Doing a survey for a research paper over violence in video games.

[Silverhawk65]

Hello escapists, I am doing a research paper over the effects of violent video games on the player. I know not everyone likes taking surveys, but if you could take a few minutes and answer these six questions I would greatly appreciate it. I know this subject has been done to death, but bare with me guys. Thanks.

How long have you been playing video games?

How many hours do you play video games a week?

Do the majority of your games feature some form of violence(extreme violence, gore, or strong language)?

From a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, how aggressive do you get playing violent video games? This can be yelling,damaging items, or as simple as getting frustrated.

Do you feel that you have been affect by violent video games in a negative way? I.e, desensitization, higher aggression, or any other ways.

How old were you when you first started playing video games?

 

[shrekfan246]

Only six questions? That's easier than they usually are.

How long have you been playing video games?

How old were you when you first started playing video games?

I kinda feel like those are the same, or at least related, so I'm combining them.

I've been playing video games for as long as I can remember, which at this point would put it around nineteen years, starting around the age of two or three.

How many hours do you play video games a week?

It varies, but generally speaking I'd say an average of twenty-five hours a week wouldn't be too far off.

Do the majority of your games feature some form of violence?

Yes. Depending on how loose your definition of violence is, I likely don't have a single game that doesn't include some form of it. Journey is the closest example I can think of off the top of my head.

From a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, how aggressive do you get playing violent video games?

I'd say it depends on your definition of aggressive. Do I get angry at the games themselves? Yes. Have I ever broken a controller, mouse, or keyboard in a fit of rage? No. And I don't usually snap at other people.

Do you feel you have been affected in some way by violent media, specifically video games?

Probably. That's a very vague question.

It takes a lot of effort for fake gore/violence to unnerve me, but I haven't been desensitized to real gore and violence. Things like first-person shooters or spectacle fighters are so over-the-top that it just seems like it's been stuffed through a glamorized paparazzi filter, and it's the more subtle, unpronounced things that will usually get to me.

 

[Silverhawk65]

Some are kind of vague lol, I'll reword a few.

 

[TheSteeleStrap]

How long have you been playing video games? Most of my life

How many hours do you play video games a week? Let's say 15-20

Do the majority of your games feature some form of violence(extreme violence, gore, or strong language)? Yes most of them, in some form, not always extreme.

From a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, how aggressive do you get playing violent video games? This can be yelling,damaging items, or as simple as getting frustrated. I'm going to say 6, because I only get really frustrated when I'm getting my ass kicked in COD.

Do you feel that you have been affect by violent video games in a negative way? I.e, desensitization, higher aggression, or any other ways. I would say no.

How old were you when you first started playing video games? Probably somewhere between 6-7

 

[Assassin Xaero]

How long have you been playing video games?
16 years, give or take.

How many hours do you play video games a week?
Lately, only maybe 2-3 on average. Busy with work and I have friends now... turns out that friends actually want to hang out and do stuff, go figure? And half that 2-3 is usually play games at my place with friends.

Do the majority of your games feature some form of violence(extreme violence, gore, or strong language)?
Majority? Uh, probably not. A decent amount do. I have around 600 (give or take) ranging from E to M, across maybe 20 different devices.

From a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, how aggressive do you get playing violent video games? This can be yelling,damaging items, or as simple as getting frustrated.
From violent games? Not really at all. Few times I can remember getting mad (mostly when I was younger) was in Pokemon when I couldn't catch something, or something stupid like that. I would yell and threw the gameboy a few times. Lately, the only time I got frustrated was playing Playstation Allstars against a guy who plays it 30 hours a week and he was just using cheap tactics the whole time.

Do you feel that you have been affect by violent video games in a negative way? I.e, desensitization, higher aggression, or any other ways.
Nope. If anything, the news consisting of "death, death, rape, death, murder, rape, murder, sports" had desensitized me more than anything.

How old were you when you first started playing video games?
Probably 5 or 6.

 

[Darquenaut]

How long have you been playing video games?
Over 20 years.

How many hours do you play video games a week?
10-15 hours normally; 20-25 hours if a game really grips me.

Do the majority of your games feature some form of violence(extreme violence, gore, or strong language)?
Yup.

From a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, how aggressive do you get playing violent video games? This can be yelling,damaging items, or as simple as getting frustrated.
I would say 7- yelling at the screen and throwing the controller down. However, this comes with all games. I can get stupid aggressive whether it's playing violent games like Max Payne 3 or as lighthearted as Mario Galaxy.

Do you feel that you have been affect by violent video games in a negative way? I.e, desensitization, higher aggression, or any other ways.
I am at my most aggressive usually when playing games, however considering most of my day I have to keep my cool, this is my way of being able to vent so I cannot fully say me being aggressive is a detriment as I don't allow that to color the rest of my life,

How old were you when you first started playing video games?
Before I was 10, certainly. At earliest, maybe 5, latest around 7. Parents bought me my own console when I was just 8.

