Video games and their psychological influences?

[Fruity Insanity]

So every once in a while, I read news about "blahblahblahsomeviolentoccurrencebecauseofsomevideogameblahblahblah."

And oftentimes, I see people saying, "That's stupid. Video games isn't the cause of that. It's the child's/parents' fault."

While I agree with that, I don't entirely agree on how people totally disregard video games as not being an influence. Because to me, that's just plain stupid.

I mean, games like - say, Grand Theft Auto - are quite violent and such. And with improving technology, the game just keeps on becoming more and more realistic. (Seriously, GTA V looks... too good. 'Specially for a PS3 game...)

Games like that, I assume, would be influential to some degree. And some change would occur, if ever so subtle.

I think that at most, violent games can be quite influential, while some games are not very influential.

Honestly, I think that everything influences. At least to some degree. Sometimes consciously, sometimes subconsciously. But it's there.

So yeah. I think video games influence. By how much, I'm not sure, but I think there's something. ...I think.

What do you guys think?

Do video games really have psychological effects on people? (Children, in particular, who seem to have more... malleable minds.)

Or are you one of those people who think it's nothing?

Edited May 17, 2013 by Fruit Ninja

[Inactive Account404]

I agree that all video games have some degree of influence (especially on young children). I personally don't like to play extremely violent video games (I don't own any m-rated games), and I think video games are starting to get too realistic when it comes to violence.

In my opinion, a game with lots of blood and gore can desensitize a child (and adults too), and he may not see any problem with killing someone. In addition to the amount of violence, the overall plot of the game is important too. I like to play "good vs. evil" type games. I don't see how anyone could EVER play Grand theft Auto. Some people use the excuse " its just a game. I wouldn't do it in real life." However, if you wouldn't kill innocent people in real life, why on earth would you want to do it in a video game.

Overall, some violence in games is okay, but people need to be careful.

[Rehab]

To grossly simplify things, short version:

(not entirely safe for work) (or people disturbed by violence: contains media footage of an actual death, though not very high-resolution)

Our brains can pick up differences between the violence in entertainment and violence in reality. Particularly in games, the vast majority of even "realistic" violence has cartoonishly exaggerated elements compared to the real thing simply on a visual level, not to mention our brains react differently to seeing pain and/or death inflicted on what we know is an actual person.

Though I can't place it on the spot, I also recall hearing of one study, possibly in a New Yorker article, that saw a much more significant display of behavior classified as aggressive in a group that had just spent time playing a competitive video game than it saw in a group that had just spent time playing a gory one.

this lines up with my personal experience: competitive video game players and players of competitive sports subjectively seem much more likely to be aggressive fuckin' people to me than the next person who gets a kick out of firing up gta or assasin's creed (only half-kidding)

Edited May 17, 2013 by Rehab

[Constable Reggie]

Rofl I was thinking of linking that Jimquisition vid when I saw this thread.

But anyway, it's this kind of pseudoscience bullshit reasoning that makes people like Biden say things like this.

Edited May 17, 2013 by Constable Reggie

[Refa]

I agree that all video games have some degree of influence (especially on young children). I personally don't like to play extremely violent video games (I don't own any m-rated games), and I think video games are starting to get too realistic when it comes to violence.

No, that just means you're a wimp. Not all M-rated games are rated as such due to violence.

However, if you wouldn't kill innocent people in real life, why on earth would you want to do it in a video game.

Your logic makes no sense. I also wouldn't participate in cock fights, guess I shouldn't ever play Pokemon!

[Inactive Account404]

Your logic makes no sense. I also wouldn't participate in cock fights, guess I shouldn't ever play Pokemon!

I sort of see your point there, but the violence in pokemon is more cartoonish and the pokemon do not actually die, they just faint. I was thinking more of the more realistic games.

I knew I shouldn't have gotten involved in this debate.

[Nintendan]

I sort of see your point there, but the violence in pokemon is more cartoonish and the pokemon do not actually die, they just faint. I was thinking more of the more realistic games.

I knew I shouldn't have gotten involved in this debate.

