Connor Eke BTEC Media Blog 2014: 3 Minute Wonder Research.

Violence in video games

Links:

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/nov/10/video-games-violent-study-finds

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcom.12129/full

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-26049333

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/gaming/longterm-us-study-finds-no-links-between-violent-video-games-and-youth-violence-9851613.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_controversies#US_publicized_incidents

http://www.video-game-addiction.org/violence.html

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/violent-video-games-dont-lead-to-increases-in-viol/1100-6422421/

http://time.com/34075/how-violent-video-games-change-kids-attitudes-about-aggression/

http://www.polygon.com/2014/9/12/6141515/do-violent-video-games-actually-reduce-real-world-crime

http://videogames.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=003627

[1] Violent acts attributed to video games:

Killing of Noah Wilson (the first of several Mortal Kombat controversies)

On 22 November 1997, Noah Wilson, aged 13, died when his friend, Yancy, stabbed him in the chest with a kitchen knife. Wilson's mother, alleged her son was stabbed to death because of an obsession with the 1995 Midway game Mortal Kombat 3.

Columbine massacre
On 20 April 1999, 18-year-old Eric Harris and 17-year-old Dylan Klebold killed 12 students and a teacher in the Columbine High School massacre.

Dustin Lynch
In February 2003, 16-year-old American Dustin Lynch was charged with aggravated murder. He pleaded insanity in that he was obsessed with Grand Theft Auto III.

Suicide of Shawn Woolley
In November 2001, at the age of twenty-one, Shawn Woolley committed suicide in a state his mother claimed was an addiction to EverQuest.
Devin Moore

On 7 June 2003, 18-year-old American Devin Moore shot and killed two policemen and a dispatcher, Moore claimed he had been inspired by the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.[185]

Interstate 40 shooting
On June 25, 2003, two American step brothers, Joshua and William Buckner, aged 14 and 16, respectively, used a rifle to fire at vehicles on Interstate 40 in Tennessee, killing a 45-year-old man and wounding a 19-year-old woman. The two shooters told investigators they had been inspired by Grand Theft Auto III.[186]

Alejandro Garcia
In June 2007, 22-year-old Texan, Alejandro Garcia, shot and killed his cousin after arguing over whose turn it was to play the game Scarface: The World Is Yours. He pleaded guilty at his murder trial on 6 April 2011, and was sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison.[187][188]

Daniel Petric
In September 2007, in Ohio, 16-year-old Daniel Petric purchased Halo 3, Daniel used his father's key to open the lockbox and remove the gun and the game. He then entered the living room of his house and shot both of them in the head, killing his mother and wounding his father. "I firmly believe that Daniel Petric had no idea at the time he hatched this plot that if he killed his parents they would be dead forever."[192]

Lamar Roberts and Heather Trujillo
In December 2007, 17-year-old Lamar Roberts and 16-year-old Heather Trujillo were accused of beating a seven-year-old girl to death. They were said to have been imitating the content of Mortal Kombat.[193]
New Hyde Park crime spree

In June 2008, four teens allegedly obsessed with Grand Theft Auto IV went on a crime spree after being in New Hyde Park, New York. They first robbed a man, knocking out his teeth and then they stopped a woman driving a black BMW and stole her car and her cigarettes.[195]
Sandy Hook shooting

After the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on 14 December 2012, initial media reports mis-identified the shooter as Ryan Lanza, the brother of the perpetrator. After discovering that Ryan had liked Mass Effect on Facebook, an internet mob immediately attacked the game's Facebook page, labelling the developers "child killers".

Christopher Harris
In May 2013, in the trial of Christopher Harris, an Illinois man accused of murdering a family of 5, the issue of video game violence was raised by the defense. The psychologist also asserted that even games such as Pac Man could possibly be considered violent. However, during cross-examination, the psychologist acknowledged having no clinical license, not having conducted a proper psychological evaluation or psychological autopsy and that research evidence couldn't link video games to violent crimes.
José Rabadán Pardo

In April 2000, a 16-year-old Spanish teenager José Rabadán Pardo murdered his father, mother, and his sister with a katana, proclaiming that he was on an "avenging mission" for Squall Leonhart, the main character of the video game Final Fantasy VIII.[209]

Murder of Stefan Pakeerah
On February 27, 2004 in Leicester, England, 17-year-old Warren Leblanc lured 14-year-old Stefan Pakeerah into a park and murdered him by stabbing him repeatedly with a claw hammer and a knife. Leblanc was reportedly obsessed with Manhunt, although investigation quickly revealed that the killer did not even own a copy of the game.

Theories of positive effects of video games
More than causing no harm, some researchers propose that video games are beneficial to social and cognitive development and psychological well-being.[8][232] Certain scholars admit that games can be addictive, and part of their research explores how games connect to the reward circuits of the human brain. But they recognize the cognitive benefits of playing video games: pattern recognition, system thinking, and patience.[233]
Cognitive skills

Action video game players have better hand-eye coordination and visuo-motor skills, such as resistance to distraction, sensitivity to information in the peripheral vision and ability to count briefly presented objects, than non-players.[234] Through the development of the PlayStation Move, Kinect and Wii, video games can help develop motor skills through full body movement.[235] Experiments have indicated increases in cognition and problem solving skills in professional gamers.[233]
Relief from stress

Olsen suggests video games may provide relief from stress; over 25% of girls and 49% of boys use violent games such as Grand Theft Auto IV as an outlet for their anger.[237] [238] She also suggests video games can have social benefits for children, for example, video games can provide a topic of discussion and something over which children can bond, and can help children make friends; playing video games can increase a child's self-esteem when they are struggling in one aspect of their life, but are able to do something correctly in a video game; and, children can also learn to take on leadership roles within a multi-player online game.[239]
Physical rehabilitation

Studies have also tried using video games to assist in physical rehabilitation. Researchers used video games to provide physical therapy, improved disease self-management, distraction from discomfort, and increased physical activity, among other things. All of the above studies showed a significant improvement among testers.[240]
Education

Other studies have examined the benefits of multiplayer video games in a family setting;[241] the use of video games in a classroom setting;[242] online gaming; and the effects of video game playing on dexterity, computer literacy, fact recall processes and problem solving skills.[243] Glazer, a researcher, suggests, ""A kid in the classroom has to worry about looking like an idiot. In a game, they're raising their hand all the time, and true learning comes from failing."[244][245][246]

Pro-social behaviour
A study conducted in June 2014 at the University of Buffalo concluded that violent behavior in virtual environment could lead to players' increased sensitivity of the moral codes that they violated, due to immoral behavior in video games eliciting guilt in players.[251]

Filming in the UK:
[2] There are no laws preventing filming in the public in the UK. However, a film crew may need to get special permission to film in heavily populated public areas, areas such as Parliament Square and Trafalgar Square have laws in place to prevent filming/photography. Any private property also requires permission from the owner of the land/property.

PDF explaining laws for filming in the public https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=8&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CFcQFjAH&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.calderdale.gov.uk%2Fleisure%2Farts-entertainment%2Fevent-hosting%2Ffilming-in-calderdale.pdf&ei=08AwVZ6PKpXtaMyhgKAP&usg=AFQjCNEcu_72wTtMBqco4oFJ2UEO2AzlZg&sig2=gkBHsjCBVH79uaMDIdagKw

OFCOM broadcasting code:

[4] Link to the OFCOM broadcasting code

[5] Rule 2.2 of the OFCOM code states: "Factual programs or items or portrayals of factual matters must not materially mislead the audience".

The results below show the responses to the survey I created.