The world has a problem with violence. It is not a new problem, and it not one that is likely to disappear soon. It is estimated that around 1.6 million people die of violence each year. Half of these deaths are attributed to suicide, while the other half are attributed to homicide, war and other conflicts combined. Historically, violence was seen as a social ill. Before the 1970’s, when genetic research began to take hold, most researchers believed that violence was caused by a number of social aspects. Even with our increased knowledge, there are still groups that view violence as a social ill. This is evident in the fact that there are groups like MAVAV, Mothers against Video Game Addiction and Violence, and Parents against Violence. These groups aim to reduce the amount of violence shown in video games and other media, in a hope that it will reduce the rate of violence. Technological advances have allowed researchers to delve into the causes behind violent acts and tendencies. Although genetics does not fully predict who will have violent urges, it does play a large role in the predisposition towards violent tendencies. Some of these causes are linked to hormones, like the amount of adolescent testosterone. Others are linked to brain activity, mainly in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the orbitofrontal cortex. There is even some evidence that the MAOA enzyme can play a role in violent expression. Of course, not all causes are genetically based. Although genetics can help determine who will have a predisposition towards violence, there are other factors at play. The peer group that one associates with, the environment that they are raised in, and the home life that they experience all play a role in determining if the vi...
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Today’s society thrives on violence. Young children made pretend guns and shot at siblings, teenagers enjoyed video games which praised the player for kills, and adults flocked to see the latest horror movie, few people asked what effect this has on people and society. Some psychologists have started researching this effect. A study by Dr. Ferguson;...
Hester, R., Lubman, D. I., & Yücel, M. (2010). The role of executive control in human drug
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As societal expectations remain the boundary to prevent the human population from acting out destructive aggression, those with the compulsion to kill—the innate and natural need to do so—face numerous and complex differences in their genetic make-up that disable them to have the necessary resilience to environmental pathogens (Wermter et al, 2010). These environmental pathogens can include violence and dysfunction in the childhood home, all forms of abuse as well as the socio-economic factors of poverty and gang
Is there a biological basis for violent behavior in the brain? Recent research links "neurological impairments and psychoses" to violent behavior (1).
Unfortunately, technology makes video games of all levels of violence easily accessible to anyone with a computer. There are few among us who could not relate to knowing an individual who is either obsessed with thoughts of violence or exhibits violent behavior toward others, possibly, at least partially, as a result of interacting with violent video games on a regular basis. “It is important to know the long-term causal effects of violent video games, because so many young people regularly play these games” according to Professor Brad Bushman at Ohio State University (Suciu). According to an article published in The Journal of Social Psychology, there has been accumulating evidence that exposure to violent video games promotes aggressive thoughts, affect, and behavior” (Greitemeyer and Osswald). This makes violent video game playing a social problem, not just an individual decision.
It is also crucial to consider the genetic makeup of these killers when trying to decipher their motives. New research shows a potential link between a strand of genes and aggression and violence (Bradley-Hagerty). The MAO-A gene or (monoamine oxidase A) has been researched extensively. The gene is often referred to as the “warrior gene” (Bradley-Hagerty). The function of this gene is to regulate serotonin in the brain. However, there are different variations of the gene, one of which is believed to prevent the brain from feeling the relaxing effects of the serotonin (Bradley- Hagerty). Without these calming effects, the person with this version of the gene is genetically predisposed to fits of rage; fits of rage that could potentially lead to murder over and over again.
Volkow, N. (2007, March 1). The Science of Addiction: Drugs, Brains, and Behavior. NIH, 2, 14-17.
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However, there were some studies conducted that found a link between real-life aggression and violent video games, but these studies were conducted under objective conditions and were measured by short-term effects only. Moreover, once studies were measured by long-term effects instead, the results were different. There was no difference between people who played video games and those who didn’t. Almost all parents think that the reason their children play violent video games is for the gore and violence itself; nonetheless, the real motive behind most children who play said video games, Toppo says, “is more akin to play than violence.” The issue is that the wrong people get their hands on violent video games.
Video games have become one of the world’s largest hobbies. Many choose to love them and others have quiet of an obsession. Since the 70’s, video games have become popular in entertainment and a fixture of 21st century childhood. The theme and idea expressed in popular video games is commonly violence. Many studies have issued that the violence used as entertainment in video games causes younger children to be more aggressive and violent. Violent video games act as a form of violence, but do not cause the violence to occur. Moreover, violent video games cause young children to be associated with a higher visuospatial cognition (visual perception), effects the brain development, along with media violence influencing a child to act violent and have aggressive behavior.
The inescapable reality of violence, whether attained through the media or from personal experience, affects the everyday life of some. Tragic events such as school shootings and mass murders happen all too often. Society is now constantly wonder why such terrible things happen. There are countless factors some such as bullying and mental handicaps are often considered primary factors in violent crimes. Now a certain types of video games, the ones that portray violence, have caught the attention of the mass media and nowadays every channel considers it their duty to remind people how much damage these games cause to children and adults. As many as 97% of US kids ages 12 - 17 play video games, all contributing to the $21.53 billion domestic