ETHICS FOR THE IT PROFESSIONAL (COMP11001) COURSEWORK

22 July 2010

There is a direct link between violence in computer games and violence in society

Author: Mandy Whyte

Introduction This report will discuss the assertion that there is a direct link between violence in computer games and violence in society.

Using secondary research the report aims to investigate the possibility of a direct link between violence in computer games and violence in society. The research will include analysis of government research, scientific and psychological findings along with case studies that support the argument for and against a direct.

Technology is playing a more important and mainstream role in our lives with video games being seen as an acceptable way to exercise the brain and body. The flipside of pervasive technology is the popularity of video games containing violence and sexual content apparently aimed at the adult market. As the content within these games

continues to push the boundaries of acceptability we must ask ourselves what the impact is on the individual playing.

Each new release of an adult video game brings a new wave of commentary in relation to the content being too violent. This in turn prompts debates on whether this genre of game is responsible for or is a factor in the rise of violence in society.

Gamers who use these violent adrenaline inducing video games argue that adult rated games are purely a form of escapism and would disagree that playing them may potentially unleash dark or flawed areas of their characters.

Historically video games were considered the mainstay of young males.

The

demographic has changed and a more mainstream market for video games has emerged. This is probably due largely to consoles such as the Nintendo Wii and DS whose target market includes both male and female audiences from the very young right through to the retiree.

Sacco (2010) reported that although in decline United Kingdom software sales generated 533m in 2009. This is big business and with more than half of software titles relating to or containing violent content, we should consider what the impact of playing these types of games has on society.

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Video games are rated and clearly categorised by age according to the content they contain using a system put in place by the Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE). The age ratings are intended to guide the purchaser when deciding upon

suitability of game for the intended recipient. The system is supported and implemented by PEGI (Pan-European Game Information) in 2003.

The PEGI system is used throughout most of Europe and is supported by the major gaming hardware manufacturers along with the publishers and developers of video games throughout Europe.

Little (2010) states that the rating on a game confirms that it is suitable for players over a certain age. Accordingly, a PEGI 7 game is only suitable for those aged seven and above and a PEGI 18 game is only suitable for adults aged eighteen and above. The PEGI rating considers the age suitability of a game, not the level of difficulty.

There is no direct link between violence in computer games and violence in society According to video games expert Professor Mark Griffiths there is 'No link between video games and adult violence' reports Barnett (2009). Modern Warfare - Call of Duty is not going to make adults behave more violently. The game, which went on sale in November 2009 is widely criticised for its violent content along with other titles such as Grand Theft Auto, Doom and Resident Evil.

Professor Griffiths of the International Gaming Research Unit in Nottingham claims that the game is not going to cause a change in adults' behaviour. Griffiths (2004) states There is no definitive proof or research to show that violent video games, make adults behave any more violently. Griffiths stresses that parents of young children should not allow them to play any type of violent video game. He asserts that there is a reason why age certifications are in place. He also points out that certain adults who are attracted to games like Call of Duty, are already predisposed toward violence, and seek out media with this type of content matter.

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Kierkegaard (2008) a Ph.D. candidate at the Brain-Computer Interfaces Group, University of Essex wrote in the International Journal of Liability and Scientific Enquiry that there is scant scientific evidence that video games are anything but harmless and do not lead to real world aggression. He also makes a case that the incidence of violent crimes is in fact down, despite increasing sales of aggressive video games. Kierkegaard points out that violent games are growing more realistic with each passing year and many relish their plots of violence and aggression. Nevertheless, questions, Is there any scientific evidence to support the claims that violent games contribute to aggressive and violent behaviour?

From the research undertaken Kierkegaard explains, there is no obvious link between real-world violence statistics and the advent of video games. If anything, he concludes the effect seems to be the exact opposite suggesting that one might argue that video game usage has reduced real violence.

There is a link between violence in computer games and violence in society It is possible that there is a link between violence in computer games and violence in society. Most studies are based on the impact of violent video games on children with little or no research into the subject beyond childhood. Previous studies have failed to prove whether violent games made children violent, or if children predisposed to violence were drawn to this genre of game. Data from three long-term studies in the U.S.A and Japan shows that otherwise well behaved children first played violent games only to become more aggressive months later.

In a paper published in the medical journal Paediatrics, Anderson, C.A., Sakamoto, A., Gentile, D.A., Nobuko, I., Shibuya, A., Yukawa, S., Naito, M., and Kobayashi, K., (2008) found the same effect in all three samples, despite the sharply different relative levels of violence in American and Japanese societies. The study showed that younger children were in fact more affected. The behaviour of children from the USA aged nine to twelve increased in violence and aggression.