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

How long have you been playing video games?

Since 1992/1993... somewhere in there.

How many hours do you play video games a week?

More than any sane human being would care to admit.

Do the majority of your games feature some form of violence(extreme violence, gore, or strong language)?

I think it's safe to say they all do.

From a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, how aggressive do you get playing violent video games? This can be yelling,damaging items, or as simple as getting frustrated.

1. Even in games like Call of Duty, if I have a bad game... whatever. It's just a game, and one that no one's going to give a shit about in a year anyway. The only thing that even mildly frustrates me is when I encounter hackers... and even then, I just leave game and queue up again. No big deal.

Do you feel that you have been affect by violent video games in a negative way? I.e, desensitization, higher aggression, or any other ways.

Nope. Been playing video games since I got my old Brick-style original GameBoy when I was like four or five years old, and I'd say a good... 90% to 95% of the hundreds of games I've played since then would be considered violent media. I've never been in a fight, I've never had a verbal confrontation deserving of raising one's voice, my only run-in with the law was debating which Indiana Jones movie was the best with a police officer in a movie theater parking lot after having seen the latest installment in that series, and I'm still quite bothered by real-life blood and injuries.

How old were you when you first started playing video games?

Four or five years old. Started out with the original GameBoy, SNES, and PC games. I mostly played action games and shooters until I started getting more into RPGs and other genres in my teens. My parents felt I was responsible and mature enough to handle violent media and differentiate between fiction and real life, so they didn't have a problem with it. Hell, they occasionally even played the games with me if there was multiplayer.

 

[IndomitableSam]

1. I started on Pong, but that might not count. I got an NES when I was about 5, so... 25ish years?

2. Depends on what I'm playing. Anywhere from 10-30+

3. Mostly, but not too bad - usually RPGs.

4. Now that I'm older it's about a 4-6. I can get mad and start yelling at someone in the room and bang my hands on the keyboard, but I usually calm down quickly.

5. I don't think so - I still get upset watching the news and can't handle it sometimes. But I grew up with the NES and SNES so blood and gore was at its peak in Mortal Kombat. So it wasn't realistic to me until I was an adult.

6. Like I said above, I was 5 when I got an NES, but I'd played Pong and possibly arcade-style games earlier than that. Go with 4 maybe?

 

[Mouse One]

How long have you been playing video games?

Videogames and I kinda grew up together. I was a toddler when Pong came out Put my share of allowance quarters into Asteroids, Missile Command and Space Invaders. First console was an Atari 2600, first PC a Commodore 64 (it's for word processing, mom! You know, school!).

You know, graphics are obviously better these days, but violent (I prefer the term "action") themes aren't new. Take Missile Command. Every single game ended in Total Nuclear Annihilation. And back then, that was a real threat.

How many hours do you play video games a week?

Call it 10-20. Usually a couple of hours a night to wind down unless I'm going out. Occasional bouts of obsessiveness.

Do the majority of your games feature some form of violence(extreme violence, gore, or strong language)?

More cartoony than anything else. Dead Space levels of violence aren't my thing, but then again I like Left 4 Dead. A lot depends on context.

From a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, how aggressive do you get playing violent video games? This can be yelling,damaging items, or as simple as getting frustrated.

Maybe a 2. Yes, I have said bad words in the privacy of my own home upon being defeated. Cursing out another (real) person? If I'm that mad, I find something else to do.

Do you feel that you have been affect by violent video games in a negative way? I.e, desensitization, higher aggression, or any other ways.

I got a weird twinge in my wrist when I was going through a L4D obsessive period. Found one of those wrist support things for my mouse pad and it fixed the problem. But that's probably not what you mean

How old were you when you first started playing video games?

Young enough I honestly can't remember. But about 10 when I got that Atari.

 

[Lilani]

How long have you been playing video games?

Since I was about four or six, I would say. And now that I'm 21 (22 in April), that would be 15 to 17 years.

How many hours do you play video games a week?

Less than usual these days, probably 10 hours. Sort of depends on how much free time I have and what game I'm into.

Do the majority of your games feature some form of violence(extreme violence, gore, or strong language)?

I wouldn't say the majority of the games I've played have all of that, but as I've gotten older I've slowly played more like that. I grew up on Kingdom Hearts, Spyro, Pokemon, and Final Fantasy games, but now lately I've been playing the Half-Life Series, Mass Effect, Saints Row the Third. That's not to say I wasn't interested in playing those games before, it's just that I could never get away with playing them until I had moved out from my parent's house.

From a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, how aggressive do you get playing violent video games? This can be yelling,damaging items, or as simple as getting frustrated.

