Montgomery 1 wl Alan Montgomery Round Table Essay ENG-112-79 CL Are violent video games the root cause of an increase in violence in America society? ‘This controversial topic has been brought up many times over the past several years. Almost every time there is a mass shooting or some sort of violent crime in schools, the news goes erazy and eventually it comes to light that the criminal was a fan of violent video games. These stories end up feeding the flames Jerthis controversy. This controversy involves many groups, but the three most prominent are the politicians, the scientists, and the advocates for violent video games. The first voice in this debate is that of the politicians, Politicians are the group of people who hold seats in government and makes the laws that run this country, Essentially, they are the ‘ones who will make the laws deciding on what should be done about this issue. They could ne: Many politicians believe that violent media, which includes violent video games, is essentially outlaw violence in video games if they feel it necessary to do s negatively impacting the lives of young children, and that such exposure is causing children to be ‘more violent. Politicians have expressed concerns of youth exposure to violent video games. Shortly after the Columbine school shooting where the shooters were said to be fans of the violent video game Doom?‘President Clinton requested that the Federal Trade Commission \y (FTC) investigate the issue. In the report the FTC said that the video game industry marketed Q \ , their violent games toward children and recommended that the industry should improve its self ay regulation (Lyons). Since Columbine,there have been several high profile school shootings inMontgomery 2 Which the offenders were linked with violent video games. After each incident politicians again addressed their concerns with children playing violent video games and often called for more research to be done on the issue. They also tried many times to restrict violence in video games. Senator Rockefeller is one of the biggest opponent to violent video games. He believe that violent video games have negatively affect children emotionally and mentally (Lyons). However, 2 not much has been passed into law restricting violence in video games. Even after all this debate, politicians themselves seem to be divided on the issue. The next voice involved in the issue is that of the scientists. Scientists are the scholars who do the research and study the effects of violent video games. Their research is what most opponents on either side of the debate base their case Stns group ranges from prominent professors and institutions to the social ose poss asypsychologisty, othe scientists who study and analyze the statistics of violent crime. uke? Just as the politicians seem to be, scientists are divided on the issue. Some Say exposure to violent video games causes people to become violent themselves, while others say that this information is not true, One group of scientists has conducted several studies that they say showy’ a link between exposure to violent video games and an inerease in violent behavior. Dr. Craig ‘Anderson, a leading psychologist on the issue, says that his research shows that repeated exposure to violent media causes an increase in aggressive behavior over time (Anderson). ‘Another study conducted by Dr. Yang Wang showed that playing violent video games altered parts of the brain that are linked to aggressive behavior. Dr. Wang himself stated that he does not actually know what the alteration means exactly (Gordon). The American Psychological Association (APA) made a statement in 2005 that essentially said they were against violence in Video games because of its effects on children (Peckham). In 2013 nother group ofMontgomery 3 psychologists requested that the APA review and revise their policy. This group stated that no study had definitively proven that violent video creates violent people, and that linking violent video games to real world violence is a “classic illusory correlation” (Peckham). While scientists are divided on the issue, almost all agree that more research is needed on the issue “ The last voice in the issue is the voice of the advocates for violent video games. This te group includes people who are pro freedom of expression and gana eee ems Many in this group feel that violence in video games is an expression of art that is protected by Ze oN the first amendment, just as violence on TV and in books has been protected. Joan Bertin, an advocate against censorship, makes a comparison between age old stories and myths filled with viotenegcand violent video games of today. She shows that since the beginning of time {nankind has taught their children about violence, yet now society views it as a bad thing to teach children about violence (Lyons). Most people in this group use the opinions of the scientists who say that violent video games do not negatively affect children to back up their -wpoint that violent video games are not harmful and should be left alone. They use past court decisions that violence in media is protected under the first amendment. They also use data that shows that violent crime has decreased while at the same time violent video game sales have increased to argue that violent video games actually reduce violent crime (Violent Crime, Decreased). nthe video game industry, some say that after Gplumbine the blame shifted from violent lyrics in music to violent video games (Meeks). Manet that it should be the parce” decision on what their children play, not the government. They argue that people who blame violent video games, do so out of fear and uncertainty and not seientifie-based proof. In the end, almost every group would agree that more research needs to be done before any decision is made on what should be done about violent video games. Then society will trulyMontgomery 4 know if violent video games create violent people, or if certain individuals are already violent themselves and therefore enjoy the experience of a violent video game. One fact to keep in mind would be that despite what many news reports attempt to persuade people to believe, according to statistical research, violent crime in America has steadily been on the decline over the past two decades (D’Vera).Montgomery 5 Works Cited Anderson, Craig A. "Violent ico Games Promote Teen Aggression and Violence." Teens at Risk. Ed. Stephen P, Thompson, Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "FAQs on Violent Video Games and Other Media Violence.” www.edueation.com, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 11 Oct. 2014, D’Vera Cohn, Paul Taylor, Mark Hugo Lopez, Catherine A. Gallagher, Kim Parker and Kevin T. Maass. ” Gun Homicide Rate Down 49% Since 1993 Peak; Public Unaware.” Pew Social Trends. Pew Research Center. Web. I Oct. 2014. Gordon, Serena, "Violent Video Games Do Not Promote Teen Aggression and Violence." Teens at Risk. Ed. Stephen P, Thompson. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Violent Video Games May Alter Brain Function: Study." www healthfinder.gov. 2011. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 11 Oct. 2014. Lyons, Christina L. "Media Violence.” CQ Researcher 14 Feb. 2014: 145-68. Web. 11 Oct. 2014, Meeks, Torrey. "Violent Video Games Are Not Linked to Real-World Violence." Popular Culture, Ed, David Haugen and Susan Mu: 1, Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2011. Opposing Viewpoints, Rpt. from "Study: Video Games Don't Cause Violence." Blast (1 Apr. 2007), Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 11 Oct. 2014.Montgomery 6 Peckham, Matt. "Researcher Says Linking Video Games To Gun Violence Is A ‘Classic Illusory Correlation’." Time.Com (2013): 1. Business Source Complete. Web. I Oct. 2014. "Violent Crime, Decreased as Computer and Video Game Sales Soared, 1996-2004." Teens at Risk. Ed. Auriana Ojeda. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 11 Oct. 2014.