Video Games Influence Behavior
This entry was created by a student in Stanford's Rhetoric of Gaming class. For more about the class and the assignment, click here.
For my research paper, generally I plan to engage in the overall debate about the negative effects of gaming. People have been stressing that gaming has corrupted our society: it has taken a lot of time off of other important activities (e.g the consumer games that allow you to create an identity to use to collaborate with people); the violence has influenced adolescents; people’s social skills have been impacted. Mainly, ever since gaming has become a part of our society, it has influenced the public in how they interact with one another and how they manage their time (Possible to stress the main argument on consumer games for general public and violent games for younger kids). The main focus will be on how gaming influences behavior.
Recently, during high school, I stopped playing games as much as I had used to. I found that I had to focus on my schoolwork and extra curricular activities in order to be accepted into a good college. My dad always said, “Jules, unless you are going to study or pursue a career in gaming, you should lay off of them a bit.” Who knew that I would be taking a course pertaining to games in college? I am really interested in games and want to learn a little more about them. Therefore, I plan to do a research paper on them.
As a child, during my heavy gaming years, I used to play immensely and was told many times by my parents that my behavior was changing due to the influence of gaming: I was becoming more snappy, less cooperative, angered more easily. I finally listened and realized that I was becoming a bit different. I noticed the same change in my friends and cousins who were also exposed to gaming. It made me wonder about the influence gaming has had on our society’s behavior, specifically kids and young adults.
For my research paper, generally I plan to engage in the overall debate about the negative effects of gaming. People have been stressing that gaming has corrupted our society: it has taken a lot of time off of other important activities (e.g the consumer games that allow you to create an identity to use to collaborate with people); the violence has influenced adolescents; people’s social skills have been impacted. Mainly, ever since gaming has become a part of our society, it has influenced the public in how they interact with one another and how they manage their time (Possible to stress the main argument on consumer games for general public and violent games for younger kids). The main focus will be on how gaming influences behavior.
Earlier in the year, my professor from my Writing and Rhetoric class gave us an article revealing the difference between a person’s picture in real life and his avatar’s picture in the gaming/ consumer world (the pictures were side by side). For our task we were supposed to compare the two and come up with ideas on how consumer games influence them. It really shows how gaming shapes a person’s identity in real life and, judging by the picture, possibly influences their behavior as well. I will use this as one of my central sources.
Aside from this, the typical “violent games make kids violent” stories would support my thesis. I will use specific violent games such as Grand theft Auto, FARCRY 2, Gears of War, and others to research their impact among adolecents. Also, one of my peers has suggested that I use some information from his Psych class on how gaming has impacted our society: information on the violence in video games.
I will go into Palo Alto and take surveys and interviews on how people think gaming has influenced the public (and if they are willing, maybe even how games have influenced themselves).
I am nervous and excited about this research argument. I’m not necessarily for this side of the overall debate at all (personally I think there are more positive effects than negative effects). I just think it would be a good learning experience to see what the other side thinks. It will be challenging though especially to find and use all the right sources, but it will be a good experience and beneficial for me in the future.
Comments
This proposal touches on some of the major concerns of violent video games and the effect it has on the younger generation in the world today. Violent video games influence many kids and adolescents in the wrong way and this topic can definitely produce much evidence to support the argument. It is important to have a strong argument because if you do not think video games have a negative effect on the younger generation, your argument might be weak. Your feelings should correlate with your argument. Also, I think your ideas to show how violent video games influence the younger generation in a negative way is a great idea. You should find evidence that shows the difference of behavior before and after playing a game such as Grand Theft Auto. It is also a great idea to take surveys and interviews as it shows what other people think about the issue. I think this argument of negativity is important to society as acts of violence are being influenced and grades in school are being decreased significantly because of video games (can provide other pieces of evidence to support your argument). Overall, this topic causes much debate from the younger generation and it is important because it not only effects the younger generation of society but also everyone else around them.
Posted by: Paul Zehngut | October 19, 2009 03:09 PM
I believe that gaming resolves stress into this fantasy world of no responsibilities or obligations when you can just be a character and do whatever you want or even become something your not in a game like a heroic figure when in reality your the anti-social shy person who sits i the corner. Even if it's shooting 59 guys in 2 minutes, it still relieves the anger you have built inside from actually dong it in real life. There is a contrary to this though, not everyone has the same methods of relieving stress or train of thought. One can say "if it's possible in a game then it's possible in real life" and kill a person or jump off a building believing they can fly like superman. I too agree there is more positive then negative effects on this but the negatives tend to overshadow the pros so it might get more lenient into the statment that gaming is currupting our minds.We sometimes tend to get so wrapped into the game's life then our own and transition our character in order to fit the mold ofthe game. This sets us back from reality and in life. The psychological facts you bring on this topic will be a better impact on the writer then surveys because one cann't even recognize when one changes , so thats something to look at.
Posted by: sharan Espinoza | October 19, 2009 03:40 PM
I believe that gaming resolves stress into this fantasy world of no responsibilities or obligations when you can just be a character and do whatever you want or even become something your not in a game like a heroic figure when in reality your the anti-social shy person who sits i the corner. Even if it's shooting 59 guys in 2 minutes, it still relieves the anger you have built inside from actually dong it in real life. There is a contrary to this though, not everyone has the same methods of relieving stress or train of thought. One can say "if it's possible in a game then it's possible in real life" and kill a person or jump off a building believing they can fly like superman. I too agree there is more positive then negative effects on this but the negatives tend to overshadow the pros so it might get more lenient into the statment that gaming is currupting our minds.We sometimes tend to get so wrapped into the game's life then our own and transition our character in order to fit the mold ofthe game. This sets us back from reality and in life. The psychological facts you bring on this topic will be a better impact on the writer then surveys because one cann't even recognize when one changes , so thats something to look at.
Posted by: sharan Espinoza | October 19, 2009 03:41 PM
I believe that gaming resolves stress into this fantasy world of no responsibilities or obligations when you can just be a character and do whatever you want or even become something your not in a game like a heroic figure when in reality your the anti-social shy person who sits i the corner. Even if it's shooting 59 guys in 2 minutes, it still relieves the anger you have built inside from actually dong it in real life. There is a contrary to this though, not everyone has the same methods of relieving stress or train of thought. One can say "if it's possible in a game then it's possible in real life" and kill a person or jump off a building believing they can fly like superman. I too agree there is more positive then negative effects on this but the negatives tend to overshadow the pros so it might get more lenient into the statment that gaming is currupting our minds.We sometimes tend to get so wrapped into the game's life then our own and transition our character in order to fit the mold ofthe game. This sets us back from reality and in life. The psychological facts you bring on this topic will be a better impact on the writer then surveys because one cann't even recognize when one changes , so thats something to look at.
Posted by: sharan Espinoza | October 19, 2009 03:42 PM