Quote for Critical Investigation

"Which means I'm gonna kill you, chop off your heads, and piss down your necks!" - Tony Alpert 

Why this quote:

i think that this quote would further reinforce that sense of violence being explicit in the modern day of video games which is something that Battlefield fans or players that are into the shooter genre wouldn't be fearful about and more desensitised. It also highlights the violent aspect of Battlefield Hardline which is why it was chosen. However this could be changed over time for a better one so this would be a temporary quote to start it off with.

Christmas Holidays Critical Investigation Planned Days

Wednesday 21 December 2016 - First 1000 words.

Thursday 22 December 2016 - Last 1000 words. 

Friday 23 December 2016 - Final Overview and check.

I do intend on going to the BFI Reuben Library when I can. This could be on Tuesday 27 to see if there are any other quotes/sources that can also be used in my Critical Investigation.

20 New and Updated Quotes

1) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-33960075 - Do video games make people violent?
"If you play three hours of Call of Duty you might feel a little bit pumped, but you are not going to go out and mug someone."

2) http://edition.cnn.com/2016/07/25/health/video-games-and-violence/ - Do video games lead to violence?

"Ferguson noted that "almost all young males play violent video games," and yet the majority are not committing crimes."

"The American Psychological Association observed in an August 2015 policy statement (PDF) that research demonstrated a link "between violent video game use and both increases in aggressive behavior ... and decreases in prosocial behavior, empathy, and moral engagement."

4) https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jul/19/police-chief-warns-against-violent-video-games-that-reward-and - Police chief warns against violent video games that reward rape and murder

“When you see video games that reward behaviour, where somebody’s murdered, where somebody is abducted and raped and they get credits for that – what sort of messages are we sending our children?”

5) http://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft/orlando-doesnt-shake-industrys-certainty-that-video-games-dont-cause-violence/ - Orlando doesn’t shake belief that video games don’t cause violence

"That concern reached a high volume after it emerged that the two perpetrators of the Columbine High School massacre in 1999 were fans of early first-person shooter games such as “Doom.”

6) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/03/12/study-finds-no-evidence-violent-video-games-make-children-aggres/ - Study finds no evidence violent video games make children aggressive

“These findings do not support the idea that regular violent game play is linked to real world violence or conflict.”

7) http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2016/11/04/no-for-the-millionth-time-video-games-dont-cause-real-world-violence/#77cacbb55b06 - No, For The Millionth Time, Video Games Don't Cause Real World Violence

"In 2016, technology and media have turned genocide viral,"

8) http://www.cbsnews.com/news/do-violent-video-games-lead-to-criminal-behavior/ - Do video games lead to criminal behaviour

"there is no link between violent video games and violent behavior, although he acknowledged it is difficult to prove a link in an experimental setting"

9) https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/pop-psych/201610/violence-in-games-does-not-cause-real-life-violence - Violence In Games Does Not Cause Real-Life Violence

"Those themes are centred more around heroism and self-defence than aggression for the sake of violence"

10) http://www.medicaldaily.com/violent-video-games-aggressive-behavior-392391 - Violent Video Games And Media Linked To Children’s Aggressive Behavior; Pediatricians Urge Parents To Stop Exposure

"Children under the age of 6 should be protected from virtual violence because they do not always distinguish fantasy from reality"

11) http://www.polygon.com/2016/6/24/12012888/guns-games-violence-questions - Guns, games and violence: The real questions you should be asking

"Does playing a video game steeped in a cycle of kill-die-kill have an impact on players? Almost certainly. Arguing that an overwhelmingly violent game doesn't impact its users is akin to arguing that any game with a singular drive or message can't inspire or evoke change"

12) http://www.healthline.com/health-news/violent-video-games-create-aggression-but-they-do-cause-kids-to-commit-081415 - Violent Video Games Create Aggression, but Do They Cause Kids to Commit Crimes?

“I've treated several school shooters and my best guess is that these kids have four factors that apply...four: They play violent video games.”

13) https://davidmullich.com/2016/08/15/the-politics-of-video-game-violence/ - 

"According to a 2001 study reported in the journal Psychological Science, children who play violent video games experience an increase in both the physiological signs of aggression and aggressive behaviour" 

14) https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-video-games-inspire-violent-behavior/ - Do Video Games Inspire Violent Behavior?

"violent video games had helped turn Lanza into a killer"

15) https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160408163742.htm - Violent video games eventually lose their ability to produce guilt in gamers

"One is that people are deadened because they've played these games over and over again," he says. "This makes the gamers less sensitive to all guilt-inducing stimuli."

16) http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2016/11/do_video_games_make_us_more_cruel.html - How Video Games Change Us

"According to Grossman, violent video games, when indulged in by kids without the tempering discipline imposed by military and law enforcement hierarchies or athletic programs, are creating “a generation of killers—a generation of homegrown sociopaths.”

17) http://www.wired.co.uk/article/children-violent-video-games - Violent games have 'weak' impact on kids' behaviour

"Our results indicate that playing video games that are more likely to include violent content (i.e., shoot-em-ups) in childhood is weakly associated with an increased risk of conduct disorder in late adolescence,"

18) http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2016-08-02/stop-blaming-violent-video-games-for-societal-violence - Stop Blaming Violent Video Games

"Several studies, such as by psychologist Patrick Markey and economist Scott Cunningham, have linked the release of popular violent video games with immediate declines in societal violence"

19) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/is-video-gaming-bad-for-you-the-science-for-and-against/ - Is video gaming bad for you? The science for and against 

"Last year, psychologists claimed that video game players who favour violent 'shoot-em-up' games are more likely to be aggressive and ferocious when offline, and significantly more at risk of committing crimes"

20) http://www.gadgette.com/2016/01/28/do-violent-videogames-cause-aggressive-behaviour/ - Do violent videogames cause aggressive behaviour?

"For now it seems that gaming itself doesn’t make you violent, but there are hints that the level of violence in the games might increase the risk"

Introduction

Battlefield Hardline is the Cops v Robbers theme first person shooter that was developed by Visceral and published by EA. This would be Visceral’s first attempt in creating a Battlefield game as they are generally known for the Dead Space series and this would be considered a theme shift considering that Dead Space is known as a third person horror shooter. Although it wasn’t as well received as its predecessor Battlefield 4 which was developed by DICE, EA were still happy with the sales that Battlefield Hardline had. This could be due to the fact that it was leading the sales for video games in March 2015 . The essay will cover the violence that an audience is exposed to when playing violent video games such as the Battlefield franchise and depict whether or not the violence is being presented in a more explicit manner and whether the audience should be concerned. The main topic that will be explored is the moral panics that these games would offer. To enforce this idea “children said 17 years ago “war is shit” . This could highlight the desensitisation that an audience would have towards their exposure to violent content. However, this opinion with children has changed over time as “children enjoying killing”  in the modern day.

