We
are at an age where technology is in our everyday life, without it, we cannot
move forward. With technology, videos games are greatly improving, from 8-bit
games, to stunning new worlds. From one dimension to 2D to now 3D. We are able
to take our imagination, put it on screen, and play it. But with that, we bring
violence such as Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, StarCraft 2 and iPhones app
like beat the boss. These games are all violent; having us shoot, kill and even
build armies to wipe the other person out. These games have us do unmoral and
even unlawful actions such as running people over in a car but this violence
does not cause us to do the same. To show that video games do not lead to an increase
in violent behavior or a decrease in
helpful behavior, I have found two researches done on violent video games, one
on the behavior while playing alone in single player and the other tested on
competitively and cooperatively play, lastly is the games community and its
culture.
The first study was done by the School of Psychology,
from the University of Queensland, in Australia. This group wanted to see if
prosocial game would increase prosocial behavior, while violent games would
increase violent behavior. It was a three part experiment that was done to
reduce outside factor and was done in a way that the test subject themselves
did not know the true nature of the experiment. In each experiment there were
64 participants ranging from 17 to 33 years old and in each experiment they had
to play a single player game. To test if each game increase, helpfulness or not
helpful; the conductors would “accidently” knock over a cup of pens to see if
the players would help pick them up. In the first experiment, the conductor
dropped the pens as there were walking out the room; results show that players
who play violent games were the most helpful, but maybe that was due to where
the pens were dropped; next to their feet, closer to the conductor or even
farther away from the player. To fix this problem, the second experiment was
done in two parts; the conductors would walk by the player and drop the pen or
reach over to the player and knock the pens over. Result shows that violent
games still had the most helpfulness. The last experiment was done the same as
the second but with different games; result were the same, violent games were
the most helpfulness. After seeing this, these data seem very wrong; violent
games make people more helpful? No, it does not; it shows that violent games do
not affect the players, that the willingness to be helpful comes from the
person themselves.
While that study show an odd result, it only show what
happen when players play in single mode. The next study was done by the CyberPsychology,
Behavior & Social Networking. With many other experiments done with violent
games through single player, they wanted to see if playing those violent games
with other players would increase aggressive behavior. In this experiment there
were 119 Participants that were split into 4 testing area; playing against one
another, competing in a race, playing together and the control group which was
to allow the player to play after the data from the others area to represent behavior tendencies. Also in the
experiment the players were given 4 dimes and were allow to keep them or give
them to their partner that would double the value. The result were, when
players had to cooperate, it show a high rate of players giving their coins to
their partner. This shows when playing together, it increase prosocial
behavior, to help your partner. It shows how in a way violent video games does
not increase aggression nor does it show selfness but it does show a
willingness to help the others if played cooperatively.
There are many other experiments done on video games and
behavior; some shows no relationship between the two, others shows some kind of
linear relationship, but in the gaming community it doesn’t show. Major league
gaming, Esports, in game tournament such as League of Legends, Dota 2, Call of
Duty, players from all around the world who play these video games that are
label violent, are played as a career. These violent games are what brings
thousands of people together, and millions online for a passion to play these
games. When players play these violent games; they do not yell, curse, throw
things, or attack the other players, even when the pressure of possibly losing their
career; they get up, they walk towards the other player, and reach out their
hand for a good game played.
The gaming community is very large; stretching to almost
all parts of the world, bring people from half around the world together for a
common passion, the love for these violent games. In both experiments done on
video games and behavior, there was no sign in one causing the other in both
single player and cooperatively. Even though these experiment may show no
relationship, there are always other that are done that proves violent games to
increase violent behavior but even in those experiments, they only show a very,
very small percent of the players from the millions of players from all around
the world. These games are treated like a sport, but unlike other sports that
have reports of fans getting into fights and are broadcast on news, the gaming
community has no such things. Players accept one other and professional players
are able to admit when someone else is better. Experiments may show an increase
in violence with video games, but the gaming community does not show it, they
come together with a common passion and welcome each other with open arms.
Work
Cited
Ewoldsen, David R., et al. "Effect Of Playing
Violent Video Games Cooperatively Or
Competitively On Subsequent Cooperative Behavior." Cyberpsychology,
Behavior & Social Networking 15.5 (2012): 277-280. Academic Search
Complete. Web. 7 Nov. 2013.
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 Complete.
Web. 7 Nov. 2013.
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