Because it might just be entertaining, which is what video games do and why we play them in the first place. Doing something such as killing an innocent civilian in a funny way (or disturbing I should say) can be a good way to have a few laughs with mates. I see video games as not just a form of entertainment but also as a way to drift away from reality and do some things that would otherwise be seen as unacceptable in the real world.

I know this phrase has been repeated how many times but... it's a video game! Just kick back and do whatever you want! I feel crazy and I know I'm not. I think I have some form of ADD...

That said, I still agree that video games do play some part or role in making some people do ridiculous things. While not the entire thing, I still believe they must have had some influence on the person's mind, especially children like you mentioned. They can be easily persuaded or changed psychologically. Anyone seen that story about the 13 year old kid who killed his mother after she took away his Call of Duty? Yeah. Extremely insane.

While it's more than likely that the violence of the game may have been a part of what caused the killing, I don't think its is to be 100% completely blamed here since he did say "I feel crazy and I know I'm not. I think I have some form of ADD..."

[Rehab]

Unfortunately for all of us, there are plenty of parents who leave their kids alone to spend too much more time on any number of engrossing pursuits than they do actually bothering to connect with and support their kids when it counts. Video games do indeed happen to be a particularly stimulating, engrossing and empowering form of media, so it's not really surprising that a kid basically raised on them would react poorly to suddenly having that shut off with nothing to fill the void. It even makes sense to me that they might be desperate to get that back! I know that as a latchkey kid in middle and early high school, I'd just find where my parents hid my games during the weekdays and play them as soon as I got home, then stuff them back into place before they arrived.

But that doesn't mean simply playing them will any get old child to fire a gun at or strike a person close to them, at least not any more than watching a movie or reading a (well-written) book would. The kid would have to be getting an unhealthy escape from something else by playing them (notice I'm not saying the kid would have to be crazy! "normal" people can do and feel really unhealthy shit sometimes) to go that far. And I'd be willing to bet games wouldn't have been the real place where the kid's problems started.

I mean, some of the nicest people I've ever met prefer some of the most graphic games out there. I wouldn't be surprised if they've done so since childhood (and in a couple cases, I do in fact know that they have).

Edit: more arguments I stole explanations-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=i1qs4I8uy84

.

Edited May 17, 2013 by Rehab

[Esau of Isaac]

However, if you wouldn't kill innocent people in real life, why on earth would you want to do it in a video game.

Because videogames are not real life? Because killing a non-existent person has no real-life ramifications or violation of moral code?

[Trinity]

I think the psychological influence of a video game has to do with a person's maturity level and ability to tell reality from fiction.

Although, I will say that some parents infuriate me with the games they buy their kids... I was in GameStop today and there was this mother and her son, who couldn't be older than five, and he wanted to get GTA 4. His mom said that she would get it for him as long as he "promised to stop drawing those bloody pictures." He says, "Okay, mommy. I promise." She buys him the game. I seriously wanted to fling the copy of Heavy Rain that I'd picked up at her head...

*Rant over.*

[Constable Reggie]

Maybe she was british.

[Trinity]

Maybe she was british.

Lol, perhaps. But that would mean that she was one of those rare British people with a southern accent. :D

[Sublime Manic]

Because videogames are not real life? Because killing a non-existent person has no real-life ramifications or violation of moral code?

Precisely. Further, there could be a cathartic element to it.

When people blame violence on video games, I'm reminded of this: http://kotaku.com/breaking-down-the-absurd-anatomy-of-a-video-game-scare-487437560

When people blame violence on media in general (be it something like trying to blame Columbine on Marilyn Manson, or killings inspired by movies), I think of this: http://www.digitalvillage.org/dv_jenkins1.html

I agree with the OP that video games are influential (all video games, not just "games like that" as they put it), and that everything has the capacity for influence, however minute. But just because there was an influence doesn't mean it's the driving force behind someone's actions, or that it should be seen as the reason someone does something. To directly blame video games or other media is almost (if not always) stupid.