BFI Notes & Quotes

Toys Games and Media

• Page 13: " children said 17 years ago "war is shit"

• Page 28: "99% of the children commented that they enjoy killing"

• Page 28: "This had changed completely. 17 years later, with 1/3 of the children mentioning aggression.

• Page 120- "Thus the idea gradually took hold that the technologies of the masses offered information that was disorganised, violent, useless."

Chapter 9 

• Page 127: "Death Race: First Controversy - Hit and Run style Gameplay"

• Page 128: "In April 2009, Halo 3 players celebrated a spine tingling milestone of 10 billion kills against their virtual enemy. The Covenant. That's roughly 1.5 times the total population on earth"

• Page 129: "Age classification originating from the home console distribution of Mortal Kombat"

• Page 130: "We are looking at how the character is reacting to the violence"
• "Realistic Reactions will have a higher age rating

• Page 133: "The use of cling film, cellphone, or plastic bags as a cinematic killing device is almost regular occurrence in screen based entertainment"

Sense of desensitisation with the choice of words for regular occurrence.

• Page 133: "2003 game Manhunt presented controversy for the due to its level of graphic violence" 

• Page 136: "War games are exciting. However they are sometimes delicate politics surrounding many of the conflicts and this coupled with the real sometimes ongoing trauma inflicted upon participants and populations should give pause for a reflection as to their appropriateness for video games" 

• Page 137: "The importance of the Nintendo phenomenon is about equal to that of the Gutenberg Printing Press"

• Page 147: "Similarly in the US, some senators have sought to find focus public outrage towards violent video games, following the civilian shooting such as the Sandy Hook Elementary School rather than numerous factors  and the evident ease of access to high powered firearms in the US".

Elusive Links: TV, Radio and Children's Behaviour 

• Page 76: "Very young children as opposed to to those in their teens upwards tends to show that children do become more aggressive after either playing or watching a violent video game." 

• Page 74: "Video Games might have the capacity to promote aggressive tendencies"
• "Catharsis Theory"

GAME ON 

• David Grossman
• Page 23-25

Gone Too Far Review

5. Gone Too Far is an independent low budget film starring Malachi Kirby and O.C. Ukeje. This story follows the life of Yemi as he would meet his brother who has come to live with his brother. Seeing as to how Yemi is portrayed as a young troubled teenager that would have to deal with his brother Ikudaisy who isn't accustomed to the British youth culture. Other characters that are seen in Peckham would be characters such Amarni who is accompanied by Paris as the protagonist would constantly come across these characters in a relationship arc. Although Yemi can't see that Amarni is using him, his brother appears to be wiser understanding that Amarni doesn't love Yemi but rather is using him to get to Razer. Razer is seen conflicted with opinions about his heritage and the negative views that African cultures have that shows that they would also be considered as awkward to be with since their culture is very distinctive. One of the main focus points of this film would be how it approaches immigrant. On one side there are the young teenagers who would have negative associations with immigrants. Characters such as Amarni and Razer (for the most part) tend to deny their native culture and would rather be recognised as a British citizen. Meanwhile, there are the older characters. This would consist of Hi Res, Yemi's Mother and Brother who are seen as proud of who they are and aren't willing to shy away from it. This film would highlight a more positive representation of immigrants. However, the comedy element that would reinforce the stereotype in a humorous manner. Overall I think that it was an engaging  film that has a great moral story about discrimination that will probably change the minds of current young teenagers.

6. In my opinion, I think that they shouldn't restrict film production based on ethnic minorities. This would mainly be because this may restrict the films that would be produced. The reason i say this is mainly because of the fact that a majority of the film production companies may consist of a white population. If the ethnic restriction is put in place then this means that there won't be as many ethnic minority films as there would be. This would mainly be because of the minority of film producers aren't of ethnic minorities. This could then be considered a form of discrimination. This would mainly be because of now there may not be as much of a film variety. Although this could spark a new way for film makers to be recognised. However an audience would rather watch something that they know they would be interested in. And another factor to look into is the workplace. Seeing that this rule may only mean that Asian actors work for Asian producers. Although they may have an idea of the film, there may be another person that isn't Asian  that may have studied Asian Film. Would this mean that their studies would be considered a waste of time studying this style of film only to not use it. As well as that the restriction might also mean that films may not explore as many ideologies or opinions in their films if they choose to. This would mainly be because of the different look into how this could be done. This could mean that there may not as much flexibility. And since this regulation would only allow those who are of that ethnic minority to produce a film based on that ethnic minority, the same can be said about those who aren't accustomed to the culture. For instance, what if the producer for a European film had grown up elsewhere. All the norms and values may be different to what the producer is used to. This means that they may not have an understanding of how to represent the culture. This could also highlight the biggest flaw that this regulation has. As well as that would this mean that sci-fi films would cease to exist or would the extraterrestrials interpret another culture to make them seem abnormal. Would there be more loop holes with producing fictional material. This would mainly be because of the regulation that may mean that in order for them to portray different ethnic minorities they would have to be seen as an immigrant. As well as that would this also try to diverse the distribution of films. Although it can be argued that this regulation can give opportunities for many, how about those who had lived on from the success before the regulation. Would they be considered not very creative or would this restriction highlight the discrimination within the production team. This could highlight some drawbacks although ultimately this may have less diversity. This could be due to the success of the older format that had allowed for ethnic minorities to be presented by anyone. 

Essay Plan

•  Introduction (200 words) - This will introduce Battlefield Hardline and the institutions that had developed and distributed the game. As well as that there is also the controversy that would be looked into as to how audiences are influenced by violence in video games. This will also introduce the two sides that can be taken from the topic.

Quotes

Goldstein, J. H., Buckingham, D., & Brougère, G. (2004). Toys, games, and media. Mahwah, NJ: L. Erlbaum Associates.

"children said 17 years ago "war is shit"

""99% of the children commented that they enjoy killing"

• The Historical Text (350 words): This will look into the history of Death Race's controversy with the sense of killing human like beings. As well as that there is also the different areas in which this would also be looked into. As well as the controversy, there will also be the moral panic that it would've caused. This will also try to answer whether people should be concerned.

