The notion that video games are harmful distractions with the potential to make players more violent and aggressive persists despite evidence to the contrary. In fact, there is strong science that supports just the opposite: that video games can be a solution for dealing with stress. But what kind of games are the best for stress relief – those with violent themes or non-violent ones? The answer comes down to a balanced approach.
Studies conducted over the years have confirmed that, while it remains unclear, there is a correlation between the playing of video games and management of stress. In 2010, Texas A&M International Instutite Associate Professor Christopher Ferguson cunducted a study on violent video games (or VVG) and how they affect young adults of both genders. "More recent research has not found that children who play VVG are more violent than other kids, nor harmed in any other identifiable fashion. A recent longitudinal study of my own ... finds no long-term link between VVG and youth aggression or dating violence," Ferguson wrote in an article for Time in 2011.
However, results of studies in this field often conflict with each other. A more recent study conducted by two University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate students indicated that "while playing video games can improve mood, violent games may increase aggressive outcomes," according to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This study tested the effects of non-violent games such as "LittleBigPlanet 2" and violent games such as "Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage." "The findings suggest that video games can be used to manage negative emotions, but doing so with violent games might be problematic. If video games are going to be sought for emotional release, the authors recommend players seek out nonviolent games," the University of Wisconsin-Madison reported.
Naturally, there are exceptions to every rule, and the findings in studies such as these indicate that there may or may not be risks to violent video games, but does that mean that people seeking emotional release through such activities should only engage in games that they might find boring? Not necessarily. It simply indicates that there needs to be a balance. A mixture of violent and non-violent video games can be just what a person needs to relax. This, of course, depends on the person, the types of feelings being experienced and personal preferences.
Some violent video games series that allow players to vent their aggression include "God of War," "Call of Duty," "Sengoku Basara" and "Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage." Some games that feature no violence, yet have shown to decrease stress in players include "Tenacity," "Journey" and "Flower."
Do you play games to relieve stress? Share your feelings on this matter with us in a comment.
