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Emmanuel Vasquez
English 2010
Lewis
November 25, 2015
Do Video Games Make People Violent?
Video games are an increasingly popular form of entertainment. Some people have
concerns about video games becoming increasingly more violent over the years. The main
question of this paper is to address if video games are making people violent. Some sources say
yes and others say no. The sources that say yes base their argument around the suggestive and
sometimes blatantly mature themes found in some electronic games most of the gaming populace
play. The sources that disagree point to the fact that games have a rating on the box that displays
the kind of content that the game contains, and that people should be able to decide for
themselves what kind of entertainment they would prefer to be around. As technology has
changed and advanced so has the content that has been introduced by games. Some of which is
not suitable for minors, and some may argue that the content in certain games should not be
suitable for anyone. In particular, a scene in Grand Theft Auto V where the main character
tortures another person to get information out of them. The data presented will view the effects
of violent video games on women, children with disabilities, and social behaviors. This is to
determine whether this groups constitute a vulnerable demographic. So can video games with
their controversial content make people violent? Video games do not make people susceptible to
violence.

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Video games have been around since 1947 and will continue to be around because of
their increase in popularity. They are popular enough that they now have professional gaming
teams, and gamers stream their gameplay footage live to thousands of viewers. Along with their
noteworthy fame video games are becoming more discussed because of their themes. The many
themes range from the family friendly Super Smash Bros to controversial war games like Call of
Duty. Super Smash Bros is a game about controlling multiple iconic characters such as Mario,
Pikachu, and Sonic to fight in a battle royale. Its use of cartoon violence makes it suitable for
younger audiences, and is rated E for everyone on the ESRB rating system. Call of Duty on the
other hand, is set up in areas with war zone like attributes. It is one of the most acclaimed game
franchises because of its first person shooter gameplay. A first person shooter is a game that
lets you see through the eyes of the character, and is meant to simulate a realistic environment.
Unlike Super Smash Bros, Call of Duty does not censor the violence with cartoonish elements,
but instead allows the player to kill other players in a realistic manner such as shooting them,
stabbing them, and throwing grenades. These violent elements are what give Call of Duty an M
rating meaning it is intended for mature players. Games with similar content as Call of Duty are
the main reason people believe that video games make people violent. And as the notoriety of
these games increases so does the support from the fanbases to these franchises.
Violence in video games can cause people to become aggressive. Professor Brad
Bushman from Ohio University studied 381 effects that violent electronic games had on 130,000
people. The results displayed that brutish actions in these games raised aggression, heart rate, and
lessened empathy in the audience. The ESRB system was also utilized in showing the age ranges
certain types of games were meant to be played by (Savacool). Some games today can increase
aggression levels, for example, the game known as Dark Souls by From Software. Dark Souls is

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infamous for its difficult gameplay which has led to some people breaking their personal
belongings. It is a known fact that frustration can raise aggression, and ultimately lead to
violence over a prolonged period of time. It is not hard to associate violence towards objects to
hurting people. Also the research shows that men are more susceptible to violent content than
women. Electronic games can raise levels of aggression and can be potentially dangerous to the
societies that they reside in if they are not monitored.
Do violent video games make females hostile? Research done by the University of
Connecticuts Edward Vieira shows that it does not. Vieira tested one hundred and forty-five girls
between the ages of 7 and 15 by having them play violent video games. The results showed that
these girls did not agree with the justification of violence that was used in video games and
deemed that it was wrong regardless of the situations that were presented (Vieira). Although
many video games justify these actions by showing a favorable outcome for the heroes and the
community in which they live, these girls decided that the ends did not justify the means. In a
society that promotes violence against those who wrong others it is interesting that these girls
perceived these actions to be unacceptable in a video game. This proves that violence in video
games do not incite violence in females and by extension in people.
Can violent video games cause kids with pre-existing mental conditions to become
delinquent? A study by Stetson University presents that children who are diagnosed with mental
disorders do not constitute a vulnerable minority to violence in video games. They examined
three hundred and seventy-seven children with varying circumstances to see if violent video
games increased attention deficit and depression symptoms. The results presented that brutish
actions in electronic games did not increase these behaviors nor did they show an increase in
disruptive tendencies (Ferguson). Many people argue that the savagery that occurs in electronic