Quotes 

Goldstein, J. H., Buckingham, D., & Brougère, G. (2004). Toys, games, and media. Mahwah, NJ: L. Erlbaum Associates.

"Death Race: First Controversy - Hit and Run style Gameplay"

"2003 game Manhunt presented controversy for the due to its level of graphic violence" 

"Age classification originating from the home console distribution of Mortal Kombat"

Theories

• Hypodermic Needle Syringe
• Uses and Gratification Theory

Main Text (600 words): This will study Battlefield Hardline and look into how audiences that would play this game would become either more aggressive or desensitised to the text. This will also have a comparison to the historical text to see whether video games over time have become more violent. SHEP will be investigated about DICE, Visceral and EA. MIGRAIN will be used to discuss the Story Mode and how it would portray violence in a more explicit manor.

Quotes that may be included:

• Video game popularity and real world youth violence have been moving in opposite directions. Violent juvenile crime in the US reached a peak in 1993 and has declined ever since.

• This amount of continuous exposure to gratious violent images sensationalizing murder, rape, and torture is neither benign nor cathartic. The fact is that media violence primes children to see killing as acceptable.

• The top 5 selling games in the UK in 2013 are further proof that this trend is global, with 4 of the top 5 being from the action and/or shooter genre

• For decades, both therapists and researchers have argued that observing violence increases the likelihood of a child being aggressive, whether they observe it at home or school.

• Violent video games increase aggressive thoughts and behavior, angry feelings and physiological arousal, and decrease helping behavior and feelings of empathy for others, according to the report.

• asked to write the names of five video games that they had 
• ‘‘played a lot’’...
The sample reported mean was 29.97 and standard deviation was 30.09. - In reference to the ESRB Rating System.

Other Texts (650 words): As well as Battlefield Hardline, other texts such as competitors like Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto will also be looked into to also have a comparison over the ages to see as to whether video games have become increasingly violent.

Quotes

Griffiths, Mark. "Violent Video Games and Aggression." Aggression and Violent Behavior 4.2 (1999): 203-12. Web.

"Children do become more aggressive after either playing or watching a violent video game."

"Video Games might have the capacity to promote aggressive tendencies"

 "We are looking at how the character is reacting to the violence"


"Realistic Reactions will have a higher age rating"

"Several features of violent video games suggest that they may have even more pronounced effects on users than violent TV programs and Films."

Theories

• Hypodermic Syringe Needle - Looks into how an audience would just passively play the game and not really benefit much. looking into how the players have become more desensitised with the violence that is in the franchise. Especially considering that there would be an increase in the age rating from the BBFC when the franchise had an age rating of 15 on Call of Duty 1-5. However this had changed with the franchise as the BBFC age rating changed in 2009 with the age certification of Modern Warfare 2 having an 18 and since then all the games in the franchise from then on has been classified with an 18 with the BBFC. PEGI had later on classified the games on 2012. The first Call of Duty game released with a PEGI rating being Black Ops 2. However there was an exception with the next title in the instalment Ghosts which had a 16 PEGI rating. Every title after Ghosts had been age certified 18.

• Uses and Gratification - How an audience would use these video games as a platform to escape reality and just enjoy the lack of consequence that are in the game of violence being the main focus point of entertainment.

• Psychographics 
• Catharsis Theory

Conclusion (200 words): This will look into the two sides as to whether an audience should or shouldn't be concerned. As well as that this will also look into Battlefield Hardline and depict whether it has had a negative influence to make an audience desensitised and aggressive or whether these video games offer a sense of diversion for an audience to explore without any consequence. 

Historical Text

Death Race - 1976

This video game was considered to be one of the first video game controversies that was criticised for the violence that it had included. In this case the complaint that many of the broadcasters had was the violent content. Although this game is an adaptation of the live action movie Death Race 2000, this was released a year later and the complaint talked about the roadkill that was featured in the game. This was considered very controversial at the time because although the arcade game had called the people you road kill as gremlins, at the time it was hard to distinguish whether gremlins were gremlins or whether they were human. Because of this outrage, it would follow on that many other video games later on would have a negative association with the news since they would always highlight them in a negative atmosphere.

It can be argued that Death Race had reflected the zeitgeist with the justification of killing creatures rather than humans. Hence why the public outcry when Death Race had featured human like characters that were meant to be killed. This would be because at the time war games weren't so popular until the late 1990s in which the franchise Medal of Honour would be seen as one of the first main WW2 shooters. The shift from sci-fi with old video games like Doom and Duke Nukem had shown that violence would still exist at the time but killing humans would be considered controversial due to its sense of gruesome content that may influence young players into becoming more violent.  

However in contrast to Death Race, the current text that I'm studying is Battlefield Hardline. Although there would be negative associations because of the genre, it could be argued that players have later become more desensitised to violent content. This is because of video games like Grand Theft Auto which would embrace the violent lifestyle that would involve them in partaking in violent missions. Although in 1976 when road kill was considered to be unacceptable and very gruesome, games like the Battlefield franchise would reward players with a 20 point bonus for "Roadkill". This could also contrast the moral panics that were present in the 1970s. However moral panics in the modern day would be considered to be more controversial in the sense that one of the biggest controversies had come from the FPS Modern Warfare 2 which had featured the mission "No Russian" Because of it's theme of espionage and simulating a terror attack, this moral panic may have a greater impact against video games and can also show how the modern day players are very desensitised in comparison to the past.

Bibliography

Internet Links

• EA "Very Happy" With Battlefield Hardline Sales
• @GameSpot - http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-very-happy-with-battlefield-hardline-sales/1100-6427131/

• Battlefield: Hardline Is A Bad Idea, DICE Said In 2011 - CINEMABLEND

  http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Battlefield-Hardline-Bad-Idea-DICE-Said-2011-64729.html

• Battlefield Hardline takes arresting lead in UK sales charts

  GameCentral Metro.co.uk - http://metro.co.uk/2015/03/23/battlefield-hardline-takes-arresting-lead-in-uk-sales-charts-5116403/

• Battlefield Hardline: How Real-World Police Controversies Affected Development

  @GameSpot - http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-hardline-how-real-world-police-controv/1100-6425198/

• Battlefield Hardline Trailer/Box Art Causes Controversy in Wake of Ferguson Shooting - CraveOnline

  @paultamburro - http://www.craveonline.com/entertainment/797623-battlefield-hardline-trailerbox-art-causes-controversy-wake-ferguson-shooting/

• Soldier Cops Aren't So Fun Now, Video Games

  Luke Plunkett - http://kotaku.com/soldier-cops-are-giving-games-like-battlefield-an-image-1620511782

• Battlefield Hardline Review - IGN

  Brian Albert - http://uk.ign.com/articles/2015/03/17/battlefield-hardline-review
• Battlefield: Hardline review | TrustedReviews
• Stuart Andrews - http://www.trustedreviews.com/battlefield-hardline-review

• Battlefield 1: is it wrong to set a war game in the trenches of the first world war?

