Okay Geek Farm
Study - Violent Video Games Reduce Stress, Aggression, and Depression
Okay Geek Team
Depending on who you ask, people will tell you that violent video games are either fun or completely something you should avoid. Well, the International University of Texas A&M conducted a recent study on the emotional effects of violent video games on both male and female gamers and the results might surprise you - I know that sounds cliché but just keep on reading. I mean, I’ve already hooked you with a fancy title and intro… *wink*
“In this study, 103 young adults were given a frustration task and then randomized to play no game, a non-violent game, a violent game with good versus evil theme, or a violent game in which they played ‘the bad guy.’ The results suggest that violent games reduce depression and hostile feelings in players through mood management,” associate professor of Texas A&M, Dr. Christopher J. Ferguson explained.
So games aren’t the serial killer-makers some “experts” once thought? Wow, a modern revelation! But with all sarcasm aside, this is something gamers themselves could’ve told you from the start. Games are meant as a means of escapism entertainment - violent and not.
“It probably won’t come to a surprise to gamers that playing games may reduce stress… although others have been skeptical of this idea. This is the first study that explores this idea, however. It does seem that playing violent games may help reduce stress and make people less depressed and hostile.”
At the end of the day this doesn’t really solve the problem or identify if there even is a problem to speak of. Violence isn’t just present in video games; it’s everywhere you see in the entertainment business. And it’s far worse in movies (especially in stuff like the Saw series) but advocates against mature games turn a blind eye to them, paying no attention to what potentially could be a means for mass producing killers.
Also, we’re not sure of the ages with the young adults used for this study, but I’d like to see one based on kids who are playing games intended for mature audiences. Because like many of us, when I was a kid I found ways around the family rules to play games like Resident Evil and hey I turned out fine, right? But then again I wasn’t ripping people to pieces with chainsaw guns either, so maybe some research wouldn’t be such a bad thing to see what’s happening upstairs with today’s youth.
And finally in conclusion, without getting too much into it - for younger adults, like tweens and teens, there needs to be more parental involvement to understand what the kids are playing nowadays, and also knowing when it’s time to take the training wheels, so to speak, on what’s acceptable to play in the house.
