us complete the picture. That research provides a good example of how
psychologists often blend aspects of the behavioral approach with featuresfrom the cognitive approach to obtain a better understanding of complex
phenomena.
Violent Video Games
Over the past three decades, the video game business has grown from a few
quarter-eating machines in restaurants and arcades to a multibillion dollar in-dustry. Along the way, the nature of many of these games also changed: they
became violent. In some cases, very violent. Players of violent video games are
rewarded for killing police, prostitutes, and innocent bystanders. Weapons in-
clude cars, guns, flame-throwers and chain saws. In some games, the player
takes on the role of a criminal on a violent crime spree.
Given what we know about the effects of violent movies and television,
psychologists and other professionals began to worry about the impact of allthis exposure to simulated violence in video games. A couple of features about
video games are cause for particular concern. First, players do not merely watchthe action. They pay close attention and actively engage in practicing violent
acts. Second, virtually all violent video games are designed to reward violence.
The more thugs, monsters, prostitutes and police you kill, the higher your score.Thus, some of the necessary elements for imitating aggression identified by
Percent Committing Violent Act
Less than
1 hour/dayMalesFemales
1 to 3
hours/dayMore than
3 hours/day50
4540353025201510
5
Television Viewing at Age 14
FIGURE 14.6 Violence as a Function of Television Viewing
Source: Adapted from Johnson et al. (2002).Observational Learning of Aggression 393