  Alex Hern - https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/may/12/battlefield-war-game-first-world-war

• Battlefield: Hardline – is it a problem to play war as a cop?

  https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/24/battlefield-hardline-problem-play-war-cop

• Connecticut school massacre: Adam Lanza 'spent hours playing Call Of Duty’

  Barney Henderson - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/9752141/Connecticut-school-massacre-Adam-Lanza-spent-hours-playing-Call-Of-Duty.html

• Report links violent media, mental health and guns to mass shootings

  By Truman Lewis A former reporter and bureau chief for broadcast outlets and magazines, Truman Lewis has covered presidential campaigns, state politics and stories ranging from organized crime to environmental protection.  Read Full Bio→Email Truman Lewis  Phone: 866-773-0221Google+ - https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/report-links-violent-media-mental-health-and-guns-to-mass-shootings-021413.html
• http://www.thefreeradical.ca/research/Effect_of_video_game_violence.pdf

• So what DO violent video games do to a child's brain? Psychologist explains how gun-filled games make kids think it is ok to be aggressive

  Brad Conversation - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3709666/So-violent-video-games-child-s-brain-Psychologist-explains-gun-filled-games-make-kids-think-ok-aggressive.html
• https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Bruce_Bartholow/publication/222302681_Chronic_violent_video_game_exposure_and_desensitization_to_violence_Behavioral_and_event-related_brain_potential_data/links/0fcfd512398acc2a17000000.pdf
• http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/11/21/are-video-games-actually-desensitizing-us-to-violence/
• http://www.public.iastate.edu/~nscentral/news/06/jul/desensitized.shtml
• Are Video Games Actually Desensitizing Us To Violence?
• http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/11/21/are-video-games-actually-desensitizing-us-to-violence/
• Keith Vaz urges tighter controls on violent video games
• Keith Stuart - https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2012/may/03/keith-vaz-controls-violent-video-games

• Video games are not making us more violent, study shows
• Keith Stuart - https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/nov/10/video-games-violent-study-finds

• Violent video games research: consensus or confusion? | Pete Etchells & Chris Chambers

  Pete Etchells-Chris Chambers - https://www.theguardian.com/science/head-quarters/2014/oct/10/violent-video-games-research-consensus-or-confusion

• What is the link between violent video games and aggression? | Pete Etchells

  Pete Etchells - https://www.theguardian.com/science/head-quarters/2013/sep/19/neuroscience-psychology
• Cage, F., Dance, G., & Chen, G. (2013). Violence and guns in best-selling video games – interactive. Retrieved December 06, 2016, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/apr/30/violence-guns-best-selling-video-games
• Violent Video Games: Specific Effects of Violent Content on Aggressive Thoughts and Behavior. (n.d.). http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0065260104360041

• Media Psychology. (n.d.).
• http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/S1532785XMEP0801_4

• Media violence and children: A complete guide for parents and professionals. (2004). Choice Reviews Online, 42(01). doi:10.5860/choice.42-0622

Moving Texts

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztZDVr3mZzg
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEaOBQkh7PI

Books Cited

• Cantor, J. (2009). Grand theft childhood: The surprising truth about violent video games and what parents can do - by Lawrence Kutner & Cheryl Olson. Journal of Communication, 59(1), 199-200. doi:10.1111/j.1460-2466.2008.01411_8.x

• Carlsen, R., & Willis, D. A. (2007). Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference annual: March 26-30, San Antonio, Texas, USA. Chesapeake, Va: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education.

• Ferguson, C. J. (2007). The Good, The Bad and the Ugly: A Meta-analytic Review of Positive and Negative Effects of Violent Video Games. Psychiatric Quarterly, 78(4), 309-316. doi:10.1007/s11126-007-9056-9

• Grossman, D., & DeGaetano, G. (2014). Stop teaching our kids to kill: A call to action against TV, movie, and video game violence. New York: Harmony Books.

• Happ, C., & Melzer, A. (2014). Empathy and violent video games: Aggression and prosocial behavior. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

• Nakaya, A. C. (2014). Thinking Critically: Video games and violence. San Diego: ReferencePoint Press.

• Netzley, P. D. (2015). Video games, violence, and crime. San Diego, CA: ReferencePoint Press.

• Rogers, R. (2016). How video games impact players: The pitfalls and benefits of a gaming society. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.

• Taller, T. (2002). Research on the effects of media violence. Vancouver, B.C.: British Columbia Film Classification.

Media Magazine

• MM40 Page 16 Play, Pleasure, Panics

Task 1: Textual Analysis

Source for scenes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZoqYMfoQ6o 

Time : 1:52:44

Key Areas

This is scene is an important part in the conclusion to the Hardline Story Mode. This would be because it would present Nick Mendoza in a state of power against the Captain Dawes. This would be important because of the trust in power that was represented in the game that shows a corrupt police force that had put Nick Mendoza in prison in the first place. This would be important to the story because it would also present a change of character as Nick Mendoza has grown to become cold hearted rather than the morally right character he was once seen as during the beginning of the story.

Issues and debates 
Regulation and censorship: This would be a debate that would revolve around this final scene because it features the glorification of Captain Dawes Death. This would link with the investigation since the scene of his death tends to be off camera shots if this game had a lower age rating. However since the game is rated with a PEGI 18, then this means that this violence would be seen as normal or considered what is a part of an 18 game since a majority of 18 games that are among the genre of FPS games would generally emphasise on violence. As well as that video games that would also highlight this sort of content tends to be regulated by stores. This does spring up whether a younger audience can or can't view this scene. This would be because of how frequent the releases are of FPS games that it might consider that the audience are desensitised to the content which could suggest the medium shot of Captain Dawes' dead body. As well as that there is also use of a close up upon shot once Nick Fires the gun which could also present how firearms would make it seem like a weapon that highlights power.

Media Effects: This may not have as big of an impact as traumatising since players generally play Battlefield Hardline for the Multiplayer. This could highlight the effects that this would have as players may spend hours of playtime to compete and feel a sense of achievement as they rank up since there is that feeling of ranking up. However this violence isn't rewarded i the Multiplayer as the Story Mode would reward players for arresting warrants to rank them up suggesting that killing isn't a rewarding way. This does end up going against previous instalments that would reward players for killing enemies. However since this is the only Cops V Robbers themed game in the franchise, it could be excused. 