Edited May 17, 2013 by Sublime Manic

[Happy_Dingo]

I think the psychological influence of a video game has to do with a person's maturity level and ability to tell reality from fiction.

Although, I will say that some parents infuriate me with the games they buy their kids... I was in GameStop today and there was this mother and her son, who couldn't be older than five, and he wanted to get GTA 4. His mom said that she would get it for him as long as he "promised to stop drawing those bloody pictures." He says, "Okay, mommy. I promise." She buys him the game. I seriously wanted to fling the copy of Heavy Rain that I'd picked up at her head...

*Rant over.*

Shit like this seriously pisses me off. Parents blame the FUCK out of TV, the internet, and video games for their childs behavior, but they're the ones giving them access to that shit. If they actually gave a damn about what their child was exposed to they'd utilize the many forms of easily accesible parental controls given to them and their own COMMON SENSE (that's the big one right there). But no, they'd rather be too empathetic and use shitty excuses and shift the blame on someone or something else (way to teach kids about responsibility...).

Anyway, yeah, just like any other form of entertainment video games can evoke emotional repsonses. However, as many others have pointed out, a rational brain can descriminate entertainment from real life. If you go into a rage and stab a bunch of people over losing or seeing violent images in a game you had instabilities to begin with.

There have been murderers and serial killers way before our electricity was even discovered. The idea that electronic entertainment is the cause is stupid.

Also Joe Biden is a dumbass. He's always saying shit that gets him in trouble. I think he just likes the taste of his foot. He can eat the asshole of a decaying moose. Maybe it'll get rid of the taste of foot.

[Inactive Account404]

I think the psychological influence of a video game has to do with a person's maturity level and ability to tell reality from fiction.

I totally agree with this statement. I am not against all violence in video games, and I realize there is a difference between reality and fiction. I guess I feel like people are getting more disensitized to violence. I know killing a fictitious character is not necesarily wrong, but I find it disturbing that people consider killing an innocent person (even in fiction) "entertaining." I am not saying that anyone who has played an M-rated game (for violence) is going to commit murder one day. I just think people take certain issues too lightly to the point where it is entertaining.

These are my personal thoughts. You have the freedom to play any game you want, just as I have the freedom to express my opinion.

Edited May 21, 2013 by Silver Pegasus

[Dwalin2010]

I totally agree with this statement. I am not against all violence in video games, and I realize there is a difference between reality and fiction. I guess I feel like people are getting more disensitized to violence. I know killing a fictitious character is not necesarily wrong, but I find it a tad disturbing that people consider killing an innocent person (even in fiction) "entertaining." I am not saying that anyone who has played an M-rated game (for violence) is going to commit murder one day. I just think people take certain issues too lightly to the point where it is entertaining.

These are my personal thoughts. You have the freedom to play any game you want, just as I have the freedom to express my opinion. I'm just a random girl on the internet you don't know, so please don't be too offended by my posts.

I personally agree with you. I don't like games with graphic violence either. I am more a fan of old games, even some made in the 90s.

[Green Poet]

I think the psychological influence of a video game has to do with a person's maturity level and ability to tell reality from fiction.

Although, I will say that some parents infuriate me with the games they buy their kids... I was in GameStop today and there was this mother and her son, who couldn't be older than five, and he wanted to get GTA 4. His mom said that she would get it for him as long as he "promised to stop drawing those bloody pictures." He says, "Okay, mommy. I promise." She buys him the game. I seriously wanted to fling the copy of Heavy Rain that I'd picked up at her head...

*Rant over.*

I completely sympathize with this. It's disappointing to see a parent that isn't mature enough to do her job, though it's her business and we ultimately have to respect that.

I know killing a fictitious character is not necesarily wrong, but I find it a tad disturbing that people consider killing an innocent person (even in fiction) "entertaining."

These are my personal thoughts. You have the freedom to play any game you want, just as I have the freedom to express my opinion. I'm just a random girl on the internet you don't know, so please don't be too offended by my posts.

