The media always highlight the negatives about video game violence, saying it has a huge influence on teenage behaviour. Is this fair?

Abstract
This essay looks at how violent video games are portrayed in the media and investigates whether it is fair or not. The debate surrounding video games violence has become far more prominent in recent years, with increasingly violent games being released. The games receive a slating in the media, constant reports into how violent games damage and corrupt young people. Of course, the gamers have a far different opinion, saying they are in control of their actions and that the games do not cause them to be violent in real life. The essay concludes that the media do treat games slightly unfairly. The games do contain appropriate age ratings, so the way forward must be to prevent underage gamers from playing the inappropriate content.

Literature Review
Daily Mail 2005 (Unknown writer) reports that violent video games damage the brains of young people. It stated scientific research conducted with a study in young people showing that violence causes damage to the frontal cortex that is linked to decision making and self control. The Daily Mail 2008 also reports about the game ‘MadWorld’ being released for Nintendo Wii onto a child friendly console. John Beyer 2008 states ‘This game sounds very unsavoury. 'I hope the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) will view this with concern and decide it should not be granted a classification.’ However, gamers themselves disagree. Luigi 2008 states ‘As a fan of Nintendo and Sega from the start, I think that MadWorld is a perfectly acceptable game and I'm positive that thousands of people share this opinion. ‘He continues: ‘Games are rated for a reason and if parents think a game is violent, they shouldn't buy it for their children.’
Robertson2007 writes: ‘If you're spending a lot of time with a game, it becomes your mental screen-saver, popping up when your brain isn't occupied. What if my screen dreams aren't of something as patently harmless as Puzzle Quest? What if they're of the stealth kills in Manhunt? I know that, if I've spent an entire weekend playing Halo and you stick me behind a crowd of slow-moving tourists, there's a split second when I wish I had my pistol.’
There are numerous opinions on this topic across the gaming industry. Gamers themselves are hugely against the way the media hold video games responsible for violence. Some statistics are used comparing the USA with Japan. DogEater008 2005 says ‘Japan is the biggest game industiral country, but yet, their crime rate relating to violence is much lower than ours (United States)’. Goldtupac 2005 adds more to this by saying ‘Yes people sometimes think that the world and video games is the same or whatever. But i know that video games don’t lead to violence. How? I know how because I have been playing video games since a youngster (5) but i have always been violent because of the way I was raised not how many video games I played. These studies are just false. In no way has video games made me more aggressive toward other people.’
The opinions in this debate range from one extreme to the other. The gamers are very much on the side of the videogames, saying that they have control over their actions and that games do not influence them. However at the other end of the scale we have those such as the media, constantly blaming games for violence.

Research Methodology
The data in this essay will be collected from a number of sources both across the internet as well as books containing information about the media and the ways in which they put a story across. Statistical data will be used to prove how much of an influence video games have on young people. Many opinions will also be put across from people who have an interest in the subject area. The majority of the information I gain will be from a secondary source as it will be taken from the internet or textbooks.

The video games industry has risen to have a huge impact among young people across the planet. Pewresearch (2008) states that ‘half of all teens reported playing a video game "yesterday." Those who play daily typically play for an hour or more.’ This shows how prominent video games have become in young people’s lives over the last decade or so. With many games providing escapism and enjoyment for the players, are some of the more violent games damaging the people that are playing them? The media are always using headlines such as Harding (2009) ‘Violent video games linked to child aggression’ and Daily Mail (2005) ‘Violent video games damages brain’. These headlines are all targeted at parents, trying to discourage them allowing their children to play the violent games. But is this fair? Do videogames actually make children more violent, or is this simply another moral panic from the media? This is certainly a controversial topic, opinions ranging from Daily Mail (2008) ‘Parents horrified as most violent video game ever launched on “family friendly” Wii’ to Geek.com (2007) ‘Violent video games DO NOT cause violent people!’
This essay will investigate the different opinions based around the debate, and will conclude to see if the way in which the media represent violent video games is fair or not.

