knowledge, particulary in education domain. In her free time, she loves to read articles, and blogs with related to her field to further expand her expertise. In personal life, she loves creative writing and aspire to connect with innovative people who have fresh ideas to offer.

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Persuasive Essay: Video Games

Teenagers today often spend a great deal of time playing video games. These games are fun and engaging and young people often feel like playing games is a great thing to do in their spare time. However, you shouldn’t spend too much time gaming and there are a number of reasons for this: it’s unhealthy, you should spend more time studying, and you need to socialize more.

The primary reason to cut down on gaming time has to be that youths that spend a long time on computers and games consoles are often not getting enough exercise. With high obesity rates, it’s very important for young people to spend as much time being active as possible, especially since studies show that people who are overweight during childhood and adolescence are far more likely to become overweight adults than those of a healthy weight when they’re young. There is just as much, if not more, fun to be had in getting out and about and being active. This doesn’t have to mean going for long runs if that’s not your thing; team sports are both fun and great exercise. Dance or fitness classes are also a good option for those not into sports.

Secondly, getting a good education is that best thing that you can do for your future. If every teenager cut down on their gaming time by 30 minutes per day and used this time to study, the whole of that generation would achieve better results and be more likely to have the career that they want. With education, you get out what you put in, so it’s really up to you to put in the additional effort. If you want to go to a good college, extra study in your own time will be completely vital, but gaming can reduce your concentration span and make this more difficult.

The third main reason that playing video games too often is that it’s no good for your social skills. Some teenagers may argue that because they can now play their games online with friends, they are socializing in their own way. However, you can’t beat face-to-face contact, and if you want to succeed in interviews and build good relationships in later life, you need to develop some proper communication skills. This shouldn’t be a chore, or difficult, because hanging out with friends is far more fun than sitting indoors playing on games all day anyway!

In conclusion, there can be no doubt that spending too much time gaming isn’t good for you. You don’t have to stop all together, but it’s all about moderation. Cut down and allocate your additional free time to doing things that are good for you, and you definitely won’t regret it in later life.

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Video Games and Violence Speech

In today’s society, the vast majority of adolescents spend their free time indoors. Many of those hours are enjoyed playing video games, a habit which teenagers will never hear the end of from their parents. “These games will ruin you”, they say, “It makes you angry and violent”, they say, but does it really? Media often portrays videogames as detrimental to mental health, and this topic is especially scrutinized today because of the sudden popularity of the recent public mass shootings and gun violence; however, past and more recent studies show that this is absolutely not true.

In fact, the positives of gaming seem to massively outweigh the negatives. Lately there has been a surge of gun violence, and because the shooters have been relatively young, many news stations link videogames as a partial reason for their actions. Since there is already a general belief that violent videogames lead to aggressive behavior, the public would readily accept the fact that games are contributors to hostility. It seems logical; every time a new form or fashion which the current generation does not understand, appears, it is always easy to blame them. Think about it.

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In the 1950s, it was the comic book that people claimed to have brought the inner violence out of children. (Karlinsky, and Przygoda) Then it was rock music, followed by television, and now videogames. So I do not blame the public. I do not blame you, your family, or friends. I blame the media – the bringer of news, the skilled craftsman of emotions, twisting words in just the right way to convince others. But that makes them no different from me, except I aim to shed light on the truth. Ever since the late 1980s, playing video games – even for short periods of time – has been proved to improve reaction time and boost hand-eye coordination.

Even new research, suggests that game-playing can bring noteworthy progress in visual perception. People who regularly play FPS (first person shooter) games have better vision than non-gamers. According to Dr. Daphne Bevelier, a cognitive scientist at the University of Rochester, “gamers can decide small details in the context of clutter… and are able to determine various levels of gray. ” The latter is the more significant because it could potentially save a life out in the real world, whether the scenario may be during rush hour, at home, or on the job (Travis Korte).