I feel compelled to address this, as I do occasionally play games that are objectively violent. I believe that there's more to the experience than simply virtual slaughter, as that alone would imply that the act of killing itself is what brings about the enjoyment - which is clearly unhealthy entertainment. But most games don't focus on this specifically. Modern action movies are a testament to this, as the plot that justifies and contextualizes the violent scenes make them enjoyable, as opposed to a film comprised entirely of violence, which is the distinguishing difference that I'm trying to convey.

Your logic makes no sense. I also wouldn't participate in cock fights, guess I shouldn't ever play Pokemon!

The argument is sound, but you're brutalizing the identity of the analogy. PETA's Pokemon abusive parody is more of what you're looking for, as Pokemon's animated "cock fights" are euphemisms suited for children, as we all know.

[Esau of Isaac]

I know killing a fictitious character is not necesarily wrong, but I find it a tad disturbing that people consider killing an innocent person (even in fiction) "entertaining."

Why? Violence has been, is, and always will be a necessary part of what it means to be human. Do you think it's unnatural that a species which has thrived on killing its own for thousands of years would be fine with exerting dominance in an immaterial world?

Nevermind that the reasons some may have for being able to kill innocents in games is numerous. It can be for comedy at the most unlikely happening, it can be a form of roleplaying to play the part of a purposefully evil character, it can be the exertion of simple dominance, etc. I don't think it's wrong for people to take pleasure in killing innocents in videogames in the same sense I don't think it's wrong for Anthony Hopkins to immerse himself in the role of Hannibal Lecter. It's not real. There is nothing wrong with fantasy.

[Fruity Insanity]

Why? Violence has been, is, and always will be a necessary part of what it means to be human. Do you think it's unnatural that a species which has thrived on killing its own for thousands of years would be fine with exerting dominance in an immaterial world?

Nevermind that the reasons some may have for being able to kill innocents in games is numerous. It can be for comedy at the most unlikely happening, it can be a form of roleplaying to play the part of a purposefully evil character, it can be the exertion of simple dominance, etc. I don't think it's wrong for people to take pleasure in killing innocents in videogames in the same sense I don't think it's wrong for Anthony Hopkins to immerse himself in the role of Hannibal Lecter. It's not real. There is nothing wrong with fantasy.

I agree with you that humans are inherently violent. (At least, most humans.) I also agree that killing people in video games is okay.

But it's how that relates to real life that I worry about. Does that fantasy have no affect on a person? Is "It's just a game" really a valid excuse? Okay, so I think it doesn't affect older players as much. (Usually.) But... playing GTA at an age of under 13-ish? I think that's a little too far. (And the parent should be ashamed for letting his/her child to play the game...)

I was wondering about whether or not games affect a child's (or person's) mind, not whether it's right/wrong to kill in a game or whether it's the main cause behind all these "video game-related" issues. (Honestly, it's the parents' fault, IMO. In most cases, that is...)

[Green Poet]

I was wondering about whether or not games affect a child's (or person's) mind, not whether it's right/wrong to kill in a game or whether it's the main cause behind all these "video game-related" issues. (Honestly, it's the parents' fault, IMO. In most cases, that is...)

As you said initially, everything a person experiences affects their behavior to some degree, and if one is exposed significantly to violent video games, chances are they'll be influenced accordingly. Considering that the human psyche isn't all that predictable, it may not even be the case that such influence causes violent behavior, or is even negative.

Nevertheless, I think we can agree that video games are partially responsible for whichever action is in question. To what extent this applies, and how the games should be introduced to the individual, still seems to be up for debate.

Edited May 18, 2013 by Green Poet

[Esau of Isaac]

I agree with you that humans are inherently violent. (At least, most humans.) I also agree that killing people in video games is okay.

But it's how that relates to real life that I worry about. Does that fantasy have no affect on a person? Is "It's just a game" really a valid excuse? Okay, so I think it doesn't affect older players as much. (Usually.) But... playing GTA at an age of under 13-ish? I think that's a little too far. (And the parent should be ashamed for letting his/her child to play the game...)

I was wondering about whether or not games affect a child's (or person's) mind, not whether it's right/wrong to kill in a game or whether it's the main cause behind all these "video game-related" issues. (Honestly, it's the parents' fault, IMO. In most cases, that is...)

