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Video games and aggression is a controversial topic all around the United States. I chose
to come from a behavioral perspective. One of the key components of this perspective is that
your environment will affect your behavior. (Nevid 2012). If you have certain goals, rewards or
punishments linked to your actions, more than likely it will persuade your behavior. (Nevid
2012).
Video games definitely seem to be linked to aggression. Long term effects don’t seem to
be as prevalent as short term effects when it comes to video games/aggression. However, if video
games are in your environment, then that will play out in your behavioral tendencies. Even if the
video game is not necessarily violent, it can affect the child’s behavior (i.e. when the child is
made to get off the game). Video games also tend to lower a child’s level of imagination.
Resulting in the child being “bored” constantly and in the end still acting out in behavior.
In video games you are rewarded with points or coins if you complete the level. In the
violent games, levels are usually comprised of killing someone or something. After you receive
your rewards, you can buy new weapons or unlock other characters. Then of course you will
want to play more levels, which means more violence being put into your mind. Also, very often
people can become angry if they fail a level.
“Violent video games provide a forum for learning and practicing aggressive solutions to
conflicting situations.” (Anderson 2000). It may start as an aggressive thought, but by default
will one day turn to aggressive behavior. If you were to decrease your time in video games and
increase your time in uplifting activities, it would most likely decrease your aggressive
behaviors.
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Proverbs 4:23 says “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything flows from it.” If we
are putting violence, cursing, destruction, thief tendencies, or murderous thoughts in our minds,
will that not eventually flow from our hearts?
In video games you are actually acting out the violent acts, as if you are the perpetrator,
making it more realistic that you are doing the violence. Most people are hands on learners.
Therefore, by playing video games you are naturally absorbing the content more so than if you
were to just be watching it on television. According to a review completed by Psychologist Craig
A. Anderson and others concluded that “the evidence strongly suggests that exposure to violent
video games is a causal risk factor to increased aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, and
aggressive affect and for decreased empathy and prosocial behavior.” (Anderson 2010).
If you surround yourself with a Biblically sound environment, your behavior will become
more like Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says “Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good
character.” So, if who (i.e. friends or family) we spend our time with can corrupt our character,
can what we spend our time with not also corrupt our character?
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References
Anderson, C.A., Karen E. Dill, (2000). Article: “Video Games and Aggressive Thoughts,
Feelings, and Behavior in the Laboratory and in Life,” Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, Vol. 78, No. 4.
Anderson, C.A., Ihori, Nobuko, Bushman, B.J., Rothsteun, H.R., Shibuya, A., Swing,
E.L., Sakamoto, A., & Saleem, M. (2010). Violent Video Game Effects on Aggression, Empathy,
and Prosocial Behavior in Eastern and Western Countries: A Meta-Analytic Review.
Psychological Bulletin, Vo. 126, No. 2.
Nevid, J. (2012). The science of psychology. In Essentials of psychology: Concepts and
applications (Custom ed., p. 9). Boston, Massachusettts: Houghton Mifflin.
