This article gives an alternative representation of video games and shows how video games may not actually lead to violence. I could use this article as a counter argument as to whether video games result in violence.
Doctor claims video games 'don't lead to violence'- BBC Newsbeat
Page last updated at 10:05 GMT, Wednesday, 6 October 2010 11:05 UK
Sima Kotecha By Sima Kotecha
Newsbeat US reporter
Saw II: Flesh and Blood creators defend the 18 rated game
This article gives a contrasting view on video games and violence, as "psychologists in the US are warning that people who are depressed, lonely or angry could turn hostile after playing violent video games. Therefore, the article shows how people with different mind sets turn to video games for escapism.
In contrast to the BBC article on the negative effects of video games, this article states that "the study says for the majority the games have no negative effect", which suggests that video games are solely a means for escapism.
In response to the article, many psychologists from The American Psychology Association says they can also help those suffering from things like diabetes or asthma.
Though, the article concludes that violent video games are not solely responsible for violence, as economic and political factors are at hand for such violence in society. Doctor John Ryder, a psychologist in New York, said: "Usually violence begets violence, not watching it on TV or play-acting in a video game."
"There is no reason to assume that doing that will make someone more violent. That is just ridiculous."
Some doctors claim there's too much focus on the negative affects of violent gaming, and in some cases, say games can actually help children combat behavioural problems and illnesses.
Dr John Ryder, who's worked with patients suffering from gaming addiction, agrees with that view.
He thinks violent behaviour can develop when children are raised in an aggressive environment.
The debate about whether video games trigger violence has been going on for years with no definite conclusion. There are psychologists who argue both for and against it.
In some instances, the article reveals how violent games affect those who are mentally vulnerable and suffer from things like depression and mood swings.
Newsbeat's spoken to a 21-year-old gaming addict who realised that playing violent games every day was having a psychological affect.
Doctor Patrick Markey, professor at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, claims an individual's personality determines whether they will be affected.
He conducted a study involving more than 100 teenagers.
Some played violent video games and others played non-violent ones.Red Dead Redemption Red Dead Redemption is violent but, like GTA IV, has an 18 rating.
He assessed their mood and what he calls their hostility and concluded: "Those who are negatively affected have pre-existing dispositions, which make them susceptible to such violent media." Therefore, players with previous problems are more vulnerable to violent video games, which seem to fuel thier anger at a particular meory or issue. Though, a 21-year-old gaming addict admitted that playing violent video games for hours every day was having a psychological effect and that the games have an impact no matter what type of personality a person has.
He said: "You get to a point where shooting from a sniper range becomes boring and you want to play through the whole game only killing everybody with your knife. These video games seem to allow more liberal pluralism, as the players are allowed to subvert from the narrative scenarios and can have the advantage of killing 'for fun'.
"Players can come to the point where they see this as an alternative to real life interaction and if this is their other world, it's pretty bad."
Dr Cheryl Olsen, from Harvard Medical School, conducted a study on youth and video games with a focus on how parents can use them to nurture and teach their children.
She said: "Given that the typical young teenage boy plays violent games, and that the youth crime rate has gone down rather than up, it makes sense that these games are meeting needs. This seemingly reassures the adult audience, as thier concerns into violent video games are seemingly supported through hard evidence.
But not everyone agrees.
One gamer admits that video games endorse violent behaviour and teach ordinary civilians how to perform moves to kill, "Anything that shows stabbing, shooting, kinds of killing, can't teach anything but that."
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