I doubt there are many children that by the age of 13 lack the ability to discern between fantasy and reality. If they are intelligent enough to know that Santa Claus isn't real, they're probably intelligent enough to know that killing hookers in Grand Theft Auto isn't the same thing as doing so in reality. I played GTA games when I was a kid. GTA III came out when I was 12 and I had a blast playing it. My friend and I poured hours into it all the time. We knew our parents would overreact at the contents of it. Even as kids we knew the idea that the game would make us unbalanced was bullshit.

A game doesn't make someone act aggressively. I can believe that it can exacerbate a child that is clearly problematic, but it's not like you give a kid GTA and he's going to grow up slinging meth or something.

[Fruity Insanity]

I doubt there are many children that by the age of 13 lack the ability to discern between fantasy and reality. If they are intelligent enough to know that Santa Claus isn't real, they're probably intelligent enough to know that killing hookers in Grand Theft Auto isn't the same thing as doing so in reality. I played GTA games when I was a kid. GTA III came out when I was 12 and I had a blast playing it. My friend and I poured hours into it all the time. We knew our parents would overreact at the contents of it. Even as kids we knew the idea that the game would make us unbalanced was bullshit.

A game doesn't make someone act aggressively. I can believe that it can exacerbate a child that is clearly problematic, but it's not like you give a kid GTA and he's going to grow up slinging meth or something.

That's the conscious realization.

How about subconscious realization? Is there nothing? Honestly, I don't dislike GTA. But what I'm saying is that there are effects. Fine, so I can't give examples, but I'm going off of the fact that humans seem to adapt. Change. Do what they see. And children, especially before adolescence, have developing minds. What they learn then could be set in their minds for life.

I'm not saying that people who play GTA will become serial killers or drug dealers or anything (in fact, I never said or thought that). What I'm saying (and said before) was "What effects do they have?" "If kids change, however subtly, how do they?" And stuff like that.

Just saying.

[Iridium]

As someone who occasionally deals with fits of violent insanity, I would actually testify the opposite - that the effect of video games is soporific, rather than catalyzing.

By playing video games, I am forced to put aside thoughts of real violence to concentrate on gameplay. Sometimes this is itself violent, but even then, it's cathartic - as by inflicting pain on these fictional creatures, I needn't do so on something real. And then, of course, sometimes it's not, and I'm putting aside my wrath to work on making a flamingo or some crap in Picross.

In either case, what this does is keep me occupied until rational thought returns to me... or at least until I can, like, sleep, or something.

-

Now, I yield that it's probably a good idea to avoid giving them to young children - but I believe that we have the ESRB for that, so if that's an issue, well, the parent needs to take responsibility for that. And, furthermore, that doesn't just apply to games, but to *any* form of media... hell, I'd argue that books would be more dangerous than games or movies if you could get children to read, considering there's no official body for reviewing the appropriateness of those.

-

Also, I'd like to stress something here: although I don't believe too much about the effects of violent video games, competitive video games can be dangerous to violent people. Here's the thing, though - competition in general is dangerous with violence people, with competitive sports probably being the single most likely way to get injured as a child through young adult. Competitive video games are probably safer than most forms of competition with the advent of online play, considering that it's a pain in the ass getting up and going to someone's house to kill them from a state of rest when you can do so in, say, sports, by just beating them while they're nearby while you're on a testosterone high and mildly delirious from having just spent a couple hours running into sweaty men and grabbing balls.

...have there been any movements made to ban sports? No? Then don't even pretend to care about safety and just admit this is about the fear of new media.

[Fruity Insanity]

As someone who occasionally deals with fits of violent insanity, I would actually testify the opposite - that the effect of video games is soporific, rather than catalyzing.

By playing video games, I am forced to put aside thoughts of real violence to concentrate on gameplay. Sometimes this is itself violent, but even then, it's cathartic - as by inflicting pain on these fictional creatures, I needn't do so on something real. And then, of course, sometimes it's not, and I'm putting aside my wrath to work on making a flamingo or some crap in Picross.