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The behaviour of the teenagers in a larger pool of Japanese students aged thirteen to eighteen remained the same. "Playing violent video games is a significant risk factor for later physically aggressive behaviour," concluded the study. "The research strongly suggests reducing the exposure of youth to this risk factor." The extraordinary realism and gratuitous violence in some games certainly seems to contribute to a higher level of competition and aggression. Many games allow the creation of Avatars, which go some way to allow the individual to feel that they really have become part of the game.

A case study of the Columbine High School massacre, which occurred in April 1999, found that there were positive benefits to being able to let off steam.

Block (2007) suggested that some gamers experienced real benefits in being able to process rage in virtual reality and that this rage could manifest itself in real-world violence if not for the virtual reality opportunity to channel. When investigating the Columbine massacre, Block extensively reviewed documents that were in the public domain released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. These included the diaries and schoolwork of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. The writings of Harris, revealed two young men who were victimised, bullied and alienated on a daily basis.

When a teacher asked Harris what was special about him, he wrote about his gaming prowess stating, I know almost everything there is to know about the computer game DOOM. He believed that this separated him from the rest of the world. In later writings he noted, What I cant do in real life, I try to do in DOOM.

In his detailed study, Block weighed the contribution of other at-risk variables such as a poor family environment and psychosis) to the tragedy. Block noted that alienation was the major factor in the boys use of virtual reality as a form of escapism, which helped them to cope with their difficult existence. According to Block, each time Harriss parents banned him from playing video games, he played out his rage instead into realworld violent actions.

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Block discounted the assertion that violent video gaming leads to real-world violence; instead, he asserted that violent content, in itself, is not a threat, but rather the danger lies in abandoning the real world to act out and live in virtual reality. He concluded the case study stating virtual reality is a two-edged sword, on one hand, in moderation, violent gaming can foster a sense of empowerment or serve as a relatively harmless vehicle for aggression, but, on the other hand, in excess, it can be addictive and destructive.

Arguments on Balance It would be very easy to agree that violent video games either do or do not lead to violence in society. On balance, the overall view is that although violent video games in isolation do not lead to violence. However, when used excessively or by gamers who arent emotionally developed the impact can be negative. Kierkegaards evidence is contradictory given the amount of research he has undertaken. On one hand, he tells that there is scant evidence to support the thesis that violent video games lead to violent behaviour. He also reports that incidence of violent crime is down. However, many of the research conclusions read state that video games can lead to juvenile delinquency, fighting at school and violent criminal behaviour such as assault and robbery. Much of the research was undertaken in 1980 when I believe video games would have contained much lower levels of violence. Therefore, if that early research found that violent games had led to the anti social behaviours mentioned then perhaps we can assume escalated levels of violence within games leads to escalation of violence in reality.

Evidence from brain scans carried out while gamers play also seem to support a connection between playing video games and the stimulation of areas of the brain associated with aggression.

There are a plethora of writings that considers the impact of violent media and its impact on society. Conclusions overall tend to support a dystopian view.

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Much of the research material consulted leans toward the view that violent game play leads to violent individuals or at the very least gives potentially violent individuals a distorted view of what is acceptable in society today. There is a huge amount of pro-violence in the majority of the games studies available. Many of the studies it has to be said can hardly be considered impartial as they tend to be funded by the games developers or influenced heavily by the gaming communities.

It is not surprising to read that the supporters of violent video games do not believe that violent games negatively affect them, their communities, or society as a whole. They also dont support the assertion that the violent scenarios they take part in influences their behaviour in reality. Games such as Grand Theft Auto reward the player for acts of violence and anti-social behaviour. On a scale of 1 10 for gratuitous violence, Grand Theft Auto reaches the high end of ten. It is considered to be an extremely violent game which definitely encourages the player to take part in the fantasy by blurring the lines of the virtual and reality for many. Even in a well-balanced human being, we have to consider that there will be negative effects and an increasing acceptance that aggression and antisocial behaviour is par for the course. The desensitisation of violent video game players in relation to violence against women has many serious implications, especially for games like Grand Theft Auto.

During the game, the life of the character being played is replenished by engaging in sexual activities with prostitutes and girlfriends. Additional points are awarded for murdering prostitutes and stealing the money paid to them for their services, which are a shocking aspect of the game, which many purchasers particularly parents buying for underage children may not be aware of.

There are no consequences for illegal and anti-social behaviour in this particular game. If underage gamers are brought up playing games such as Grand Theft Auto they will surely become desensitised and be unaware of the negative associations relating to violence and sexual harassment, perhaps believing these behaviours to be normal and acceptable.