The media must have a good reason for scrutinizing violent video games. There must be evidence backing up their reports. Large numbers of studies have been carried out investigating any possible link between video games and violence. Daily Mail (2005) states this: ‘Violent TV or video game images can affect the brain even in non-aggressive people, new research has shown.
A study of teenagers found that part of the brain involved in decision-making and self control was impaired by exposure to violent scenes.’
This shows that there is some evidence that video games can damage children’s brains and make them more desensitised to violence. The report continues Daily Mail (2005) ‘Significantly, this did not just apply to those with a history of violent and disruptive behaviour. The same effect was seen in ordinary, well-behaved individuals.’
This shows that there is a case that even un-violent people can become influenced by violent video games. If this is true, it means that the media is correct to negatively portray violent video games as they are dangerous to the well being of the users.
Bennet (2005) writes: ‘Many games are violent. Critics argue they harden players to the task of murder by simulating the killing of hundreds or thousands of opponents in a single game. Grand Theft Auto 3 is criticized, for example, because players can choose to steal a car, pick up a prostitute, have (implied) sex with the prostitute, then kill her and steal her money.’
This again shows how violent video games desensitise their players to murder and violence. If people are playing these games and have not been taught right from wrong, they may think this is acceptable in society. Florida activist Jack Thompson has very strong opinions about violent video games. Benedetti (2007) wrote this in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech shootings: ‘Video games. They were to blame for the dozens dead and wounded. They were behind the bloodiest massacre in U.S. history. Or so Jack Thompson told Fox News and, in the days that followed, would continue to tell anyone who'd listen. ‘
Thompson blamed the game ‘Counter-strike’ for Seung-Hui Cho’s actions, Thompson (2007) ‘"These are real lives. These are real people that are in the ground now because of this game. I have no doubt about it,’ Surely Thompson must have a point, to be so anti-violent video games.

However, the media are so against violent video games, surely such headlines and opinions are blown out of proportion: DailyMail (2005) ‘Violent video games damages brain’ and Thompson (2006) ‘Video game technology is neutral as well. It is the most powerful teaching tool ever created. It can teach life or it can teach death.’ But these viewpoints seem a bit controversial. Is it possible that the media are just creating scapegoats for teenage violence?
The opinion from gamers is very one sided. Garbage (2007) says on violent attacks ‘Nobody can tell you what to do and nobody can make you do things like that. It all comes from you the individual. You know if its right or wrong so you make the choice.’ Even reviewers such as Charlie Brooker state that games will not turn you into a killer yourself. He reviews games for The Guardian and states of the new ‘Call of Duty’ game, ‘Modern Warfare 2’ Brooker (2009) ‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the Citizen Kane of repeatedly shooting people in the face’
‘Don't worry. It won't turn anyone a killer.’
This proves he shares the view that games will not turn people in maniacs who will go out to kill people in reality.
Another argument against the ways in which the media portray violent video games, is the moral panic theory. Cohen (1972) states that ‘a condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests.’
This states that the media use a story to create fear amongst the public, a scapegoat for the problems in society. It could be argued that video games are being made the scapegoat for teenage violence. A recent example can be seen as the swine flu outbreak, which has been over exaggerated by the media.

In conclusion, there is always going to be a huge debate about this topic, as games are becoming more violent. Gamers are always going to have the opinion that they are not affected by the games they play, whereas parents and non-gamers are likely to question the content that their children are playing. Controversial activists such as Jack Thompson are always going to infuriate gamers, but influence the thoughts of parents as they are non-gamers themselves. While it is true that violent video games do give gamers methods of killing people, there are other factors that would drive someone to commit those crimes in reality based on what they had played. What the studies and experiments do show, is that gamers become desensitised to violence, meaning they are less shocked by it. This does not mean they are going to be violent. With more and more violent games being released, it is down to the classifiers to ensure that games are rated appropriately and down to elders to ensure that games are not made available to children if they contain inappropriate material. Whether the way in which the media portray violent video games is fair or not, this will always be a debate. It is their duty to report facts, but there is a fine line to which the facts become an excuse to blame video games for society’s problems. The media should report on how to stop underage gamers from playing content that is deemed inappropriate for them, this is where the main problem lies.

Reference page/Bibliography
Bendetti, W
2007
Were video games to blame for massacre?
[Internet]
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18220228/
[09/11/09]
Bennet, J (2005) “Revision Express Media Studies” 1st edition, Great Britain, page79
Brooker, C
2009
Modern Warfare 2: Just a machine
[Internet]
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/nov/09/modern-warfare-2-game-review
[09/11/09]
Cohen S (1972) “Folk Devils and Moral Panics” 3rd edition, Great Britain, page

Daily Mail
2005
Violent Video games damages brain
[Internet]
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-351962/Violent-video-games-damages-brain.html
[21/10/09]
Daily Mail
2008
Parents horrified as most violent video game ever to launch on 'family friendly' Wii
[Internet]
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1043818/Parents-horrified-violent-video-game-launch-family-friendly-Wii.html
[24/10/09]
Garbage
2007
Those Who Think Video Games Lead To Violence - It really makes me mad...
[Internet]
http://www.trap17.com/index.php/Video-Games-Lead-Violence_t28742.html
[21/10.09]



