Video Games… Reduce Violence?
Apr.17, 2008 in
General Tech
itnews.com.au reports a new study published that reports that playing some games can reduce stress and violent tendency levels.
The sample size is small, but consisted of 292 people between the ages of 12 and 83. Essentially the study found that after playing the game (World of Warcraft) people felt more relaxed as opposed to more violent. I guess running around killing things helps blow off steam as opposed to turning you into a serial killer. Who knew?
Of course, one has to take it with a grain of salt. After all, not only is the sample size tiny, but the article doesn’t even have a true reference to the study.
Popularity: 47% [?]
May 9th, 2008 at 8:01 am
This really isn’t news to anyone who games. While you will always have some people who turn out to be murderers who game those are the ones who complain that it isn’t real enough for them. The rest of us simply get to release aggression that is no longer considered appropriate behavior no matter how much it is part of our human nature.
May 13th, 2008 at 7:00 am
I’m a mother and when I get stressed (happens a lot) I go to my 360 and play Gears Of War or Dead Rising, I did a whole post on how killing things is like the virtual ‘punching a pillow’ when angry, it’s so relaxing to kill stuff in games!!
June 5th, 2008 at 5:38 am
Most of the games I play aren’t violent and the ones I do play don’t necessarily help me relax - if I’m playing Nintendo I get all worked up getting to the next level but if I play Sims it’s not stressful. Then there’s the puzzle games that I like and some of those can be stressful if I play timed…yeah I could spend all day playing but then I wouldn’t get anything else done.
June 10th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Wow, that’s GTA screen shoot?
July 10th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
I agree by playing games, any games can reduce stress. When you are so in the game your problem wil slowly dash away.
But if your playing hardcore game,killing everyone,a lot of blood everywhere,bullets and crazy killing with out plotor storyline now that is wrong.Just look what happen in school, kids and gun are close friend now.
lankapo
hate violence
July 21st, 2008 at 7:44 am
I am not a violent person and I do agree that playing games can reduce stress, but i believe that playing violent games and watching violent shows can influence your behavior a little. Definitely in kids. My son loves superheros. He mostly watches the old shows with very little violence but when he watches some of the newer shows, he not only swings like Spiderman but he punches and kicks too.
There was a point when I was a little addicted to GTA and when I would walk out on the street after playing for a while, I had to try really hard to hold myself back from stopping a car, pulling the driver out and taking the car.