Many of us here have reached an age where we are experiencing with more freedom and responsibility. Be liberated with that newfound power, and the next time your parents tell you to quit the gaming habit and be more conscientious, respond and tell them in return that you are learning and keeping up with your responsibility. People say that gory games cause aggressive acts, and that is simply not true. Yes, it has the possibility to make violent people even more so, but when it comes down to the bare facts and statistics, there is no mistake that the social media is portraying it in an exaggerated manner.

You see, over the years, our country’s crime rates have dropped drastically. In fact, the arrest rate for juvenile murders fell 71. 9% and the arrest rate for all juvenile violent crimes declined 49. 3% in 1995 – 2008. (procon. org) If videogames were produced to be progressively more and more gory and fearsome, why would crime rates plunge? – Unless, of course, there was no correlation between the two topics, which there definitely is not. Even through all the numerous, intense studies of videogames and violence, not a single scientist has yet to prove that these games are directly causing acts of aggression.

These studies have been occurring since the 1980s (Travis Korte). Even the Supreme Court stands by that knowledge. In 2011 when California decided to ban minors from purchasing games with mature content, the Supreme Court overruled that decision by 7:2, based on the fact that it violated our first Amendment and that the judges saw no correlation between the subjects, going so far as to state that the “connection between exposure to violent video games and harmful effects on children do not prove that such exposure causes minors to act aggressively.

Any demonstrated effects are both small and indistinguishable from effects produced by other media. ” (Suzy Khimm) In the midst of everything that is happening right now, people need a scapegoat. They need something to take all the blame, and unfortunately, videogames are just here at the wrong place and the wrong time.

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Since video games have been introduced, video games have been accused of contributing too many atrocities, and acts of violence. News outlets paint video games as being a source of which some acts of violence happen. Yes, violent video games have become more popular, meanwhile becoming controversial, but still there exist no links between aggression and video games. The University of Bologna says that “owning videogames does not in fact seem to have negative effects on aggressive human behavior” (Koffler par.7). Meanwhile, news outlets keep on missing the point on how beneficial video games are. Video games do not contribute to violence, can be educational, and they can improve us in different ways.

Bobo Experiment

Yes, I personally do believe that video games contribute to violent behavior because those who do not play video games are less violent. Shooting games simulate real shooting experiences and that can normalize real life shooting. According to Do Video Games Cause Violence” Video games teach a young child how hold a gun properly and shoot.

Violent Video Games Do Not Cause Violence

What if I told you that video games do not cause violence like “smart” people tell you. Video games do not cause violence and people who think that are probably not gamers themselves. However, I beg to differ with all of those people. I say violent video games are will not make you a bad person like most every parent that is above the age of forty says. Now, it's my turn to tell you why playing violent video games will not make you violent.

Violent Video Games Cause Violence In America

On the other hand, the aggression decreases tremendously in the player, when he decides not to take part in violent video games for a shorter amount of time (Rettner). Furthermore, this problem is only getting worse because throughout the United States of America almost 90 percent of children play at least some video games (Rettner). Unfortunately, more than 90 percent of these games condone violent settings. In addition, over 3,000 elementary, and middle school students were undergoing a part of a two year scientific study to prove if mature video games does lead to any type of aggression. As this study progressed through time, researchers noticed that an overwhelming number of participants of this survey became less aggressive. Researchers have concluded that only mature people should play violent video games because they know how to deal with problems instead of provoking violence (Park). The reason why mature video games are only distributed to people 17 years or older is because these people are mature enough to handle all of the violence that is placed within the video games itself.

Grand Theft Childhood the Surprising Truth About Video Games and What Parents Can Do

In “Grand Theft Childhood,” Professors Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl Olson do a good job of investigating whether violent video games are bad for kids. They present both sides of the argument in an unbiased way.

