Video Games and Violence

“This morning I was reading a news report about CA senator Dianne Feinstein and her thoughts about how video games are negative influences on these kids who are performing massacres. Her prime example is that douche bag who shot up Sandy Hook and how he was an avid gamer. Clearly that’s the cause, right? Wrong. She then goes on to say that video games are glorifying guns and that if the industry doesn’t fix it, congress is prepared to take action. Bring it on bitch. Have you heard of a little thing called freedom of speech? Well it’s protected video games once and it will do it again. So anyway, I think this lady is a massive cunt, just like the rest of these stupid politicians our stupid country has deemed fit to lead. Instead of blaming the psychopaths responsible, they are blaming guns and video games. Bravo you crazy bunch of morons. I mean, there’s no way these people have severe mental issues right?

I posted my thoughts about this on Facebook and my good buddy Tom had some amazing things to say about it. I have asked him to be a guest blogger for todays post. Tom works in the mental health field for the Air Force. He has had hands on weapon training and he also happens to be an avid gamer. Please take a gander and enjoy.” ~Cody

Video Games and Violence

Written By: Thomas Casey

It seems that there is a correlation between violence and video games. The key component to that being those that play first person shooters are more prone to violence than a non-game playing individual. Interestingly enough there is also a
correlation between those that play first person shooters and the increased ability to handle, load, aim, and fire assault weapons. Being that the realism in video games has increased over the years, there has been an addition of the feedback component (most notably in our dual shock controllers for PS3 users) that provides that realistic recoil that gamers feel when firing a real weapon. This allows them to adjust and reposition their weapon (the controller) so that they can fire more accurately at targets.

News reports are now showing that first person shooter games are starting to evolve into a more realistic view, which puts the screen looking down iron sights or a scope so that only this is shown to add a realism component. One addition that is still being worked out is the "look away view" that pans out so that the gamer can look at his weapon to clear a jam. For those using a handgun it will show how the slide locks to the rear giving the user a realistic feel for the weapon. When using the Kinect, a gamer can just say "look down the barrel", "clear the bullet", "release the lock", "slide the hammer back", "initiate double action", and "resume firing", so that they can get a realistic feel for how the weapon will work when clearing the jam. Those with an assault weapons can use commands such as "push the bolt forward", or "tap the cartridge" for that same realistic feel of clearing a jam.

For Wii users, the new "Assault Controller" is out and it weighs a realistic 7.1lbs and provides a realistic black look to it. You have to purchase additional controller cartridges and load them with ammunition prior to starting the match or else you will run out of it. When the weapon runs out of ammo the member has to tap the release switch on the Assault Controller which drops the cartridge out and forces the player to load another one in order to continue. Variations of the controller come with extended butt stocks, ACOG sights, pistol grip additions, or the ever-popular iron sight controller, which provides a more realistic look when playing.
 
Oh wait, sorry, I was thinking like a politician there for a second. I forgot that it's only correlation and not causation for why shallow minded people believe that gaming causes violence. Studies have actually shown that the average age of the gamer is 30. The average age for the most frequent game purchaser is 35. 40% of the gaming population plays with friends, 34% play with family members, 17% play with their spouses or partners, and 16% play with their parents. Studies have also shown that gamers who play first person shooters have reduced anxiety and anger compared to the average population. The average level of anxiety and anger for a gamer that plays first person shooters (FPS) was 12.1, whereas the non-FPS gamers it was 15.9. The average for the overall population (not including gamers) is 18.4. So there is causation, not correlation, between gaming and stress levels. Gaming produces lower stress and anger levels. It's not correlation. Why? Because actual studies are being performed, not assumptions or generalizations. When an assumption or generalization is being made it's called a correlation. When a study is performed, in this case, a longitudinal study, it's called causation.
 
So how do we come up with these figures? Well, first we do a study, which I've showed you the results, then we present them. But why haven't these results been published? They have been, but the media isn't going to reveal these findings because it goes against the grain. The population doesn't want to hear about how gaming can help PTSD or provide the disabled with the ability to comprehend. They want to know how gaming correlates (there's that word!) with violence. How does one actually believe that someone who plays a first person shooter for 2-3 hours can go and pick up an actual assault weapon that weighs 7.1lbs (compared to the 8oz that a gaming controller weighs) load, aim, and fire it with accuracy while also being prepared for the recoil and knowing how to clear a jam?

Members of the armed forces are provided training on how to fire weapons and it's not a slide show presentation. They are shown the components of a weapon, shown how to properly handle, fire, and clear it. They are then shown how to accurately fire at a target. It's not in a video game either; it's through hands on training. So how does someone who has never held an assault weapon know how to go through all the steps? Wikipedia? Do they pull out their smart phone and Google it? It's not as easy as just pointing and shooting.
 

I'd like to thank Ms. Kelli Dunlap (Psy.D. Candidate) for the data provided and her studies using the Raptor program to collect information that provides actual causation and not correlation.