My research question is: do video games make people violent? This topic interests me because a large part of my childhood was playing video games. After school, I played with friends on Modern Warfare 2. Abusing claymores and rocket launchers and getting people mad. Later in life I use video games as a stress reliever. I already know that video games make people more competitive as the fact of life people do not like losing. A normal person gets a bit annoyed after taking an L but after a while the feeling subside. The problem only changes if the person in question holds on to the feeling and multiplies it, turning it into aggression or they can’t discern the game from reality,which most people don’t get like that or learn not to. Talking about video games is often misunderstood, like over hearing someone say “why did you not plant the bomb” context is everything. That is why you don’t hear people talk about it on the street because there will be people who wouldn’t understand what you’re talking about and may assume the worst. Some points that I plan to explore and find out more about video games are what are the psychological effects on children and how does it affect them when they become adults? Did school shooters play video games when they were kids ?
Violent Video Games can Increase Aggression(American Psychological Association)
https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2000/04/video-games
Judge Dismisses Law on Violent Video Games(The New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/08/arts/08arts-JUDGEDISMISS_BRF.html?searchResultPosition=1
I have wondered the same thing as people always say video gaming is bad and can make you think more violently. One suggestion I can make is a change in your research question to say “How does video gaming effect the way you think.” This way you can expand further beyond just violence if you want and go into other things like depression for example. Another tip is don’t forget to mention age groups as that is big part of this prompt. For example the “the age people play video games and get most violent at is ____”
I like the research question you have picked, growing up i had my fair share with all the call of duty’s, from COD World at War, all the Modern Warfares, Black ops series, Grand theft auto, Gears of war. All these games can be categorized under violent, include gore, maturity rated 18+, and shooter vs shooter games. I have surely wondered if these games have psychologically effected kids, leading them to grow up wanted to kill people, commit crimes. You could dig deeper to find out the physically and mental influence games have on children, find scientific studies. and look for statistics.
Manuel,
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-violent-video-games-trigger-aggression/
https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/2013/02/12/science/studying-the-effects-of-playing-violent-video-games.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/05/sports/trump-violent-video-games-studies.html
Good comments from Jonathan and Valon!
Manuel: Did you look at some of the possible sources I shared with you above? You might find that they are what you need.
AND here more:
https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/do-video-games-cause-violence. But I don’t know if Discover Magazine is a credible reliable source
https://videogames.procon.org/. But I don’t know if Pro-Con is a reliable credible source.
And here a video from CNBC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaf_Xjz6Mxs
and another https://www.ksnblocal4.com/2022/09/19/violent-video-games-can-lead-violent-behavior/
Manuel:
I read your two printouts of possible sources with which you so kindly provided me. Very good thinking — smart thinking to give me those so I can read and help you decide if they are appropriate. I tend to read hard copy much easier than digital things.
Now the OP-Ed is ok.
But the Nick Biilton piece titled “Looking at the Link between Violent Video Games and Lack of Empathy” IS A BLOG, not a news or a feature article! How did i know? I went to the NYT website and read it there. It clearly indicates that this is a blog.
So you need a better choice for Source 1 which is the news piece or feature article.
If you look at the above links WHICH I GAVE YOU A WHILE BACK (why didn’t you look at them back then?), I have given you two good feature articles. I will copy here again:
Choice 1 from Discover Magazine
https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/do-video-games-cause-violence
Choice 2 from Scientific American
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-violent-video-games-trigger-aggression/
Now I had a quick read through and I would choose the Discover Magazine bc it is more recent, in fact it is published this month March 2023. So it is current informtation. Furthermore, it is written for the general public and easy to understand So it’s current information. The Scientific American is based on a research study and it full of technical jargon.
Best,
Prof. Wu
PS Did you see that in the news there was another mass shooting at a school in Nashville TN? The topic you chose is related to current news happening now. So you might keep that in mind. Your RQ is timely and being discussed again everytime a mass shooting in America happens.