Video Games With Simulated Violence

Any kid playing violent video games might commit a violent crime, like murder or assault. The quote,“ Casual link between games like ‘Grand Theft Auto V’ and violent shootings, we will soon have eighteen to twenty million killers on our hands, not to mention the countless millions more who have been playing violent video games

Grand Theft Auto Affects Teens

Would you let your child play Grand Theft Auto? This game puts a major effect on teens actions. Grand Theft Auto encourages teens to make bad decisions. Inappropriate language is used throughout the game. Teens are more likely to disrespect their parents. This game also affects the health of teens. These are some of the symptoms: aggressive behavior, high heart rates, aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, and high blood pressure. Is Grand Theft Auto the cause for real world violence? This game hypnotizes people causing them to think that life's a game. Recently, there has been an increase in mass shootings which the game features. This game features missions that seem real, like home invasions. Nowadays, people seem to act just like the main

Video Game Violence Arguments

"Violent Video Games Do Not Cause Violence." Violent Video Games, edited by Roman Espejo, Greenhaven Press, 2015. At Issue. Opposing Viewpoints In Context, http://link.galegroup.com.catalog.stisd.net:2048/apps/doc/EJ3010926204/OVIC?u=j031916004&sid=OVIC&xid=c366f121. Originally published as "The Truth About Video Games and Gun Violence," Mother Jones, 11 June 2013.

Sociology Of Deviance Essay

Video games like Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty encourage and increase criminal acts in many young kids and teenagers. For example, many individuals participate in crimes such

Why Do Video Games Don T Make Kids Violent

Video games don't make kids violent. First, There has been less arrest rates. In the article it states that the arrest rates are 38% below the 1980s. Most attacks aren't caused by violent video games. Con 4 it states that the 41 attackers they studied was 27% from movies, 24% from books, 37% from their own writings, and 12 from violent video games. People who play video games play them to release stress and anger. 61.9% of boys played to help them relax, 47.8% because it helps them forget their problems, and 45.5% to release stress or anger. Video games do not make you as

Does Violence Really Make People Violent Media Violence?

          In conclusion, I believe that video games do not cause violence. I do not think that television shows make people violent either. I believe violent media will actually help you. They reduce your stress in the long run. It can prevent depression and it does not always make you violent. The chance of being a violent youth is pretty low anyway. It is not always a thing to show up as a violent trait. It is just something that I believe will not cause you to be

Most of us have certainly pondered on the thought if video games truly create violent citizens, I personally believe that video games do not what so ever. One must distinguish this topic accurately and consider learning to differentiate and not have a biased or radical opinion. There have been many attempts from a number of different people who have tried to give a bad name to video games due to the simulations and realness and say that video games will create a negative environment for anyone who plays them, especially in children. Enthusiasts of video games have spent decades asserting that there is no underlying link between playing violent titles and engaging in the violent real-world behavior. Brand-new data confirms their contentions.

Violence And Video Games

According to the Entertainment Software Association, a study in 2015 shows more than one hundred and fifty million Americans play video games; Around 42% of Americans play regularly. There is an ongoing debate whether video games cause an increase in violence in crimes. Video games do not increase violence. Video games affects the lives of the players positively, and help children learn how to deal with violence.

Should Violent Video Games Be Banned?

Many of individuals trust that violent video games should be banned by stating that video games can affect people in a negative way. A few even claim that the violence within the game can make individuals carry out violent acts. People should come to an understanding that video games take place in an alternate universe, meaning that it is not real. In addition to that, the gamers comprehend that it is just a game and nothing else. However, there are precautions that go with violent video games, for example age requirements, and the control of the parent. Violent video games do not cause behavior problems and should not be banned.

Related Topics

• Video game controversy
• First-person shooter
• Video game genres
• Motor control

It’s time to end the debate about video games and violence

Professor of Psychology, Stetson University

Disclosure statement

Christopher J. Ferguson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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In the wake of the Valentine’s Day shooting at a Broward County, Florida high school , a familiar trope has reemerged: Often, when a young man is the shooter, people try to blame the tragedy on violent video games and other forms of media. Florida lawmaker Jared Moskowitz made the connection the day after the shooting, saying the gunman “was prepared to pick off students like it’s a video game.”

In January, after two students were killed and many others wounded by a 15-year-old shooter in Benton, Kentucky, the state’s governor criticized popular culture, telling reporters , “We can’t celebrate death in video games, celebrate death in TV shows, celebrate death in movies, celebrate death in musical lyrics and remove any sense of morality and sense of higher authority and then expect that things like this are not going to happen.”