I'd say maybe between a 7 and 8 at the very worst, however I feel it's necessary to point out that it's frustration from failure that gets to me more than anything else. I've been driven to kicking my mattress in frustration by Ico, a PS2 game that is not "violent" as you would define it. In fact, I would say my biggest fits have been in games that are "non-violent" by your definition.

Do you feel that you have been affect by violent video games in a negative way? I.e, desensitization, higher aggression, or any other ways.

I don't think so. Again, it's frustration from multiple failures that gets to me more than anything else. I still have no motivation to carry a gun with me even concealed for defense, frankly because I'm a Christian and I don't want to have to get up there and explain to God why I thought my life was more important than other one of his children's. Oh yes, it's that important to me.

How old were you when you first started playing video games?

Seems rather redundant to ask this after asking the first question, lol. But again I was about four or six. It all depends on when my parents got a SEGA Genesis for my older brother, and when we got our Game Gears. I know we had the Genesis before the Game Gear, and I know my Game Gear broke when I was seven, so at least a couple of years before then.

 

[teqrevisited]

How long have you been playing video games?
Around 18 years.

How many hours do you play video games a week?
50+ at a guess.

Do the majority of your games feature some form of violence(extreme violence, gore, or strong language)?
I'd say it's fairly balanced. Everything from cartoonish "violence" to decapitations, excessive gore and profanity.

From a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, how aggressive do you get playing violent video games?
I get competitive but the closest I get to breaking anything is crushing a stress ball. I swear a lot too but I keep it to myself. A 3 or 4 probably.

Do you feel that you have been affect by violent video games in a negative way? I.e, desensitization, higher aggression, or any other ways.
No. If anything desensitized me it would have been watching films that are perhaps more violent than intended for those under 10 years old. Things like Terminator & T2, Aliens etc. I think other recent interests have actually lowered my aggression. Nothing to do with games, though.

How old were you when you first started playing video games?
Around 4.

 

[Pulse]

How long have you been playing video games?
13 years

How many hours do you play video games a week?
14-21

Do the majority of your games feature some form of violence(extreme violence, gore, or strong language)?
About half

From a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, how aggressive do you get playing violent video games? This can be yelling,damaging items, or as simple as getting frustrated.
I may swear and get frustrated at most. But it only has to do with the difficulty, nothing to do with "violence".
ie.
Fifa conceding a glitch goal
messing up the last trick on a perfect ssx run
An xcom soldier missing a 90% chance to hit shot

Do you feel that you have been affect by violent video games in a negative way? I.e, desensitization, higher aggression, or any other ways.
No.

How old were you when you first started playing video games?
10

 

[michael87cn]

Hello escapists, I am doing a research paper over the effects of violent video games on the player. I know not everyone likes taking surveys, but if you could take a few minutes and answer these six questions I would greatly appreciate it. I know this subject has been done to death, but bare with me guys. Thanks.

How long have you been playing video games?

How many hours do you play video games a week?

Do the majority of your games feature some form of violence(extreme violence, gore, or strong language)?

From a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, how aggressive do you get playing violent video games? This can be yelling,damaging items, or as simple as getting frustrated.

Do you feel that you have been affect by violent video games in a negative way? I.e, desensitization, higher aggression, or any other ways.

How old were you when you first started playing video games?

21 Years.

60 hours per week on average.

Always. The least violent game I have is Minecraft.

1, not at all. Video games relax and entertain me. If they frustrated me to the point of anger I wouldn't play them.

No, I have learned a lot from playing video games though. You could say they have made me more intelligent, and given me several different perspectives to look at things from.

5 Years old, Nintendo.

 

[COMaestro]

How long have you been playing video games?

Close to 30 years

How many hours do you play video games a week?

Used to be a lot more, but then I got married and had a child. Say 15 hours a week or so at this point, sometimes more, sometimes less.

Do the majority of your games feature some form of violence(extreme violence, gore, or strong language)?

Majority do contain violence, even if it's of the cartoony variety (Lego games, for instance). Some, but not the majority, do have extreme violence and gore, such as God of War, or the game I am currently playing, Darksiders.

From a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, how aggressive do you get playing violent video games? This can be yelling, damaging items, or as simple as getting frustrated.

I have almost never yelled while playing a video game, nor have I ever thrown a controller or anything else in frustration. I have gotten frustrated before, usually if I have to retry sections of a game many times over (e.g. a boss fight, or a tough platforming section). I used to play some multiplayer games quite a bit, and other than being frustrated with my own performance or getting upset at someone teamkilling me repeatedly, nothing major ever happened. Didn't even yell. So, 3, I guess.

Do you feel that you have been affected by violent video games in a negative way? I.e, desensitization, higher aggression, or any other ways.

Nope, not a bit.