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games creates an inclination for violent actions in youth. The evidence unveils that even children
with pre-existing mental complications are not affected by the violence, but rather the source
refutes by saying that they do not compose a susceptible demographic. The belief held by most
non-gamers is that these kids are the most vulnerable demographic because of their easily
influenced minds. Although there have been cases of video game themes in violent acts this only
shows that video games are a common medium of entertainment in modern day households. Also
if these kids are not affected by the violence displayed to them it is difficult to correlate the
brutish actions in electronic games to criminal acts in the real world. This goes to show that
violence in electronic games do not make mentally handicapped children violent.
Are video games diminishing regular social behaviors? Independent researchers Tear and
Nielsen set out to answer this question and found that they do not decrease social tendencies.
Their study found that different types of electronic games affected social activity. Classic violent
video games surprisingly had no effect on social activity. Classic mass multiplayer online games
increased social behaviors because of their ability to connect a player with multiple players. The
research also displayed that modern video games with their engaging graphics and story
improved social activity (Tear). The data presents that the average person is not inclined to be
less active with their community even when exposed to violent subject matter. The opinion that
is most widely accepted by people who dont agree with violence in electronic games is that they
give other people sociopathic tendencies. But as shown by the source violence in video games
does not affect a persons social habits, and makes it difficult to associate criminal actions with
violence in electronic games.
Video games can be a form of stress relief. A study done by Christopher Ferguson a Texas
A&M International University associate professor presents that violence in video games can help

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reduce stress. He did research on 103 young adults and introduced different scenarios to his test
subjects such as playing no game, playing a nonviolent game, a violent game with a good vs. evil
theme, and a game in which they played as the bad guy. The results showed that through mood
management the players displayed reduced stress levels, and that video games also lessened
depression (Ferguson). To the majority of the gaming community it comes as no surprise that
gaming reduces stress, but to those who dont play electronic games it may come as a surprise.
For example, Sims is a game where person can create an avatar from the ground up and manage
their house, job, and social life. A video game with this kind of theme can be seen as exhausting
because of the similarities to everyday life. And for some these similarities can feel like a burden,
but it has the opposite effect because the player can make a successful character that can reflect
what the player wants to be in real life.
To conclude, the most common misconception is that violent video games are a major
factor in violent crimes. The research provided showed that violent electronic games had little to
no effect on girls and children with already existing mental problems. It also presented that social
behaviors and attitudes were not hindered by the violent displays in electronic games. On the
other hand, violent video games increased aggression, and lessened the empathy of the audience
playing them. The most interesting part of the research is that men constitute a more vulnerable
demographic than women to be enticed by violence in electronic games. Although modern day
society deems women to be easily influenced, the data in fact shows that men are more impulsive
and are more prone to violent behavior. Electronic games do not influence people to become
violent.
Works Cited

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Ferguson, Christopher J. "The Hitman study: Violent video game exposure effects on aggressive
behavior, hostile feelings, and depression." European Psychologist 15.2 (2010): 99108. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.
Julia Savacool, Special for USA TODAY. "Think You're Immune to Video-game Violence?
Think Again." USA Today. Gannett, 30 Mar. 2014. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.
Vieira, Edward T. "The Relationships Among Girls Prosocial Video Gaming, PerspectiveTaking, Sympathy, And Thoughts About Violence." Communication Research 41.7
(2014): 892-912. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.
Ferguson, Christopher, and Cheryl Olson. "Video Game Violence Use Among 'Vulnerable'
Populations: The Impact Of Violent Games On Delinquency And Bullying
Among

Children With Clinically Elevated Depression Or Attention Deficit

Symptoms." Journal

Of Youth & Adolescence 43.1 (2014): 127-136. Academic Search

Premier. Web. 23 Nov.

2015.

Tear, Morgan J., and Mark Nielsen. "Failure To Demonstrate That Playing Violent Video Games
Diminishes Prosocial Behavior." Plos ONE 8.7 (2013): 1-7. Academic Search Premier.
Web. 22 Nov. 2015.