Theories
One of the main theories that would always be negated by this would be the hypodermic syringe model. This model would suggest that players would become more aggressively violent and become killers after playing shooters such as Hardline. I would mainly disagree that it could influence them to a life of crime. This would be because this game could offer a sense of escapism. This would be because they get to play through chaotic battles that would also present how they play. 

48:07

Key Areas

This is a scene that would also be considered important to the audience because it would present the reasoning for Nick Memdoza's arrest. In this case it would highlight the corruption. However unlike the previous scene that puts Nick Mendoza in a strong position, instead he is placed in the weaker position. This would be highlighted with the contrast being shown with Nick Mendoza being seen as the oppressor in one scene however it is slowly changed in the next with the change of power. The use of iconography with the gun can also present power as guns wielded by the user is seen as the one in the stronger field. This would because of the choice of medium shots throughout. It highlights the weather which reflects the tone of the scene as a dark scene of betrayal.

Regulation and censorship: This would be a debate that would revolve around this scene because it features the use of a firearm as a strong weapon to oppress against others that are unarmed. This would link with the investigation since the scene of his arrest that would demonstrate betrayal tends to be off camera shots if this game had a lower age rating. However since the game is rated with a PEGI 18, then this means that this violence would be seen as normal or considered what is a part of an 18 game since a majority of 18 games that are among the genre of FPS games would generally emphasise on violence. As well as that video games that would also highlight this sort of content tends to be regulated by stores. This does spring up whether a younger audience can or can't view this scene. This would be because of how frequent the releases are of FPS games that it might consider that the audience are desensitised to the content which could suggest the medium shot of Captain Dawes' dead body. As well as that there is also use of a close up upon shot once Nick Fires the gun which could also present how firearms would make it seem like a weapon that highlights power. 

Media Effects: This may not have as big of an impact as traumatising since players generally play Battlefield Hardline for the Multiplayer. However this violence isn't rewarded in the Multiplayer as the Story Mode would reward players for arresting warrants to rank them up suggesting that killing isn't a rewarding way. This does end up going against previous instalments that would reward players for killing enemies. However since this is the only Cops V Robbers themed game in the franchise, it could be excused. 

Theories
One of the main theories that would always be negated by this would be the hypodermic syringe model. This model would suggest that players would become more aggressively violent and become killers after playing shooters such as Hardline. I would mainly disagree that it could influence them to a life of crime. This would be because this game could offer a sense of escapism. This would be because they get to play through chaotic battles that would also present how they play. 

Notes and Quotes V2

Sales

1.http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-very-happy-with-battlefield-hardline-sales/1100-6427131/

This article talks about how the publishers of the game are pleased with the sales that Battlefield Hardline has gained. This does go against the negative views that the game has since the Battlefield franchise is known for simulating wars.

2. http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Battlefield-Hardline-Bad-Idea-DICE-Said-2011-64729.html

This article talks about how annual releases may harm the reputation that Battlefield may have. This is because competitors such as Call of Duty would have annual releases that harm the creative freedom as there wouldn't be much of a break to introduce a fresh new game for their fans. Over the past, Battlefield had released instalments every 3 years. However, Hardline was released one year later which had fans disappointed as some of them had called it a "reskin" or that "it should've been DLC". Also, the game wasn't a big departure as it had played similarly and the variety of weapons for players to choose from wasn't so different from its predecessor Battlefield 4.

3. http://metro.co.uk/2015/03/23/battlefield-hardline-takes-arresting-lead-in-uk-sales-charts-5116403/

This article talks about the sales that Hardline had in the UK as it had one of the highest sales in March 2015.

Controversy

4. http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-hardline-how-real-world-police-controv/1100-6425198/

5. http://www.craveonline.com/entertainment/797623-battlefield-hardline-trailerbox-art-causes-controversy-wake-ferguson-shooting/

6. http://kotaku.com/soldier-cops-are-giving-games-like-battlefield-an-image-1620511782

Reviews

7. http://uk.ign.com/articles/2015/03/17/battlefield-hardline-review

8. http://www.trustedreviews.com/battlefield-hardline-review

9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztZDVr3mZzg 

10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEaOBQkh7PI

The first two are reviews done by businesses which have praised the game and have rated it 8/10. However, the third review is from the perspective of a fan named "AngryJoe". He is known for his trustworthy reviews as his reviews are from the perspective of a gamer who understands the values of games to a consumer. The same applies with TotalBiscuit who both share similar opinions on the game. This could dictate those big outlets such as IGN could be paid by EA to give a good review as this aligns with the two-step flow theory.

Any other articles related to Gun Violence

11. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jan/11/joe-biden-games-companies-gun-control

12. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/may/12/battlefield-war-game-first-world-war

13. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/24/battlefield-hardline-problem-play-war-cop

“So this is the problem. Battlefield: Hardline is a war game reskinned as a cops-and-robbers fantasy: the criminals are action-movie caricatures (they rob banks by blowing holes in the walls and steal sports cars to joyride around the city) and the cops are equally gung-ho.”

14. http://pss.sagepub.com/content/12/5/353.short

15. http://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/44913637/The_costs_of_gun_violence_against_childr20160420-21290-13u4mtc.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ56TQJRTWSMTNPEA&Expires=1476441977&Signature=8P7Ye1OZ5rTeho6%2F602%2Fi3GOrd8%3D&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3DThe_costs_of_gun_violence_against_childr.pdf#page=75

“Guns are deeply embedded in American society. Indeed, many people around the world perceive the gun as one of America’s primary cultural icons”

The beginning of this article talks about how iconic guns have become iconic in American culture. However this would talk about the negative impacts that they would have on a younger audience. However younger audiences tend to want content that they aren’t allowed access to. 

“Playing these video games allows young people to practice violence—often gun violence—in ways television does not.”

This quote would also present how gun violence in video games are also seen as bad. I would partially agree with the statement. However I mostly disagree. In my opinion I see it as a form of diversion from real life. This would be because it would immerse the players into the action.

“By the end of the Vietnam War, the military human target hit rate jumped to 95%”

This has talked about how during the time, the military would use simulations that are similar to video games to try and increase their accuracy with firearms. The page had also stated that pilots would also use simulations similar to videogames. As well as that there is also the different sorts of areas that might also look into the different sorts of areas that might also be included.

16. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.547.2832&rep=rep1&type=pdf

“That is, the person playing the game behaves aggressively and is rewarded (with points, sound effects, access to new levels of the game, etc.) for doing so.”

Although this article does look into the violence, this has also looked into how the game would simulate violence from the perspective of the player. They play as the character and go out guns blazing as this would simulate violence. However the acts of gun violence would also look into it as it would also have a positive view on gun violence as it is seen as playful.

17. http://www.csus.edu/faculty/m/fred.molitor/docs/video%20games%20and%20bullying.pdf

This would have key notes that can link into other articles since they have been mentioned 

"Our results suggest that the association between violent

video games and aggression related outcomes in children,

even those with clinically elevated mental health symptoms,

may be minimal. Our research contributes to the field

of youth and media by providing evidence that a timely,

policy-relevant, and seemingly reasonable hypothesis—

that mentally vulnerable children may be particularly

influenced by violent video games—does not appear to be

well supported. However, more research on this population,

and on others likely to be at increased risk (such as

children exposed to violence in their homes or neighborhoods),

is needed to guide parents, health professionals and

policymakers. It may be valuable for future researchers to

consider alternate models of youth’s media use, particularly

those that focus on motivational models in which

users, rather than content, drive experiences. Content-based

theoretical models do not appear to be sufficient for a

sophisticated understanding of media use and effects".

"The tragic 2012 shooting of young children in Newtown, Connecticut by a 20-year-old male reportedly fond of playing violent video games put the issue back on the front burner (Gun Violence Prevention Task Force 2013). The consensus from the government (e.g., Gun Violence Prevention Task Force 2013) seems to have been that current research does not consistently link exposure to video game violence with aggression or societal violence"

"In the current study, we used Entertainment Software

Ratings Board (ESRB) video game ratings as an estimate

of exposure to violence in video games. Respondents were

asked to write the names of five video games that they had

‘‘played a lot’’ in the past 6 months. ESRB ratings were

then obtained for each game, and ordinally coded (a

maximal score of 5 for ‘‘Mature,’’ 4 for ‘‘Teen,’’ etc.). The

sample reported mean was 29.97 and standard deviation

was 30.09."

This looks into the ESRB age ratings and what a gamer would generally play. It appears to have a high average which can suggest that there are a huge majority of players that would play mature content. 

"These theoretical approaches have in common

the value of taking the user experience as a primary driving

factor of the relationship between the user and media,

rather than presuming that content drives the relationship.

In the typical ‘‘hypodermic needle model’’ of media

effects"

18. http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/jc47.2005/KillBill/text.html

19. https://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/media-magazine/articles/15902 

20. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B0i5diL3vrEiSGxRNHIyZmM4Ums - MM40 Page 16

This looks into the Violence that is presented in video games. 

“Violence which has led to bans and restrictions which would restrict sales”

21. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B0i5diL3vrEiSGxRNHIyZmM4Ums - MM 47 Page 55

This would look into GTA and investigate the marketing that would take in motion. This looks into the teases to the distribution and how they would tease their game. Yearly breaks that would look into how it is teased a year beforehand to generate hype for the videogame so that fans are eager to preorder. 

22. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/9752141/Connecticut-school-massacre-Adam-Lanza-spent-hours-playing-Call-Of-Duty.html

23. https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/report-links-violent-media-mental-health-and-guns-to-mass-shootings-021413.html

"The NSF report examines exposure to violent media, including video games, movies, television, apps, music and comic books. Violent video games increase aggressive thoughts and behavior, angry feelings and physiological arousal, and decrease helping behavior and feelings of empathy for others, according to the report". 

24. http://www.thefreeradical.ca/research/Effect_of_video_game_violence.pdf

" Several features of violent video games suggest that they may have even more pronounced eVects on users than violent TV programs and Wlms. Violent video game players are more actively involved, more likely to identify with violent characters, more directly reinforced for violent acts, and more frequently exposed to violent scenes. In the past, the level of realism in video game images might have reduced their ability to create physiological desensitization. But recent technological advances have removed this obstacle from video games. Consequently, desensitization and decreases in helping might well progress more quickly and eYciently in violent video game players than in violent TV/Wlm viewers. Future research should investigate how these diferences between types of entertainment media inXuence desensitization to real violence. Future research also should investigate who is most likely to become desensitized as a result of exposure to violent video games".

This could suggest that the audiences of violent content like video games have become desensitised. This could suggest that they are used to seeing violence and their behaviour to real violence which could also argue how this content could have a negative impact. I would agree that it makes an audience desensitised to violence. 

25. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3709666/So-violent-video-games-child-s-brain-Psychologist-explains-gun-filled-games-make-kids-think-ok-aggressive.html

"For decades, both therapists and researchers have argued that observing violence increases the likelihood of a child being aggressive, whether they observe it at home or school".

From this, I would argue against this comment. Although this comes from research, this would argue that video games are being seen as a possible outcome. As well as that the research suggested that this would also make players look like they are easily manipulated by the audience. I would argue against this because gamers aren't all going to behave in a violent manner after exposure to violent content. If this was the case then video games that are mass advertised shouldn't be presented to the public if they have a negative impact on the audience. This would suggest that the audience of violent video games are like the Hypodermic Needle Syringe as it would suggest that video games have a passive audience that are prone to violence by replicating what has been done.   

26. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Bruce_Bartholow/publication/222302681_Chronic_violent_video_game_exposure_and_desensitization_to_violence_Behavioral_and_event-related_brain_potential_data/links/0fcfd512398acc2a17000000.pdf

"Previous research has shown that playing violent video games increases aggressive behaviour and decreases helping behaviour".

"One possible explanation for these effects is that people become desensitized to violence after prolonged exposure to it, leading to reduction of normal inhibitions against aggression and making individuals less responsive to the pain and suffering experienced by victims of violence"

This would also reinforce the idea that video game players would be desensitised to violent content to video games. In this case it would also argue that gamers won’t feel sympathy. This could argue as to how players are used to watching violent content to the extent that they are used to watching violence in video games. This could extend to the point where gruesome content in which the content is displayed for the audience wouldn’t give them an emotional engagement.

27. http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/11/21/are-video-games-actually-desensitizing-us-to-violence/

“The top 5 selling games in the UK in 2013 are further proof that this trend is global, with 4 of the top 5 being from the action and/or shooter genre.(4) Atop that list is the latest instalment from the ever-popular Grand Theft Auto series a franchise synonymous for gratuitous violence, sexuality and mature themes -as evidenced by its M for Mature rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)”.

