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Is it likely that, having played enough bloody Doom or Postal, a gamer fan will try to transfer the tricks that helped him in the virtual space to real life? Or, on the contrary, do violent computer games channel aggression, helping us to «blow off steam»? We decided to forward the questions of our readers to specialists.
Aggression is a cause, not a consequence
“There is a common belief that a non-aggressive person becomes more aggressive if he plays for several years. There is no scientific evidence for this, although many teachers and parents think so. Believe me, I follow the special literature, I correspond with many leading researchers and I can say with confidence: nothing confirms these fears. Among the fans of «shooters», of course, there are people who are aggressive and even cruel. Perhaps spontaneously they are the ones who choose the most “tough” games. But even in this case, the game does not affect the potential for their aggressiveness.”
«Stay in touch with reality»
“Excessive involvement in computer games can be a sign of trouble, but it is not associated with aggressiveness and violence, but with the inability of the player to be in touch with reality. Such a teenager, for example, can indeed sometimes commit antisocial acts — simply because he does not know how to interact normally with people. However, an obsessive passion for games is just a symptom of a disharmonic development of the personality, and in no way the cause of possible aggression.
“It is important not what we play, but how”
“Computer games frighten parents and teachers, their fears are supported by doctors, since excessive interest in the computer can have serious physiological consequences — eye and back diseases. But one should not see a direct connection between interest in computer games and human behavior: our studies do not confirm the existence of such a relationship. The danger is not in the game itself, but in how it is played. If a player is passionate, but continues to live a normal life — his circle of friends does not narrow, social success does not decrease, for example, academic performance among schoolchildren and students — then there is no particular reason for concern.