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In research by Dill, Brown and Collins (2007), it was found that violent video games correlate to a short-term higher tolerance of sexual harassment and long-term tolerance of harassment and rape myth acceptance.

Is Censorship the Solution? Should games that fall into the gratuitous and violent content bracket be censored? Many would argue that a ban on this type of game would be for the greater good. Others would liken censorship to the state control imposed by countries such as China where citizens are only able to access a range of media and software content that the government considers appropriate.

I agree that censorship would infringe our democratic rights and freedom to choose. We could also argue that freedom to choose, freedom of speech is not absolute and unlimited, and as a society, certain restrictions have to apply. Plato, in The Republic emphasised the influence of the environment on growing minds and called for rigid control of arts such as music and poetry in education. For Plato, carefully selecting the sorts of stories which young people ought, or ought not to hear from their earliest childhood would produce citizens who honoured the gods, their parents and would know how important it was to love one another. Platos arguments are still relevant today.

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Crime Statistics

The National Statistics Office reports that crime figures are in decline. Many would argue that these figures are not representative, as it is believed that many crimes go unreported. In addition, not all crime is counted due to downgrading or reclassifying certain types of crime.

The British Crime Survey estimated that approximately 10 million crimes were committed against adults living in England and Wales in 2007/08. This represents a fall of 48 per cent compared with a peak in 1995 of around 19.4 million crimes. The number of crimes estimated rose steadily through the 1980s and early 1990s then declined steadily until 2004/05. The level then remained stable between 2004/05 and 2006/07 before declining between 2006/07 and 2007/08.

More than half of offences in 2007/08 involved some kind of acquisitive crime. Vehicle related theft was the most common crime accounting for 15 per cent of all crime. Vandalism accounted for 27 per cent of all crime and violent incidents accounted for more than one-fifth of all crime (21 per cent).
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Fig 1 Crime Figures Decline - Source: British Crime Survey, Home Office; Police recorded crime, Home Office

Published on 15 April 2009

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Market Share Millions of players throughout Europe now enjoy computer and video games. In the UK, 37% of the population aged between 16 and 49 describe themselves as active gamers (defined as currently playing games on a console, handheld or PC). In comparison, in Spain and Finland 28% of the population aged 16 and 49 are defined as active gamers (Nielsen report 2008). While most games (49%) are suitable for players of all ages there are many that are only suitable for older children and young teenagers. There are also some games (4%) that are made for adults only (over the age of 18). Games such as Call of Duty and The World of Warcraft are designed to continue infinitely and are so addictive that they consume the lives of those who participate. We have to consider was this the intention of the programmers? The programmers are simply acting on behalf of their employers although morally they may feel accountable. The games developer definitely intend to take over the lives of their audience in the same way that we may become addicted to watching soaps on television. The games developers are huge businesses that are interested in profit margins, shareholders and outperforming their competitors and therefore the long-term appeal of their products is crucial.

I imagine in the early days of video games, perhaps the games developers underestimated how people would become so involved in their games and what the impact on players real would become. Perhaps one could argue that they may not even be aware that this is possible, simply because they are so caught up in their own hype that they fail to realise the impact it has on their target market.

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Conclusions When we consider the Broken Britain speeches of government, we must consider that the new digital media age may have given way to a culture of aggression, violence, and anti-social behaviour. Certainly, we could deduce that access to distasteful and violent content is creating communities of, more often young men that have little or no respect for themselves or their communities.

From the research available, I believe it is reasonable to conclude that not enough real evidence exists to prove definitively that there is a direct link between violence in society and violence in computer games. The majority of available research considers the impact on children and young adults. Therefore, until the children become adults we may not fully understand the impact of prolonged exposure of gratuitous violence on the human being. When Block discusses the benefits of letting of steam, I am sure there are individuals who benefit from purging themselves of aggression in this way. What we have to consider is the impact on individuals who do not have the intelligence or maturity to simply use a violent game as a means to let of steam. In the case of the Columbine massacre, I agree with Blocks main assertion that violent content itself does not constitute a threat. Other factors play a part, and for many gamers they may already be so disturbed that they are capable of going out and committing heinous crimes regardless of their exposure to violence through video games.

I believe that direct exposure to physical violence inflicted by parents or peers is much more likely to produce violent individuals. Hence Blocks assertion that Harris and Klebold were disturbed and damaged enough by their environment to take the course of action they did with or without the influence of a video game.

Plato had a reasonable point with his idea that art is dangerous, especially in the case of art of a pure entertainment variety. Interestingly enough, computer games provide a compelling illustration of how Plato viewed art as being dangerous.

Many parents who are of a different generation have little knowledge of the technological era. A very real digital divide exists between many parents and children.

