Gaming Violence 101

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been having a great many issues with getting my latest video to render out output correctly on my computer.  Amongst rage and angst of not being able to get things working, I came across several examples of issues regarding people and their reactions to violence in video games.  This primarily came up as the video I'm working on is about not only a violent game, but one that is particularly unusual in how it's presented.  If I ever get it working you'll see what I mean.

Anyway, my hobby of video game playing is frequently a hot-button issue regarding teen violence and whatnot.  While there is a fair amount of research on the subject, NO study has found a significant correlation between playing violent video games and violent behavior in 'regular' life.  While some studies have focused on characterization within video games (i.e. if you empathize with the 'bad guys', you're more hostile to neutral characters compared to empathizing with 'good guys').  I recently saw a TV panel on Fox News where Grand Theft Auto 5 (which had been released the week prior at the time) was brought up during a discussion of killings in Chicago.  I was thankful that one of the panelists noted the fact that no data exists showing the correlation.

I also found this interesting article, http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10964-013-9986-5, which examined 'aggressive behavior' (bullying, etc.) in kids after being exposed to violent games.  The interesting part of this was that the kids had previously been diagnosed with mental disorders (Depression/ADD being the major ones).  Again, NO DIFFERENCE.  NO CORRELATION.  NOTHING.  I get very frustrated when people point to video games as reasons behind so much violence while the actual issues go unexamined.  It's a waste of time, effort, and resources.

Why do I bring this up?  Last night I watched Criminal Minds with my fiance, specifically Season 8, Episode 8, "The Wheels on the Bus".  In it, the 'unsubs' as they're called, re-create a video game using actual people, forcing them to kill one another.  Think Hunger Games combined with Gam3r and a dash of The Running Man (not the dance, the movie from the 80's).  In the end, it seems to me that issues in TV and movies create this stereotype angry loner gamer that just wants to re-enact everything that they play on their games, and it is, by and large, eaten up by the public.  By perpetuating the stereotype it becomes engrained in the minds of many and therefore very difficult to change.  We as a society just need to accept that people are, for the vast majority, anyway, able to distinguish the difference not only between fantasy and reality but the general idea of right and wrong.

I'm going to call this a research-based rant, so go me.  Hope that you all enjoyed and please feel free to discuss.  Thank you and hopefully next time we'll have a video :D.