This presentation is about the effect of video games. It describes how the video game can help and also can create a distorted view towards the world.

1. Video Game and Violence
Debashis Pratim Sarma

2. CONTENTS
• Introduction
• Survey
• Effects
• A Psychological Study
• Conclusion

3. All the time people say to me, “Vlad, how do you do it? How come
you’re so good at killing people? What’s your secret?” I tell them,
“There is no secret. It’s like anything else. Some guys plaster walls,
some guys make shoes, I kill people. You just gotta learn the trade and
practice until you’re good at it.”
THIS FICTITIOUS DIALOGUE (Victar, 1994) was written by a video-game fan to describe the
skills and motivations of a favorite violent video-game character

4. Introduction
The popularity of video games has reached phenomenal proportions.
Video games have become an integral part of the children’s and
adolescents’ lives, with 97% playing for at least one hour per day in United
States. The vast majority of research by psychologists on the effects of
“gaming” has been on its negative impact: the potential harm related to
violence, addiction and depression. Whether violent video games cause
aggression or violent crime has been a source of contention in public and
academic circles. Whether some theories believe that video game has
harmful effect and some other tries to explore the benefits of it.

6. Popularity of Video Games
• According to recent studies, video games are now more popular than
television.
• In recent years, U.S. sales of video games have begun to pass
Hollywood box office revenues.
• There are now thousands of websites dedicated to discussions
regarding specific games. For example. there are sites that have
discussion boards on strategies and updates and tips for gamers.

7. *Data Taken from Software Usability Research Laboratory , Wichita State University

8. ESRB
• The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is the non-profit,
self-regulatory body that assigns ratings for video games and apps so
parents can make informed choices. The ESRB rating system
encompasses guidance about age-appropriateness, content, and
interactive elements.
• i.e. Hitman: Blood Money which has received an M (Mature), Call of
Duty 2 received T (Teen), Madden: 2007 received E (Everyone)

9. Video Game Addiction
• There are two major types of video games and therefore two major types
of video game addictions. Standard video games are generally designed to
be played by a single player and involve a clear goal or mission, such as
rescuing a princess. The addiction in these games is often related to
completing that mission or beating a high score or preset standard.
• The other type of video game addiction is associated with online
multiplayer games. These games are played online with other people and
are especially addictive because they generally have no ending. Gamers
with this type of addiction enjoy creating and temporarily becoming an
online character. They often build relationships with other online players as
an escape from reality. For some, this community may be the place where
they feel they’re the most accepted.

10. Social Learning Theory
• The Social Learning Theory assumes that the mind cannot distinguish
between fantasy and reality, hypothesizing that exposure to violent
media primes the aggressive part of the mind to react more quickly to
stimuli. Thus the viewing of violent video games makes it more likely
that a person will react aggressively in a given situation.

11. The catharsis hypothesis
• The catharsis hypothesis posits that aggression is a natural biological
drive requiring occasional release. aggression may be displaced
through activities such as sports or video games.

12. Mood Management Theory
• The mood management theory suggests that people choose media to
fit their current mood with the goal of improving it. And studies have
shown that people who are depressed or regretful are more likely to
choose violent media.
• Violent games in particular may offer an avenue for exploring feelings
of disappointment, loss of power and control, and helplessness, by
offering circumstances over which the individual can virtually assert
control and power, and accomplish tangible and immediate goals in
the game world

13. Reinforcement
• child playing an aggressive video game may learn that hitting or even
shooting another person is the appropriate response in a conflict
situation, and that this type of aggression is likely to be reinforced

14. World View
• Violent video-game play may also heighten perceptions of the world
as a dangerous place which leads to the formation of a distorted
world view in which violence is considered to be more prevalent than
it actually is.
• In Bryant, Carveth, and Brown’s experiment it was found that to the
short-term exposure to media violence in the lab produced an
increase in anxiety and a concern about personal safety among the
volunteers.

15. Percentage of respondents reporting their frequency of playing games from video games genres.
*Data Taken from Software Usability Research Laboratory , Wichita State University

16. Crime caused by Video game
• Tyrone Spellman: Spellman went apoplectic when his 17-month-old
daughter, Alayiah, accidentally pulled the cords out of the wall. Rather than
ensure the child’s safety or just fix things and move on, Spellman cracked
her skull repeatedly, killing her. He got up to 47 years in prison for the
crime.
• Devin Moore: In June 2003, a teenager named Devin Moore, who was a big
fan of the Grand Theft Auto series, went on a killing spree. He’d been
brought to a police station on suspicion of stealing a car, at which point he
grabbed a gun, shot two officers and a 911 dispatcher, and grabbed a set of
car keys as he made a speedy exit. He drove off in a police cruiser but was
quickly captured. When caught, he reportedly said, Life is like a video
game. Everybody’s got to die sometime

17. Conclusion
Long-term effects of violent video games are still uncertain and are
fiercely debated. No long-term studies have been conducted to date, so
there are only hypotheses. Though long-term effects haven't been
clinically documented, one need only look at the way video game
violence has progressively increased over the past two decades to get a
sense of potential long-term effects. Parents would be wise to monitor
the amount of time their kids spend gaming and watch closely for any
negative effects.

18. Thank
You