Podcast on types of gamers and behaviors pt.1
Podcast on types of gamers and behaviors pt.2
TED conference of how video games affect the brain
In the podcast above, types of games, gamers, and how said games affect each type of player are talked about. Mental disorders connecting players to the types of games they play are also mentioned. The speaker notes that with each type of game, different behaviors correlate, and this especially resonates with violent video games. However, there are a lot of benefits that come with playing these types of games. For example, in the TED conference video linked above, Daphne Bavelier goes on to explain that people who played aggressive video games (Call of Duty was the main example used) had better eyesight and reaction-based cognitive functions due to the fast-paced environments the games took place in. Players of these games were also noted to be better at multitasking. It is often brought up that video games reduce eye and visual strength because of long exposure to screens, but this is almost always due to irresponsible habits and spending too much time looking at screens. As previously stated, those who enjoy and avidly play more engaging and aggressive or violent video games score better on visual tests and aren’t linked to violent behavior. As stated in a different blog entry, those who play these games show less frustration while completing tasks, which supports the statement that these video games are portrayed as much more harmful than they truly are and can be.
Healthcare Triage – “Video games don’t cause violence”
The link above leads to a video made by Healthcare Triage, who delves into studies testing how (and if) violent video games can affect people negatively.
During the course of the video, Triage notes that Dr. Christopher Ferguson had published a multi-analysis of the studies of violence and video games in 2007, and found substantial evidence of publication bias. He explains that studies that show links between violence and games are more likely to be published, skewing the view of the topic. Triage further explains that video games are linked to aggressive thoughts, not behavior. Moreover, during one of Dr. Ferguson’s tests where a multitude of young adults played different kinds of games and were then set up for tasks made to incite frustration, those who had a history of and continuously played violent video games had fewer hostile feelings and decreased depression during the tests. Triage concludes that it’s also imperative that parents control what games their children are allowed to play, and review ratings and summaries about the games they are providing their children.
NOVA database article link
This study aimed to investigate whether playing violent video games (VVGs) desensitizes players to violence and reduces empathy. A group of 89 young men with minimal prior gaming experience played either a violent or non-violent version of the same game for two weeks. Behavioral and neural responses to pain and violence were assessed using fMRI and rating tasks. The results showed no significant effects of VVGs on empathy ratings or emotional reactivity to violent images, suggesting that VVG play did not reduce participants’ sensitivity to pain or violence. Additionally, fMRI data revealed no substantial changes in brain areas associated with empathy, such as the anterior insula and anterior midcingulate cortex, or in the amygdala when exposed to violent content. Post hoc analyses indicated that the sample did not have unusually high empathy, and the test-retest reliability for behavioral measures was high. Overall, the study provides strong evidence against the claim that VVGs reduce empathy or desensitize players to violence.
This analysis contributes to the ongoing debate on whether VVGs negatively affect players, particularly in terms of inciting violence or reducing empathy. By addressing previous methodological limitations, such as small sample sizes and short-term testing, it offers new insights into the long-term impact of VVG exposure. The study found no significant evidence that playing violent games led to desensitization to violence or reduced empathy toward others, either behaviorally or neurologically. These findings challenge the assumption that VVGs have adverse effects on emotional responses to violence or social behavior. The use of fMRI and rigorous Bayesian analysis strengthens the study’s reliability and suggests that VVGs may not have the harmful impact often claimed by critics. By providing evidence that violent video games do not affect empathy or emotional reactivity in a measurable way, this research helps shift the focus of future studies from concerns over harm to a broader exploration of video games’ potential benefits and diverse effects on players.
The design of my post is supposed to be simplistic but still tie into the themes of video games and the effects they have. Using mainly darker and ‘computer-esque’ colors, I wanted to make it seem more engaging and visually appealing with the baseline of the theme of the article.
If you think my design is cool, you should also see this one!
Whether video games are or aren’t a source of violence for children is a controversial topic. With so much violence that can (and often is) portrayed in games, you’d think that it might negatively affect children, but an argument that they provide an outing and a source of stress relief is an equally opposing counter to this view.
The impacts of violent video games on younger audiences and if they have negative or negligible effects on them.
Are video games really responsible for condoning and inciting violence among younger people?
working thesis: Violent video games are not linked to aggressive and negative effects and behavior, and are therefore not tightly linked to gun violence and shootings.