Morals, Empathy and Video Games
This entry was created by a student in Stanford's Rhetoric of Gaming class. For more about the class and the assignment, click here.
Many people have formulated opinions on the effects of video games on the today's youth. People make claims that video games increase aggression and violence, and that they decrease a person's empathy for others and perception of reality versus fantasy. Many of these and more myths are discussed and debunked in an essay by Henry Jenkins, the director of comparative studies at MIT. Essentially, the youth crime rate is currently much lower than it has been for the past 30 years. People are still influenced by video games, yes, but does a virtual experience of violence influence people negatively? In a 2007 poll, parents of video game playing children age 12-17 mostly said the games had no effect, but 19% said they have a positive influence and only 13% said they have a negative influence. However, the 55% of the parents of children who don't play video games said that video games have a negative influence (probably the reason their kids don't play in the first place). Only 10% of children of that age do not play video games, so only 17% of parents with children of that age actually think that video games have a negative effect on children. 17% of that same group also thinks that they have a positive effect.
Clearly the opinion of parents has not led to any evidence either way that video games are a good or bad influence on their children. I plan to research this to find conclusive evidence either way, focusing mostly on the morals video games teach or do not teach, if video games cause a deadened sense of empathy, or lead to increased aggression. Video games often have the player committing crimes and killing people even innocent. However through the game mechanisms, these acts could teach the player the repercussions of such acts, making the player even less likely to commit crimes in real life. In the end, a video game through example, can teach not necessarily what is good, but what is bad. However both sides have valid points and while crimes can't be directly connected to video games, there could be some unrealized influence that these games hold. The essay is what originally sparked my interest in this topic, but the statistics prove that there is no clear answer which means that the results of my research will be more significant.
Comments
People just need to wake up and realize as technoligies change, views are going to have to change. Did parents think kids who played cops and robbers were going to grow up and rob banks? What about playing army? Technology has just made a way to expand our imaginations into something more beleivable. Games don't make bad people.
Posted by: Treat Acne | October 12, 2009 07:22 PM
I like your topic, but i think you could bolster your argument a little by introducing elements outside of videogames. As Treat Acne said, there are other elements of life that affect us. This being a PWR class, you could have a small segment that compares the effects of VG's to violent movies, using stats or some comparative analysis to further highlight your point, and maybe even talk about the rhetorical aspects of VG's that influence kids...
Posted by: bastidas | October 13, 2009 09:42 PM
The effect of video games on the mind of the player is a controversial issue and a lot of studies has to be done in this regard.
Posted by: video games | October 14, 2009 11:18 PM
You have chosen a nice topic. I accept that children today are more influenced by the video games and and these games have become the part of their daily routine. As Treat Acne said games doesn't make bad people, i also believe in the same. There are some more powerful influential factors which have a great impact on their behaviour.
Posted by: best satellite receiver | October 16, 2009 12:25 AM
The statistics of this article prove that at least some parents actually want their kids having fun. I know from first hand experience that video games may show bad things but the effects aren't bad at all. As a kid growing up and playing video games i wasn't effected at all because i still played sports and did everything else regular. When it comes down to games like Grand Theft Auto the only thing that effected me was the music. It's not like i would follow the lyrics or anything, but It was good to be exposed to what type of music was being played in those environments. I believe overall that the parents do have the choice over if they could play video games or not, its their kids. At the same time I feel that exposing the kids to these types of games will open their eyes to the real world and learn not everything is innocent as they believe. In the end, parents just need something to blame for their kids acting up instead of themselves, so they use video games.
Posted by: Alain | October 19, 2009 03:59 PM
I too think that games do not make people bad. I think you have to look at the child's enviroment.
Posted by: Mouse | October 22, 2009 11:18 AM
I thought for sure video games makes children violent. My son plays hours of video games and when he is done, he is sooo hostile. I don't know if its because of the game or him sitting for so many hours he has all this energy when he is done. He tends to want to play really rough. He punches and gets fiscal with his sister or me and then he walks away saying "I Love you" go figure. I do want to strangle him though cause he is so rough with his sister. Anyways I was surprised that the statistics showed youth crimes are down and that video games don't seem to have any real effect on children, hmmmmm i don't know, i'll wait for your research before coming to that conclusion. I have 1st hand experience. I hope you'll send me a copy of your research. Good luck
Posted by: Sandra Gopaul-Igartua | November 2, 2009 05:53 PM
I thought for sure video games makes children violent. My son plays hours of video games and when he is done, he is sooo hostile. I don't know if its because of the game or him sitting for so many hours he has all this energy when he is done. He tends to want to play really rough. He punches and gets fiscal with his sister or me and then he walks away saying "I Love you" go figure. I do want to strangle him though cause he is so rough with his sister. Anyways I was surprised that the statistics showed youth crimes are down and that video games don't seem to have any real effect on children, hmmmmm i don't know, i'll wait for your research before coming to that conclusion. I have 1st hand experience. I hope you'll send me a copy of your research. Good luck
Posted by: Sandra Gopaul-Igartua | November 2, 2009 05:55 PM
This is a very nice topic..It is true that video games have surpassed their level of intelligence..But they are showing large amount of violence which children take it in a negative mannner..Stretch Marks
Posted by: Acne | November 10, 2009 08:53 PM
I believe that video gaming through a more wider topic like all video games mostly do promote violence, sexual explotation towards women, coarse language, etc. and that this is wrong because such incident like two senior tennagers playing a game like counterstrike had led to an accident like the columbin high massacre (excuse for my spelling)
Posted by: tOTally cool | November 17, 2009 01:56 AM
Video gaming is the future!
Posted by: buy marijuana seeds | November 21, 2009 10:46 AM
Many think video games can be constructive as well as destructive because some of the games which are very dangerous for kids.
Posted by: Procurement Services | November 24, 2009 05:38 AM