Effectiveness of Video Game Violence By: Trenton McNabb

Games Shrek 2 Spongebob Square Pants Movie Game The Incredibles The Polar Express Donkey Konga Zoo Tycoon 2 Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Games (Cont.) Halo 2 Manhunt Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball Def Jam Vendetta True Crime: Streets of L.A Backyard Wrestling: Don't try this at home Max Payne 2 Doom 3 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Half Life 2 Mortal Kombat

Thesis Violent video games do desensitize a player to violence; therefore, will make a player more violent in a given situation had they not played violent video games.

Study by David Walsh, Ph.D. In a study of 8th and 9th graders, students who played more violent video games were also more likely to see the world as a hostile place. Children with the lowest hostility scores are almost 10 times more likely to have been involved in physical fights if they play a lot of violent video games than if they do not play violent games

Game Companies DO Target Kids In a report by the Federal Trade Commission, of 118 "M" rated games, 70% were targeted to children under 17 years of age (FTC, 2000). Unaccompanied children, ages 13 to 16, were able to buy "M" rated video games 85% of the time (FTC, 2000) % of the most popular video games have violent themes 59% of fourth grade girls and 73% of fourth grade boys say that the majority of their favorite video games are violent

Immediate Results of Game Violence Interview with Dr. Craig A. Anderson about a study he conducted. 1. Aggressive thoughts increase, which in turn increase the likelihood that a mild or ambiguous provocation will be interpreted in a hostile fashion. 2. Aggressive (or hostile) affect increases.

Immediate Results of Game Violence (cont.) 3. General arousal (e.g., heart rate) increases, which tends to increase the dominant behavioral tendency. 4. People learn new aggressive behaviors by observing, and will reenact them almost immediately afterwards if the situational context is sufficiently similar.

Game Ratings EC (Early Childhood): may be suitable for ages 3+. Contains no material that parents would find inappropriate. E (Everyone): may be suitable for ages 6+. May contain minimal violence, some comic mischief and/or mild language. E10+ ( Everyone 10+): may be suitable for ages 10+. Titles in this category may contain more cartoon, fantasy or mild violence, mild language, and/or minimal suggestive themes. T (Teen): may be suitable for ages 13+. May contain violent content, mild or strong language, and/or suggestive themes.

Game Ratings (Cont.) M (Mature): may be suitable for persons ages 17+. May contain mature sexual themes, more intense violence and/or strong language. AO (Adults Only): have content suitable only for adults. May include graphic depictions of sex and/or violence. Adult Only products are not intended for persons under the age of 18. RP (Rating Pending): Titles have been submitted and are awaiting final rating.

Credits Dr. Craig A. Anderson Federal Trade Commission (2000). Marketing violent entertainment to children: A review of self-regulation and industry practices in the motion picture, music recording & electronic game industries. Washington, DC: Federal Trade Commission.