How Do Violent Video Games Really Cause Violence?

Has science evolved enough during the past few decades to allow accurate study of violent video games and their potential effects, particularly on those spending up to 18 hours playing them each week (Videogame Statistics)? Psychiatrist Ryan Hall estimates it may be another 20 years before we have the answers we all desire (Hall). Faults have been found in many of the studies asserting there is no link between the two based on gamer statistics alone. Researchers hoping to prove there is a connection, hesitantly state their final conclusions, seemingly unable to commit to their point of view. After poring over research studies, both for and against video games causing violence, one thing has become clear: Science is not able to definitively …show more content…
That is profuse amounts of potential exposure to violence. Thus far, science has been unable to provide us with any real answers on the effects of this exposure. The different researchers who think it does cause violence are at odds with those who affirm it does not. How are we, especially parents of young children and teens, supposed to know what to believe? Consequently, criticism runs abound. Most are complacent; while others feel that assigning blame is merely a current fad. The majority of those opinions, however, come from gamers themselves or those who are in the entertainment industry. For example, Michael D. Gallagher is CEO of the Entertainment Software Association and published an article in US News online in 2010. It was titled Video Games do not Cause Children to be Violent. What was the main argument? “The myth that video games cause violent behavior is undermined by scientific research and common sense” (Gallagher). Scientific research has, thus far, been inconclusive. Common sense would dictate that it would not be wise to fully believe in an article written by someone with a direct stake in profits made by violent video …show more content…
Instead of looking for a direct link between violence and video games, many have veered their studies into, perhaps, a more relevant question. Does the violence in video games lead to increased aggression? In 2010, Brad Bushman ran a high-level analysis with some colleagues. The report, VVG Effects on Aggression, Empathy, and Prosocial Behavior in Western and Eastern Countries: A Meta-Analytic Review, studied the results from over 100,000 subjects. Ultimately, it concluded there was indeed a causal link between violent video games and aggression. Although this is just one study, if science can prove a connection between violent video games and aggression, why is there still no definitive answer on the possible relation to violence? There is no way of knowing since violence cannot even be tested (Bushman). In essence, we may never find