How old were you when you first started playing video games?

4-5 on an Atari.

 

[christiki7]

How long have you been playing video games? Since age 12, (almost 6 years).

How many hours do you play video games a week? Anywhere from 10 to 40, depending on how busy/productive I am.

Do the majority of your games feature some form of violence(extreme violence, gore, or strong language)? Almost all of them.

From a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, how aggressive do you get playing violent video games? This can be yelling,damaging items, or as simple as getting frustrated. 1, I'm occasionally frustrated, but this is usually because the game is bad, not because it is violent.

Do you feel that you have been affect by violent video games in a negative way? I.e, desensitization, higher aggression, or any other ways. Yes, desensitization.

How old were you when you first started playing video games? 12

 

[Proeliator]

I'ma gonna do numbers and not quote to save space:

1. 14 years

2. 3-4 hours

3. Yes (CoD, Halo, TF2, Planetside2, Minecraft?)

4. 2 (no damaging or insult aggression. Competitive? Yes)

5. No, not negatively affected (wouldn't desensitization be good in some cases, in respect to gore for a first-aid responder?)

6. 6 years old

 

[DanielBrown]

How long have you been playing video games?
For at least 16 years.

How many hours do you play video games a week?
Average at least eight hours/day, I reckon(I have no life!!1), so 56 hours/week. Feels like my minimum though.

Do the majority of your games feature some form of violence(extreme violence, gore, or strong language)?
A majority involves killing people and are violent, sure, but extreme violence and gore isn't as common. Hard to get anything else these days considering that's like 90% of the gaming industry.

From a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, how aggressive do you get playing violent video games? This can be yelling,damaging items, or as simple as getting frustrated.
3, tops. Squeezing the controller and mumbling to myself is the highest I go. I did call Lara Croft a fucking whore once though, but that was after probably an hour of trying to jump back up a shaft with a retarded camera.

Do you feel that you have been affect by violent video games in a negative way? I.e, desensitization, higher aggression, or any other ways.
No, but I get amazed by other people when watching scary movies(for instance) with them. They get afraid or disgusted by nothing, while I can't find anything that makes me feel uncomfortable these days.

How old were you when you first started playing video games?
I was seven when I got my Playstation. Played a bit SNES/NES at friends houses before that.

 

[Igen]

How long have you been playing video games? 20 years

How many hours do you play video games a week? 10 hours

Do the majority of your games feature some form of violence(extreme violence, gore, or strong language)? yes, but to a light degree.

From a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, how aggressive do you get playing violent video games? This can be yelling,damaging items, or as simple as getting frustrated.

Rarely... Dark Souls = 7 (throwing a controller at the wall, smashing it with a crowbar for amusement afterwards)
Often... Eve Online, WoW, BF3 = 3 (cursing at talking volume about once every 10 minutes)


Do you feel that you have been affect by violent video games in a negative way? I.e, desensitization, higher aggression, or any other ways.
-Desensitization: possibly. I am can act or react rationally when confronted with "violent" content. But nothing beyond what I expect an average adult must confront on a regular basis (Example, a farm hand having to dispose of dead animals, a common person watching the evening news) This is to say, I have less of a fear reaction or hesitation when compared to some one that is sheltered.
-Higher Aggression: No. Violence is not a large part of my nature. When I compare myself to others, I observe less violence from me than my peers or even those that don't play video games.


How old were you when you first started playing video games? 8 years old.

 

[GundamSentinel]

How long have you been playing video games?
- I took it up as a serious hobby about 12 years ago.

How many hours do you play video games a week?
- Depends how busy my schedule is, and I have weeks when I'm mostly uninterested in playing games (this week happens to be one). Somewhere between 10 and 50 hours in general though.

Do the majority of your games feature some form of violence(extreme violence, gore, or strong language)?
- Yes, generally not extremely graphic violence (though I do have a few; God of War, anyone?), but pretty much every game I play has some form of violence. Then again, virtually every game in stores has some form of violence.

From a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, how aggressive do you get playing violent video games? This can be yelling,damaging items, or as simple as getting frustrated.
- 3. Sometimes I get a little pissed at a game (very rarely, mostly muttering curses under my breath), but I never start yelling or damaging things. Went through Demon's Souls and Dark Souls without even the urge to break a controller.

Do you feel that you have been affect by violent video games in a negative way? I.e, desensitization, higher aggression, or any other ways.
- No. I am very capable of making the distinction between real and fictional violence. Desensitization towards fictional violence, yes. Towards real violence, no. I'm really not an aggressive person either.

How old were you when you first started playing video games?[/quote]
- I first played video games when I was 5 or 6 (an old 468), but it didn't really interest me at the time (my opinion back then: Lego >>>> video games). I really started playing them when I was 13 or 14.