Violence in Video Games Could Have More of an Effect Than Violence In Television

The media directly affects the public, particularly children because of their vulnerability. Comparing two different mediums, interactive video games and passive television, it is apparent that video games have greater effects. Recently there has been research conducted studying the effects of violence correlated with watching television, as most of it contains violence, profanity, and sex. The Bobo Doll study concluded that children who watched violent television were more likely to imitate the violent behavior they saw. More research continued as George Gerber studied the effects of the long-term impacts of watching television. Those who watch more television were more likely to have a skewed perception of reality and see the world as a dangerous place to the point where some elderly citizens would stay at home out of fear. However, these are only the effects of a passive medium. Participating in highly interactive video games will have the same effects as television, but worse. Not only are children watching the violence in their video games, but they are committing the violent acts feeling as though they are in the game. It consumes their mind and every move they make creates emotions throughout their body to the point where many children yell at video game screens. If it is proven that watching television will make children become more violent, then using weapons and killing people virtually will instill this same violence in them, if not more. Video games are becoming increasingly more violent and bloody, and hopefully social scientists can come to a conclusive end on the effects it is causing. However, it is more than just conducting short-term lab experiments. More research continues to study the long-term effects and correlating factors.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/12/science/studying-the-effects-of-playing-violent-video-games.html?_r=0