“A 2011 study out of the University of Missouri-Columbia looked at the long recognized belief held by many scientists that playing violent video games can cause players to become more aggressive in their daily life. The study involved 70 young adult participants who were randomly assigned to play a violent or non-violent video game for 25 minutes. The researchers then measured brain responses as they showed the participants a series of neutral and violent photos. The final stage allowed the participants to compete against an opponent in a controllable task that allowed them to choose how aggressively they would blast their opponent with sound. Researchers found that those who played a violent video game were more aggressive in their blast by comparison to those who played a non-violent game.(5)”

“Another study in the publication Social Psychological and Personality Science, found that aggression triggered by video games can last for up to 24 hours after the game is played -if the player continues to think about the game”

28. http://www.public.iastate.edu/~nscentral/news/06/jul/desensitized.shtml

“When viewing real violence, participants who had played a violent video game experienced skin response measurements significantly lower than those who had played a non-violent video game. The participants in the violent video game group also had lower heart rates while viewing the real-life violence compared to the nonviolent video game group.

"The results demonstrate that playing violent video games, even for just 20 minutes, can cause people to become less physiologically aroused by real violence," said Carnagey. "Participants randomly assigned to play a violent video game had relatively lower heart rates and galvanic skin responses while watching footage of people being beaten, stabbed and shot than did those randomly assigned to play nonviolent video games.

"It appears that individuals who play violent video games habituate or 'get used to' all the violence and eventually become physiologically numb to it."

Participants in the violent versus non-violent games conditions did not differ in heart rate or skin response at the beginning of the study, or immediately after playing their assigned game. However, their physiological reactions to the scenes of real violence did differ significantly, a result of having just played a violent or a non-violent game. The researchers also controlled for trait aggression and preference for violent video games”.

“They conclude that the existing video game rating system, the content of much entertainment media, and the marketing of those media combine to produce "a powerful desensitization intervention on a global level."

"It (marketing of video game media) initially is packaged in ways that are not too threatening, with cute cartoon-like characters, a total absence of blood and gore, and other features that make the overall experience a pleasant one," said Anderson. "That arouses positive emotional reactions that are incongruent with normal negative reactions to violence. Older children consume increasingly threatening and realistic violence, but the increases are gradual and always in a way that is fun.

"In short, the modern entertainment media landscape could accurately be described as an effective systematic violence desensitization tool," he said. "Whether modern societies want this to continue is largely a public policy question, not an exclusively scientific one"

Books

·        Stop Teaching Our Kids to Kill: A Call to Action Against Tv, Movie, and Video Game Violence

“And that root cause is the steady diet of violent entertainment our kids see on TV, in movies, and in the video games that they play - as they sit in front of their screens and digital devices for forty hours each week. This amount of continuous exposure to gratious violent images sensationalizing murder, rape, and torture is neither benign nor cathartic. The fact is that media violence primes children to see killing as acceptable”

“It’s abnormal for a civilized society to teach kids to kill people. And it’s certainly not normal for so many kids to want to kill, harm, bully, or hurt others as they do today”.

·        Journal of Experimental Social Psychology - Bruce D. Bartholowa, Craig A. Anderson

Volume 38, Issue 3, May 2002, Pages 283–290

“Evidence of the effects of playing violent video games on subsequent aggression has been mixed. This study examined how playing a violent video game affected levels of aggression displayed in a laboratory. A total of 43 undergraduate students (22 men and 21 women) were randomly assigned to play either a violent (Mortal Kombat) or nonviolent (PGA Tournament Golf) video game for 10 min. Then they competed with a confederate in a reaction time task that allowed for provocation and retaliation. Punishment levels set by participants for their opponents served as the measure of aggression. The results confirmed our hypothesis that playing the violent game would result in more aggression than would playing the nonviolent game. In addition, a Game × Sex interaction showed that this effect was larger for men than for women. Findings are discussed in light of potential differences in aggressive style between men and women”.

“The game was played in two phases. During Phase 1, the participant was informed that before each trial, the opponent would set the duration and intensity of punishment that he or she would receive for responding more slowly. During Phase 2, the roles were reversed; the participant was told that before each trial, he or she could now set the duration and intensity of punishment for the opponent when that person responded more slowly. Note that because the game ended after this phase was completed, the participant could retaliate for the punishment that he or she received from the opponent during Phase 1 without fearing any retaliation by that opponent. The severity of punishment that each participant set for his or her opponent prior to each of the 25 trials during Phase 2 (retaliation) was our measure of aggressive behavior. This and similar measures have been shown to be valid indices of aggression (Giancola & Zeichner, 1995; see also Anderson & Bushman, 1997; Anderson, Lindsay, & Bushman, 1999; Carlson, Marcus-Newhall, & Miller, 1989).”

·        Media Violence and Children: A Complete Guide for Parents and Professionals: A Complete Guide for Parents and Professionals - Douglas A. Gentile

All quotes have been taken from Chapter 7 which focuses on the topic in detail

Page 132

“Recent content analyses Violent Video Games: The Newest Media Violence Hazard 133 of video games show that as many as 89 percent of games contain some violent content (Children Now, 2001), and that about half of the games include violent content toward other game characters that would result in serious injuries or death (Children Now, 2001; Dietz, 1998; Dill, Gentile, Richter, & Dill, 2001). Many children prefer to play violent games. Of course, what constitutes a "violent" game varies depending upon who is classifying them. The video game industry and its ratings board (Entertainment Software Rating Board) claim to see much less violence in their games than do parents (Walsh & Gentile, 2001) and other researchers (Thompson & Haninger, 2001). Even within the research community there is some inconsistency in definition of what constitutes a violent video game. Generally, however, researchers consider as "violent" those games in which the player can harm other characters in the game. In many popular video games, harming other characters is the main activity. It is these games, in which killing occurs at a high rate, that are of most concern to media violence researchers, child advocacy groups, and parents. (See Appendix A for recent recommendations regarding features of violent video games.) In studies of fourth through eighth grade children, more than half of the children state preferences for games in which the main action is predominantly human violence or fantasy violence (Buchman & Funk, 1996; Funk, 1993). In surveys of children and their parents, about two-thirds of children named violent games as their favorites. Only about one-third of parents were able to correctly name their child's favorite game, and in 70 percent of the incorrect matches, children described their favorite game as violent (Funk, Hagan, & Schimming, 1999). A preference for violent games has been linked with hostile attribution biases, increased arguments with teachers, lower self-perceptions of behavioral conduct, and increased physical fights (Bushman & Anderson, 2002; Funk, Buchman, & Germann, 2000; Lynch, Gentile, Olson, & van Brederode, 2001).”