In either case, what this does is keep me occupied until rational thought returns to me... or at least until I can, like, sleep, or something.

-

Now, I yield that it's probably a good idea to avoid giving them to young children - but I believe that we have the ESRB for that, so if that's an issue, well, the parent needs to take responsibility for that. And, furthermore, that doesn't just apply to games, but to *any* form of media... hell, I'd argue that books would be more dangerous than games or movies if you could get children to read, considering there's no official body for reviewing the appropriateness of those.

-

Also, I'd like to stress something here: although I don't believe too much about the effects of violent video games, competitive video games can be dangerous to violent people. Here's the thing, though - competition in general is dangerous with violence people, with competitive sports probably being the single most likely way to get injured as a child through young adult. Competitive video games are probably safer than most forms of competition with the advent of online play, considering that it's a pain in the ass getting up and going to someone's house to kill them from a state of rest when you can do so in, say, sports, by just beating them while they're nearby while you're on a testosterone high and mildly delirious from having just spent a couple hours running into sweaty men and grabbing balls.

...have there been any movements made to ban sports? No? Then don't even pretend to care about safety and just admit this is about the fear of new media.

I mean, I agree with you and all, but what if someone with violence problems played violent video games... then had them taken away. So okay, video games allow you to act violent to release your stress. But what if you become too used to having quick access to something in which you can vent your anger? What if, after running over some guy in GTA, you suddenly lose access to the video game? Then what? Will you turn to something IRL to vent your anger because you're not used to restraining it? What? Isn't self-restraint also a skill to learn? While it may have remedial effects, it has malfactors as well. Relying on it heavily is bad... relying on it occasionally, not as much.

Also, as for ESRB... you're right. But often parents let their kids play the game. "It's just a game," they say. Okay, fine, they are just games. But that shows how people disregard ESRB. (Although, sometimes ESRB doesn't give... adequate ratings...)

And as for books being as "dangerous" as video games... I disagree. Books allow people to conjure most of the image by themselves. Using imagination. Words can only do so much. Video games, on the other hand, do the conjuring for you. The images are there. You're just looking. People imitate what they see. What they hear. (And yes, to a lesser extent, what they read.) Images are the largest influence, though, in my opinion. And when I say that, I'm not just talking about video games. Movies, TV shows, and videos online fall into that category, too.

I agree that competitive games are... like you say. But on the same level of sports? No, not really. The two are, in my opinion, too different to say that they're similar in that way.

Edited May 18, 2013 by Fruit Ninja

[Tamanoir]

I read this article some time before. It was pretty interresting on the subject.

Let's not kidding ourselves, video games influence behaviour, but I think it's more complicated than just the content.

Fire Emblem itself is already a really violent game, even if the gore is pretty minimal.

And do you remembered how you felt after starting the same chapter for the Xth time ? Or if you accidentally delete one of your game save ? I don't really play a lot of gory game, but I know these situation made me mre angry than seeing some blood ?

Games also have more insiduous effects than violence. I heard a lot of talk about th treatment of women in GTA who can be as dangerous, or more dangerous than some violence.

Also, I'd like to stress something here: although I don't believe too much about the effects of violent video games, competitive video games can be dangerous to violent people. Here's the thing, though - competition in general is dangerous with violence people, with competitive sports probably being the single most likely way to get injured as a child through young adult. Competitive video games are probably safer than most forms of competition with the advent of online play, considering that it's a pain in the ass getting up and going to someone's house to kill them from a state of rest when you can do so in, say, sports, by just beating them while they're nearby while you're on a testosterone high and mildly delirious from having just spent a couple hours running into sweaty men and grabbing balls.

...have there been any movements made to ban sports? No? Then don't even pretend to care about safety and just admit this is about the fear of new media.

There is a big difference between a sports and sports' Video Games.

You don't react the same way if you're sitting behind your screen and if you're exerting yourself. The exercise makes you feel good and counterbalance more or less your aggressivity. You don't have these positive aspects on competitive gaming. You don't have a place where to direct your aggressivity.