But, speaking as a researcher who has studied violent video games for almost 15 years, I can state that there is no evidence to support these claims that violent media and real-world violence are connected. As far back as 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that research did not find a clear connection between violent video games and aggressive behavior. Criminologists who study mass shootings specifically refer to those sorts of connections as a “ myth .” And in 2017, the Media Psychology and Technology division of the American Psychological Association released a statement I helped craft, suggesting reporters and policymakers cease linking mass shootings to violent media, given the lack of evidence for a link.

A history of a moral panic

So why are so many policymakers inclined to blame violent video games for violence? There are two main reasons.

The first is the psychological research community’s efforts to market itself as strictly scientific. This led to a replication crisis instead, with researchers often unable to repeat the results of their studies. Now, psychology researchers are reassessing their analyses of a wide range of issues – not just violent video games, but implicit racism , power poses and more.

The other part of the answer lies in the troubled history of violent video game research specifically. Beginning in the early 2000s, some scholars, anti-media advocates and professional groups like the APA began working to connect a methodologically messy and often contradictory set of results to public health concerns about violence. This echoed historical patterns of moral panic, such as 1950s concerns about comic books and Tipper Gore’s efforts to blame pop and rock music in the 1980s for violence, sex and satanism.

Particularly in the early 2000s, dubious evidence regarding violent video games was uncritically promoted . But over the years, confidence among scholars that violent video games influence aggression or violence has crumbled .

Reviewing all the scholarly literature

My own research has examined the degree to which violent video games can – or can’t – predict youth aggression and violence. In a 2015 meta-analysis , I examined 101 studies on the subject and found that violent video games had little impact on kids’ aggression, mood, helping behavior or grades.

Two years later, I found evidence that scholarly journals’ editorial biases had distorted the scientific record on violent video games. Experimental studies that found effects were more likely to be published than studies that had found none. This was consistent with others’ findings . As the Supreme Court noted, any impacts due to video games are nearly impossible to distinguish from the effects of other media, like cartoons and movies.

Any claims that there is consistent evidence that violent video games encourage aggression are simply false.

Spikes in violent video games’ popularity are well-known to correlate with substantial declines in youth violence – not increases. These correlations are very strong, stronger than most seen in behavioral research. More recent research suggests that the releases of highly popular violent video games are associated with immediate declines in violent crime, hinting that the releases may cause the drop-off.

The role of professional groups

With so little evidence, why are people like Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin still trying to blame violent video games for mass shootings by young men? Can groups like the National Rifle Association seriously blame imaginary guns for gun violence?

A key element of that problem is the willingness of professional guild organizations such as the APA to promote false beliefs about violent video games. (I’m a fellow of the APA.) These groups mainly exist to promote a profession among news media, the public and policymakers, influencing licensing and insurance laws . They also make it easier to get grants and newspaper headlines. Psychologists and psychology researchers like myself pay them yearly dues to increase the public profile of psychology. But there is a risk the general public may mistake promotional positions for objective science.

In 2005 the APA released its first policy statement linking violent video games to aggression. However, my recent analysis of internal APA documents with criminologist Allen Copenhaver found that the APA ignored inconsistencies and methodological problems in the research data.

The APA updated its statement in 2015, but that sparked controversy immediately: More than 230 scholars wrote to the group asking it to stop releasing policy statements altogether. I and others objected to perceived conflicts of interest and lack of transparency tainting the process.

It’s bad enough that these statements misrepresent the actual scholarly research and misinform the public. But it’s worse when those falsehoods give advocacy groups like the NRA cover to shift blame for violence onto nonissues like video games. The resulting misunderstandings delay efforts to address mental illness and other issues that are actually related to gun violence.

• US Supreme Court
• Video games
• Reproducibility
• Gun violence
• Mass shootings
• Violent crime
• Violent video games
• US gun violence
• Reproducibility crisis
• Reproducible research
• American Psychological Association

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A Speech on Do Video Games Promote Violence?

