We live today in a culture steeped in violence. From movies and television to music and video games, violent images so pervade American popular culture that many of us feel immune to their effects. But recent studies show we are anything but immune. As the Federal Trade Commission's recent investigation found, the home video game industry has marketed its products to children under age 17, despite ratings indicating the games are unsuitable for children that young. In another disturbing trend, many of the school shooters of the past few years were avid violent video game players.
Studies show that playing violent video games increases people's aggressive thoughts and behaviors.
In a study published in the April 2000 issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , Drs. Craig A. Anderson and Karen E. Dill found that repeated exposure to violent video games increased players' aggressive thought patterns, which can lead to increased aggressive behavior. Dr. Anderson also noted that the active nature of violent video games may well make them even more dangerous than other forms of media violence, such as TV and movies. In my own experience, I have found that when I share excerpts of popular violent video games with concerned parents, they are generally shocked at the level of violence in them. The days of Pac-man are long over, but even the most conscientious parents often seem unaware of the kinds of games their children play and how violent these games actually are.