Page 135

“1. Identification with an aggressor increases imitation of the aggressor. It is known from research on violent television that children will imitate aggressive actions more readily if they identify with an aggressive character in some way. On television, it is hard to predict with which characters, if any, a person will identify. One might identify most closely with the victim, in which case the viewer would be less likely to be aggressive after watching. In many violent video games, however, one is required to take the point of view of one particular character. This is most noticeable in "first-person shooter" games, in which the players "see" what their character would see as if they were inside the video game. Thus, the player is forced to identify with a violent character. In fact, in many games, players have a choice of characters to play and can upload photographs of their faces onto their character. This identification with the aggressive character is likely to increase the likelihood of imitating the aggressive acts. 2. Active participation increases learning. Research on learning shows that when one becomes actively involved in something, one learns much more than if one only watches it. This is one reason computer technology in the classroom has been considered to be educationally beneficial. Educational video games are theorized to be effective partly because they require active participation. With regard to violent entertainment, viewers of violent content on television are passive observers of the aggressive acts. In contrast, violent video games by their very nature require active participation in the violent acts. 3. Practicing an entire behavioral sequence is more effective than practicing only a part. If one wanted to learn how to kill someone, one would quickly realize that there are many steps involved. At a minimum, one needs to decide whom to kill, get a weapon, get ammunition, load the weapon, stalk the victim, aim the weapon, and pull the trigger. It is rare for television shows or movies to display all of these steps. Yet, violent video games regularly require players to practice each of these steps repeatedly. This helps teach the necessary steps to commit a successful act of aggression. In fact, some video games are so successful at training whole sequences of aggressive behaviors that the U.S. Army has licensed them to train their forces.”

Page 144

“The evidence reveals that violent video games can have negative consequences. The research literature is presently too small to allow sensitive tests of potential moderator effects (moderator variables can enhance or diminish other effects). Such effects, essentially interactions between exposure to video game violence and moderating variables (e.g., sex, age), require very large samples for adequate tests, and this research literature is simply too small. In fact, Anderson and Bushman (2001) reported finding no statistically significant evidence of sex or age moderator effects. Nonetheless, there are theoretical and empirical reasons to expect some groups to be somewhat more susceptible to violent video game effects than others, though there is no valid reason to expect any particular group to be totally immune. Funk and her colleagues (Funk, 2001, 2003; Funk & Buchman, 1996; Funk, Buchman, & Germann, 2000) have described how many of the effects of video game play could be enhanced by other risk factors. These include player sex, age, status as bullies or victims of bullies, children with poor social problem- 144 Media Violence and Children Figure 7.2 Relation between Year of Study and Size of Effect of Video Game-Playing Habits on Aggressive Behavior: Correlational Studies 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 Effect Size (r) 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 Year y = 0.011x - 21.020 r = 0.738 solving skills, and children with poor emotion regulation abilities. To this list we would add children who are generally more hostile in personality, who have a history of aggressive behavior, or whose parents do not monitor or limit their video game play”.

·        Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games and What Parents Can Do - Lawrence Kutner, Cheryl Olson

Page 8

“It’s unlikely that Harris and Klebold’s interest in violent video games or other violent media played any significant role in their actions. An FBI investigation concluded that Klebold was significantly depressed and suicidal and Harris was a sociopath”

Youth violence decreased significantly over the last decade. You are more likely to be struck and killed by lightning than to di in a school shooting.  

Video game popularity and real world youth violence have been moving in opposite directions. Violent juvenile crime in the US reached a peak in 1993 and has declined ever since. School violence has also gone down.  Between 1994 and 2001, arrests for murder, forcible rape, robbery and Aggravated assaults fell 44% resulting in the lowest juvenile arrest rate for violent crimes. Since 1983. Murder arrests which reached a high of 3,800 in 1993 plummeted to 1,400 by 2001”

“

This can preasent the correlation that violent content and violence in real life would have. This would mainly be because of how video games would offer a form of escapism. This can thereore reinforce the hypodermic needle in the sense that this form of media reflects an alternate way to enjoy violence which could suggest why we should be concerned about the increase in violent graphic content and how poeople have become desensitised. However it does offer its perks in the sense that there are less violent crimes being comitted. This could be because as previosly mentioned that violent content especially videom games would offer an alternate which wouldn’t have as much consequence as real life.

·        The Good, The Bad and the Ugly: A Meta-analytic Review of Positive and Negative Effects of Violent Video Games - Christopher John Ferguson

“At the time that this article is being written the mass-homicide at Virginia Tech University in which Seung Hui Cho killed 32 students and faculty, and wounded many more is but a few months old. Not surprisingly, as with the Columbine shooting in 1999 [1], news media have indulged in speculation that video game playing may be involved in the etiology of C. J. Ferguson (&) Department of Behavioral, Applied Sciences and Criminal Justice, Texas A&M International University, Laredo, TX 78045, USA e-mail: CJFerguson1111@Aol.com 123 Psychiatr Q (2007) 78:309–316 DOI 10.1007/s11126-007-9056-9 this shooting although information about the shooter has thus far not supported a substantial link [2]. It is not hard to ‘‘link’’ video game playing with violent acts if one wishes to do so, as one video game playing prevalence study indicated that 98.7% of adolescents play video games to some degree [3] with boys playing more hours and more violent games than girls”.

“However is it possible that a behavior with such a high base rate (i.e. video game playing) is useful in explaining a behavior with a very low base rate (i.e. school shootings)? Put another way, can an almost universal behavior truly predict a rare behavior? This paper concerns itself with issues related to playing of violent video games. Namely, has the accumulated research evidence provided evidence that exposure to violent video games causes or is otherwise predictive of aggressive behavior? Is it possible also that exposure to violent video games specifically may be associated with positive developments, such as increases in visuospatial cognition? It is the goal of this paper to examine the overall impact of violent video games, positive and negative, in order to help guide the discussion of violent games in relation to aggression, crime and cognitive development. Despite the intensity of the debate, research on the relationship between video game violence and aggression (most studies do not consider violent crime specifically) have produced mixed findings. Some articles find a relationship, either causal or correlational between video game violence and aggression [4–6] whereas others do not [7–9]. Examining one of the most cited studies a bit closer provides some illumination of the ambiguity of this research area. Anderson and Dill [6] claim to offer causal evidence for the video game—aggression link”.