A very warm welcome to one and all present here. Today, I have taken it upon myself to address you all regarding the various aspects that promote violence. In the light of the recent events it has become a necessity to address these issues at its roots. Violence has become an issue that needs to be eradicated but it has proven that no one nation is able to keep this control.

From organised terrorist activities to random incidents of gun violence, this issue has caught the world in its clutches and is making it harder for each country to ensure safety to its citizens.  When a violent crime occurs and people are trying to make sense out of the chaos, most of them find reasons as to why this happened in the first place. Most people are quick to point fingers at the violence depicted in the video games and use it to answer the questions in their minds.

Video games have been in mainstream entertainment since the 1970’s and yet it wasn’t blamed for violence until lately and keeping this mind I would like to say that I don’t think that video games promote violence. Video games, on the other hand, cause problems in behavioural patterns and even if it may seem like it glorifies gun violence and other forms of violence, studies have shown that criminals don’t get influenced and provoked to use these methods when exposed to video games and rather it is issues like child abuse and sexual abuse that leads these people to take up this extreme method.

Video games acts as an facade that can be blamed for the violent crimes that is happening, because we as a community or we as a society fail to recognise and does not prefer to address the issues like child abuse and sexual abuse because addressing them might bring out some real stories that are bound to make all of us uncomfortable, and we choose to blame it on video games as it is easier for us to blame something that is in the mainstream.

Since video games are already considered to be mainstream there is no need for a real discussion before branding it as the “real reason” behind the increased number of violent crimes in the country whereas the real and actual reasons are hiding in plain sight and pulling them out means addressing the places where we failed as a country.

Even though television and other media also portrays violence, the case of video games is considered to be a more serious problem as it includes role playing and is quite interactive. It is considered to encourage children to express their ideas in violent scenarios and this is believed to pressure children into thinking like a violent person whereas it can be caused by any depiction of violence in television as well. In conclusion, there is no scientific proof regarding how video games promote violence and it is high time that we address the same.

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Rutherford Schools remove 26 books deemed obscene: 'It's not OK to limit books for my kid'

23 of banned school books available through public library.

School board member Caleb Tidwell asks for books to be removed

• Library book freedom advocate Tiffany Fee says 'No one person should have that amount of power'

School district description of obscenity includes nudity

• Free speech expert questions school board book banning
• Fee contends book banning violates state law

School district materials review board allows 2 books to remain

Fee: families should have literature available for their children.

• Rutherford County Schools list 26 books removed

Rutherford County Schools banned 26 books considered obscene so far this year, including 25 since Feb. 21.

The removed books include eight by best-selling author Sarah J. Maas after the fantasy fiction writer made a Feb. 7 national TV appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show."

Rutherford County Library Alliance founder Tiffany Fee contends the book removal is taking place without due process and transparency starting with the materials review committee of school librarians, principals, teachers and parents.

"Those books should still be in the library," Fee said.

The book removal started Aug. 29 with "Flamer" by Mike Curato (a young adult graphic novel that explores sexual identity) based on a Murfreesboro community decency standards ordinance approved June 2023, according to the Rutherford County Schools Library Services webpage .

"It’s setting us up for lawsuits," Fee said.

First Amendment federal lawsuit: Murfreesboro agrees to pay $500K settlement with BoroPride, ACLU

The Murfreesboro City Council has since repealed the community decency standards ordinance as part of a federal First Amendment lawsuit settlement reached by early February that included a $500,000 payment to the annual BoroPride LGBTQ+ festival organizers and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Rutherford County Schools removed 25 more books soon after the Murfreesboro government settled its BoroPride and ACLU case .

Families wanting their children to read the banned books do have options through the Rutherford County Library System, such as 15 being available in print and eight available in digital form, Fee said.

The Rutherford County Library System Board also has banned books, including "Flamer" and three others pulled in August in response to the Murfreesboro government's now repealed community decency standards ordinance.

'Is that what we want?' Library book freedom may be issue with Murfreesboro decency law

Schools spokesman explains book removal policy

Rutherford County Schools spokesman James Evans said state law requires school districts to remove obscene materials.