Geek.com user
2009
"Violent Video-Games DO NOT cause violent people!"
[Internet]
http://www.geek.com/forums/topic/violent-video-games-do-not-cause-violent-people
[24/10/09]
Harding, A
2009
Violent video games linked to child aggression
[Internet]
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/family/11/03/healthmag.violent.video.kids/index.html
[24/10/09]
Pewresearch
2008
Teens, Video Games and Civics
[Internet]
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/953/teens-video-games-and-civics
[21/10/09]
Thompson, J
2007
Were video games to blame for massacre?
[Internet]
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18220228/
[09/11/09]
Thompson, J
2006
Take-Two Lawsuit D'jour
[Internet]
http://gamepolitics.livejournal.com/203053.html?thread=13474861#t13474861
[09/11/09]

Literature Review first draft

Literature Review

Daily Mail 2005 (Unknown writer) reports that violent video games damage the brains of young people. It stated scientific research conducted with a study in young people showing that violence causes damage to the frontal cortex that is linked to decision making and self control. The Daily Mail 2008 also reports about the game ‘MadWorld’ being released for Nintendo Wii onto a child friendly console. John Beyer 2008 states ‘This game sounds very unsavoury. 'I hope the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) will view this with concern and decide it should not be granted a classification.’ However, gamers themselves disagree. Luigi 2008 states ‘As a fan of Nintendo and Sega from the start, I think that MadWorld is a perfectly acceptable game and I'm positive that thousands of people share this opinion. ‘He continues: ‘Games are rated for a reason and if parents think a game is violent, they shouldn't buy it for their children.’

Robertson2007 writes: ‘If you're spending a lot of time with a game, it becomes your mental screen-saver, popping up when your brain isn't occupied. What if my screen dreams aren't of something as patently harmless as Puzzle Quest? What if they're of the stealth kills in Manhunt? I know that, if I've spent an entire weekend playing Halo and you stick me behind a crowd of slow-moving tourists, there's a split second when I wish I had my pistol.’

There are numerous opinions on this topic across the gaming industry. Gamers themselves are hugely against the way the media hold video games responsible for violence. Some statistics are used comparing the USA with Japan. DogEater008 2005 says ‘Japan is the biggest game industiral country, but yet, their crime rate relating to violence is much lower than ours (United States)’. Goldtupac 2005 adds more to this by saying ‘Yes people sometimes think that the world and video games is the same or whatever. But i know that video games don’t lead to violence. How? I know how because I have been playing video games since a youngster (5) but i have always been violent because of the way I was raised not how many video games I played. These studies are just false. In no way has video games made me more aggressive toward other people.’

The opinions in this debate range from one extreme to the other. The gamers are very much on the side of the videogames, saying that they have control over their actions and that games do not influence them. However at the other end of the scale we have those such as the media, constantly blaming games for violence.

VARK Questionnaire

Total number of V's 3
Total number of A's 2
Total number of R's 6
Total number of K's 9

The results of the questionnaire show that I am mainly a kinesthetic learner but also with aspects of read/write. I agree with this as I do find that the best way to learn anything is to practice it hands on and I will strive to do this wherever I can. For example the best way to learn how to use a new piece of software is to be instructed through a written or spoken form and then to try to use the software myself. I find the more involved I am with the learning, the more likely it is to stick. I would not entirely agree with the results as read/write can be a tedious job and sometimes listening to someone telling you the information makes it far easier to digest than reading endless pages of a textbook. Also I do like the use of pictures and graphs as they present the information in more versitile ways, which helps to remember them. So i would argue that I do incorperate all aspects of learning. I also think it is important that I try to focus on one or a couple of types and practice them, as I do sometimes struggle to remember facts and figures for example. I need to be more involved to learn them more easily.

SWOT Analysis

SWOT Analysis


Strengths

• Teamwork
• Keeping deadlines
• Punctual
• Willing to learn
• Good at listening
• Kind etc

Weaknesses

• Self confidence
• Shyness
• Writing essays, reports etc
• Maths

Opportunities

• Learn about a subject I enjoy
• meet new people
• Ultimately gain a degree
• Enhance my skills

Threats

• Tuition fee increases?
  

Learning Line

I can see that my learning started at a very young age. This obviously started with learning to read and write through primary school. The learning gradually became more advanced through secondary school, building on basic skills learnt earlier on. Towards the end of secondary school, I went on work experience, which was a different style of learning all together. This involved a far more practical side of learning, being involved within a business. Then A levels started and learning became far more advanced and far more involved. This is also the time when extra learning became available. I learnt to play the guitar, as well as learnt to drive. Now my learning continues at University and I will continue to learn for the rest of my life.