Research Paper Topic: Effects of Violence in Media on youth

Elaina · #1 (**permalink**) 04-07-2008, 06:00 PM

^That's my topic...however, I'm wondering what side people are on in this argument.

Does exposure to violence in videogames, television, movies, etc. cause aggression in kids? Does it put the ideas in their heads? Are kids at a certain age most susceptible to influence, most likely to react with imitation/role playing?

Or is it the physical environment that deems whether a child acts violently?
Does a child have to witness violence or aggression firsthand in order to be more likely to reproduce it?

I'd like to know everyone's thoughts.

**Ristaron** · 04-07-2008, 08:05 PM

Certainly kids are impressionable, and though most people are able to differentiate between virtual reality and real reality, there are always cases (in children and adults) where an individual may not be able to distinguish thought processes used for a game and thought processes used for real life. And certainly in movies as well, if every movie out there has casual sex and glorified violence, we can expect to see a shift in paradigms by an entire generation, not just a select few.

I still vehemently disagree with Dr. Phony... I mean Dr. Phil. Violent video games are not the source of all evil in today's world. Though I do find the gratuitous violence in some games today distasteful. Almost as distasteful, in fact, as the way that they are marketed. I have ground my teeth as I watched GTA commercials with cold-blooded murders and gunpoint bank robberies played to a cheery beach-boys-esque song. I find it disgusting.

But that's me.

What I think the real problem is traceable to is terrible parenting these days. The younger brother sees the older brother/father playing some game like GTA and enjoying it, so he emulates him. He comes to like the game and assume that its values are solid. That's not the game's fault, that's the fault of the parents. They don't educate their kids on right and wrong anymore, they leave it up to television and games.

I personally play RPGs mostly. Story is what buys me into a game, not how good the combat system is.

But, again, that's me.

w8_4_the_moonrise · 04-07-2008, 08:16 PM

I was just reading something about Video Game violence...

GameSpot News: The definitive source for video game news, announcements, ship dates, rankings, sales figures, and more.

I personally believe that kids don't get violent from the media. Studies show that kids are more likely to respond to human violence then media violence. At least thats what I'm learning in Psych class.

**Opunaya** · 04-08-2008, 06:46 AM

"Any pile of stunted growth unaware that entertainment is just that and nothing more, deserves to doom themselves to some dank cell, somewhere, for having been so stupid!! Movies, books, T.V., music - They're all just entertainment, not guidebooks for damning yourself!" -- Johnny the Homicidal Maniac

Yeah, the real thing that gets kids it seems is what they see their parents doing. I've worked around enough kids that came from bad homes where the parents fought both verbally and physically...violence on TV and in games might reaffirm these twisted values in the child.

Elaina · 04-08-2008, 01:17 PM

Yeah, the research I've found so far has been questionable...i feel like it's biased, even though it's considered scholarly. They haven't been able to prove for a fact that it causes violent reactions, but they won't stop til they can.