"So when there are books with graphic content that can be harmful to children, we are obligated to remove it," Evans said. "If we don’t remove the materials immediately, the law states the librarian can be charged with a misdemeanor."

District policy also allows others to provide requests to pull books from school libraries.

"The second way materials can be removed is through a review committee after any parent, student or employee requests for certain materials to be reviewed," Evans said.

'Rescind it': ACLU lawsuit sparks repeal of Murfreesboro decency standards ordinance

Rutherford County School's Library Services webpage says the district supports principles of intellectual freedom inherent in the First Amendment of the United States.

The webpage goes on to explain the book removal policy:

"Any book, pamphlet, magazine, printed matter, however reproduced, or sound recording, which contains nudity, sexual conduct, excess violence, or sado-masochistic abuse or which contains explicit and detailed verbal descriptions or narrative accounts of sexual excitement, sexual conduct, excess violence, or sado-masochistic abuse, and which is harmful to minors as defined by state law, shall be immediately removed from all libraries within the school district."

The same rule applies to photographs, drawings, sculptures and films.

Outdated ordinance repealed: 'Homosexuality' is now legal in Murfreesboro, city leaders decide in response to lawsuit

Fee said she heard about the recent book removal from upset school librarians, teachers and parents after she qualified in December to campaign in the Aug. 1 election for the Rutherford County Board of Education Zone 3 seat. She's competing as the Democratic nominee against Republican incumbent Caleb Tidwell and independent Lorri Johnson.

Fee learned through public records that Tidwell asked Schools Director James "Jimmy" Sullivan through email to remove books.

A Feb. 19 email from Tidwell to Sullivan suggested that district policy requires the removal of five books by Maas, three by Ellen Hopkins and two by Casey McQuiston

“Sexually explicit material is to be removed from the libraries immediately," Tidwell's email said. “Sexually explicit material is not required to go through the district committee.”

Sullivan replied Feb. 20 to Tidwell's email by thanking the board member for calling attention to the 10 books that ended up getting removed by Feb. 21 after the schools director said he consulted with his staff.

Tidwell serves on a seven-member school board that oversees the director. The board recently extended Sullivan's contract through April 4, 2028.

2022 book banning prediction happens: Democrat fears new GOP majority county school board may mean book banning

Fee: 'No one person should have that amount of power'

Fee contends the materials review committee should always be examining complaints on books first before an appeal can be made to the schools director and then to the elected board.

"No one person should have that amount of power," Fee said. "Dr. Sullivan is taking orders from Tidwell in this situation."

Tidwell said anybody can submit concerns about books to the school district.

"People fear from backlash," Tidwell said. "People have asked me to submit books, which I have done."

'Investigate the library board': Library book banning remains concern for free press advocates

Policy observed, parent reaction positive Tidwell says

Tidwell said the issue is about following the seven-member board's unanimously approved obscenity policy.

"Obscene material is to be removed immediately," Tidwell said. "Feedback from community once they’ve seen the content is overwhelming positive."

The role of the materials review committee should be to determine the age appropriateness of books, Tidwell said.

Parents wanting their children to have access to the removed books can still pursue many of them through the Rutherford County Library System or buy them through Amazon, Tidwell said.

Books in school libraries have a different purpose, Tidwell said.

"We have to look at things that are educationally sound," Tidwell said.

'Go to both': Murfreesboro keeps BoroPride LGBTQ+ festival and adds Ruco Pride Celebration

Free speech expert questions school board book removal

The national Free Speech Center Director Ken Paulson sees flaws in the school board's policy on book removal.

His office is at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro where he also works as a media professor.

"The problem with policies like these is that they essentially use a checklist to remove books when a thoughtful analysis of each book is really what’s called for," said Paulson, who's also the former editor-in-chief of USA Today. "These books are not required reading. They’re often checked out by students who want to know more and don’t know where to turn. It’s incumbent on reviewers not to remove books that are valuable to some, if not all, students."

The list of the school district's removed content is long and vague, Paulson said.

"The real challenge for enforcement is that everything on this list has to be harmful to minors before it can be removed, according to the policy," Paulson said. "The question is how do you know it's harmful to minors."