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For many the use of the word Game regardless of PEGI ratings lulls them into the belief that what they are buying for their children is just a game.

It is the responsibility of all parents to ensure that their children do not have access to games that contain adult or unsuitable content. This I believe is a normal aspect of good parenting. Eventually the digital divide between the parent and child will narrow as many new parents who are now in their 20s and 30s will have a better understanding of the content of adult rated games.

Summary In summary, it is reasonable to believe that the violence we experience in society today is in fact due to many factors that may include exposure to violent video games. However, the available research evidence supports my view that simply playing violent games does not make for violent individuals and therefore cannot contribute significantly to violence in society.

Violence has always been a feature of society. Before video games, children played games in the playground such as British Bulldog that some would consider violent. Many parents object to buying their children toy guns, as they believe them to be inappropriate toys that encourage violent behaviour. Interestingly when watching children play they will often use their hands or other objects as pretend guns when playing Cowboy and Indian type games.

There are many millions of adults who enjoy playing violent video game. There is no evidence to support the theory that this has made them steal cars, shoot people, or rape and pillage. Perhaps it is more likely that the gaming generation are growing up into adults that have only experienced video games and therefore have not discovered the social skills that real face-toface play brings. Therefore, the problem is down to the isolation and inactivity of gamers rather than the genre of games they are playing.

Recommendations My own view is that the rating system in the UK is out of touch with other forms of media. For instance, movies seem to be allowed to contain more adult themed content than a similar game.

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Parents who allow their children to play genuinely inappropriate games generally fall into two categories. Those who do not understand the nature of the content, and those who do not care about the nature of the content. For the parents who do not understand the nature of the content, some hard-hitting labelling would be helpful perhaps similar to the warning on cigarette packets: "THIS GAME CONTAINS GRAPHIC SCENES OF MURDER AND SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND FEATURES STRONG ABUSIVE LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT".

I believe that parents should play any newly purchased games with their child or at least observe them playing the game for an initial period before deeming the game appropriate.

Games that I consider child-friendly like Indiana Jones, or Ghost Squad for the Nintendo Wii, are rated 16. Films and DVDs of a similar nature are rated 12+ or PG, which is where confusion may arise. There is a disparity across different media. This is unhelpful and leads to confusion, which is why I feel the ratings authority should work with all forms of media to implement a consistent ratings system, which works across the board.

Summary of Recommendations Research that is more conclusive is required A review of the ratings system with parity across all media A need for proper education of parents possibly through government campaigns

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References
Anderson, C.A., Sakamoto, A., Gentile, D.A., Nobuko, I., Shibuya, A., Yukawa, S., Naito, M., and Kobayashi, K., (2008) Longitudinal Effects of Violent Video Games on Aggression in Japan and the United States Pediatrics, 122: e1067 - e1072.

Barnett, E.B. (2009) Modern Warfare 2: 'No link between video games and adult violence'. The Telegraph, 10 November 2009. p2. Block, J. J. (2007). Lessons from Columbine: Virtual and real rage. American Journal of Forensic Psychiatry, 28(2).

Dill, K. E., Brown, B. P., & Collins, M. A. (2007) Effects of Media Stereotypes on Sexual Harassment Judgments and Rape Supportive Attitudes: Popular Video Game Characters, Gender, Violence and Power

Dill, K. E., & Dill, J. C. (2007) Video game violence: A review of the empirical literature, Aggressive and Violent Behaviour, 3, 407-428.

Duquenoy. P., Jones. S., Blundell. B. G. (2008) Ethical, Legal and Professional Issues in Computing

Griffiths, M.D. (2002). The educational benefits of videogames. Education and Health, 20, 47-51.

Home Office. (2009) British Crime Survey. Police recorded crime, Home Office. [Online]. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=1960 [Accessed 07 November 2009].

Home Office. (2009) Crime Figures Decline - British Crime Survey, Police recorded crime. Published on 15 April 2009

Kierkegaard , P.K. (2008) Video Games and Aggression. International Journal of Liability and Scientific Enquiry , Volume 1, Number 4/2008 , 411,417.

Little, S.L. (2010) PEGI Info. PEGI Ratings Explained, [Online]. ind 2, 1,2. Available at: http://www.pegi.info/en/index/id/1068/nid/media/pdf/345.pdf [Accessed 07 July 2010].

McMillan, G., (2008). Nielson Report. The State of the Video Gamer PC Game and Video Game Console Usage Fourth Quarter. Amanda Whyte 14

Sacco, D. (2010) UK games market falls 16% for H1 2010. [Online] Available at: http://www.mcvuk.com/news/39944/Games-market-falls-16-year-on-year [Accessed 14 July 10].

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