The Effects Debate

“Violence is one of the most fun things to watch.” - Quentin Tarantino

“You have to show violence the way it is. If you don't show it realistically, then that's
immoral and harmful. If you don't upset people, then that's obscenity.” - Roman Polanski

“How a society channels male aggression is one of the greatest questions as to whether
that society will survive. That's why I am not against violence in the media, I am against
the glorification of immoral violence.” - Dennis Prager

“A lot of people in the movie industry tend to run and hide from it like ostriches. Movie
industry people are definitely in denial right now, but you do become desensitized to
violence when you see it on the screen so often. Let's face it, violence exists for one
reason in movies, and that's to get an effect, create an emotion, sell tickets.” -Madeleine
Stowe

“Exposure to violent electronic media has a larger effect than all but one other well
known threat to public health. The only effect slightly larger than the effect of media
violence on aggression is that of cigarette smoking on lung cancer.” - L. Rowell Huessman

What are your thoughts on these quotes? Do you agree or disagree?

I disagree with the first, as that isn’t always the case for most people. If two people were beating each other in
some public place, it wouldn’t be fun for most; it would instead be horrifying. Violence only really becomes fun
when you know it can’t affect you. It can make someone feel more powerful than the other, and that is the kind
of experience some people will receive from watching it in media.

I also disagree with this quote as it is hard to see that any harm could come from watching Jerry flatten Tom with
an anvil unrealistically holstered by a thin rope for fun- as you know they aren’t being hurt for long in most cases.
It would seem quite a lot more disturbing if it were fact that this anvil (if it could be held by such a rope) could;
firstly be set up by a mouse and two, realistically flatten Tom.

I can agree with the third quote as glorification of something that is ideologically wrong, maybe a crime or
offense, would mean that it is being shown as a good thing- which it’s not. It usually depends on who’s side
you’re following in a film or other media, but it is very frequent that violence is used to approve of the good, and
not what is mostly seen as the bad. Any kind of glorification that the bad guys receive is almost always met with a
plan of justice towards the end.
What messages are being sent by playing violent video games?

Messages that violent videogames send can be often that a reactionary response is better than reasoning and
creating a rational response to a situation. Quite often because of this, when a reactionary game suddenly has a
moment where you must make a serious decision it can be hard to choose an option to progress. (Unless you
also don’t think about that and just keep skipping through.)

Another message is that they send could be that to progress through such a game you must be violent.

-- Tutor Answers –

• Problems can be resolved quickly and with little personal involvement.

• The best way to solve a problem is to eliminate the source of the problem.
• It is acceptable to immerse yourself in these worlds without questioning whether they are right or
wrong.
• Use instinctual rather than responsible behaviours.
• Imagination is not an important problem solving skill.

What impacts upon how much an audience member will take on these messages? What
groups will get a different reading from a text?

• Where they come from.

• Age
• Things they learn
• Nationality
• Religion
• Beliefs

How can the impact of violence be restricted or controlled?

• Age Rating
• Audience marketing
• Warning Guides
• Region censoring
•
What might the following PEGI ratings and symbols mean?

Suitable for 3yrs and over Suitable for 7yrs and over

Suitable for 12yrs and over Suitable for 16yrs and over

Suitable for 18yrs and over

strong language Gang Culture

Drugs Fear

Gambling Sex

Violence Global/internet connection

Who is responsible for controlling levels of violence in video games? Who should be?

Developers have the most control over levels of violence in video games, but so should governments,
communities and the consumers themselves. It should be decided how violent an element of violent media can
become before being deemed inappropriate for them public.

The same things happen with censored TV and Cartoon Shows. Sometimes the government decides to ban or
block certain episodes as not to harm the minds of public consumers.

What are the two ways research into effects is carried out?

1. Social Psychology

2. Neuro Psychology

DEBATE
Do video games cause youth violence?
Topics to consider…
• What effect does watching violence have on our attitudes towards violence? Does
it make our behaviour more violent?
• Should there be rules about how much violence is incorporated into
entertainment? Should there be restrictions on the availability of violent
entertainment?
• Who is responsible for the violent content in media? The media-makers, or the
regulators?
• Is a violent society the result of violent entertainment, or is it the other way around?
• Is there such a thing as a "copycat killing", or is this an example of Moral Panic?

You must back up your points with research that you can reference.

Two members of your group will be nominated speakers.