It’s also important to remember that minors are age 17 and under, and the upper end of that age group has been exposed to as much violence and sexuality as video games and the internet will allow, Paulson said.

"Policies on removing books need to carefully reflect the relative maturity of multiple age groups," Paulson said. "If you apply the specific terms of the policy, removal of books should be very rare. After all, it prohibits references to sexual conduct and excessive violence if they are harmful to minors. That doesn’t mean if they make parents or students uncomfortable.”

Courts have established a much higher standard for barring content for minors only if as a whole it is salacious and without any redeeming value, Paulson said.

"A controversial passage in an award-winning book doesn’t meet that test," Paulson said. "I can’t imagine any book in a school library meeting that test if the standards are applied properly."

'I gotta believe!': BoroPride pleased with revised festival plan, MTSU public records show

Fee contends book removal violates state law

Advocates such as Fee contend that school officials are removing books based on descriptions on certain pages rather than considering the books as a whole.

Fee said the district is failing to follow Tennessee state law that includes the U.S. Supreme Court ruling for a three-pronged "Miller Test" to determine if a books are obscene and harmful to minors:

• The average person applying contemporary community standards would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest;
• The average person applying contemporary community standards would find that the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct; and
• The work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

Book banning at public library system: Library supporters upset by board pulling 4 books say they're 'fighting against censorship'

Not all book complaints have led to removal. Sullivan supported the materials review committee examining complaints on two books and recommending each be retained for older children:

• “The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James" by Ashley Herring Blake, retained at the middle school and above level Feb. 8;
• “Pumpkin” by Julie Murphy, retained at the high school level only Feb. 26.

The parent who requested the book, "The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James," to be removed complained about a description of a young girl kissing her friend.

"A child will rethink their sexuality based on the persuasive writing in this book," the parent wrote on the complaint form. "The author writes as to convince girls that they could be 'in love' with their best friend."

The complaint goes on to say that the parent does not think the book "is appropriate for any age group of kids with a school library."

'I'm horrified': Advocate opposes Rutherford schools' plan for autism spectrum students

Library book advocates such as Fee say, it's "OK for a parent to find a book objectionable for their kid."

"It's not OK to limit books for my kid," Fee said.

Fee said families like hers want literature to be available for their children to help develop empathy for others and critical thinking skills.

"I think most books are a learning opportunity and a learning among family," said Fee, the mother of an 11th-grader. "We discuss books that we're reading."

School rezoning impacts families: 'This is not just about changing schools'

Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at [email protected]. To support his work with The Daily News Journal , sign up for a digital subscription.

Rutherford County Schools removed books and removal dates

Book removal based on murfreesboro ordinance.

• “Flamer” by Mike Curato: Aug. 29, 2023
• Note: Murfreesboro City Council repealed community decency standards ordinance used to ban "Flamer" to settle First Amendment lawsuit with BoroPride organizers

Books removed per board policy

• “A Court of Frost and Starlight” and “A Court of Mist and Fury” and “A Court of Silver Flames” and “A Court of Wings and Ruin” and “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas: Feb. 21, 2024
• “Traffic” and “Impulse” and “Tilt” by Ellen Hopkins: Feb. 21, 2024
• “ One Last Stop” and “Red, White, & Blue” by Casey McQuiston: Feb. 21, 2024
• “Kingdom of Ash” by Sarah J. Mass: removed by board policy on March 1, 2024
• “People Kill People”  and “Identical” and “Fallout” and “Crank” by Ellen Hopkins: removed by board policy on March 1, 2024
• “Like a Love Story” by Abdi Nazemian: March 1, 2024
• “Life is Funny” by ER Frank: March 1, 2024
• “Empire of Storms” and “House of Earth and Blood” by Sarah J. Maas: March 19, 2024
• “Red Hood” and “What Girls Are Made of” by Elana K. Arnold: March 19, 2024
• “Beautiful” by Amy Reed: March 19, 2024
• “ You” by Caroline Kepnes: March 19, 2024
• Infandous by Elana K. Arnold: April 15, 2024

Source: Rutherford County Schools webpage