From a recent news story:
After being introduced to a Halo game at a friend’s house, Daniel Petric began playing the game for hours. When his parents banned him from playing the game, he shot both of them in the head, killing his mother:
“A month before the shootings, Daniel, then 16, had sneaked out of his bedroom window to purchase the game against his father's orders. When he arrived back home he was caught and his father took away the game, locking it in a lockbox along with a 9mm handgun.
About a month later, on Oct. 20, 2007, Daniel used his father's key to open the lockbox and remove the gun and the game. The boy shot his parents, killing his mother and gravely wounding his father. As his father lay wounded, Daniel tried to place the gun in his father's hand.
Daniel fled after his sister and her husband arrived at the house, taking only the Halo 3 game with him.”
(“Boy Shoots Parents, Killing Mother, After They Took Away His Halo3 Game”)
Does Game Violence Make Teens More Aggressive, as shown in the case of Daniel Petric? Or is the aggression already present?
Read the info at the links provided, and then respond:
Does Game Violence Make Teens More Aggressive? -
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16099971/
Boy Shoots Parents, Killing Mother, After They Took Away His Halo3 Game -
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/12/boy_killed_mom_and_shot_dad_ov.html
Group members' responses:
Jesse: I don’t see this as an act of violence caused by the content of this game. Petric waited nearly a month and then decided to kill his parents, attempting to make it look like a murder/suicide. His aggression goes much deeper than that.
Another article stated that he had suffered a serious accident while skiing, which resulted in a stalf infection and a year of bed rest (refer to “Boy Shoots Parents, Killing Mother, After They Took Away His Halo3 Game”). For this entire period, he was confined to his room to heal, only having video games to fill his schedule. I am not a pro-video game advocate, but I do not blame the video game for this at all.
I think it has more to do with desperation to have “things”. Some people will do anything to aquire more material items, no matter what it takes, or who gets hurt in the process.
Leanne: No, I don't think violent video games make teens more aggressive.. Petric wanted to do something that his parents wouldn't let him do and he took things to the extreme. The game had nothing to do with his actions. Some kids, at one point or another, have wished for their parents to die but they never actually intend on harming them. Daniel, on the other hand, went through with this and should be punished because of HIS actions not the video games.
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I'm inclined to agree with you, Jesse. I think there's a preoccupation with owning "stuff" we want rather than "stuff" we need. A culture of greed, perhaps. The things that are marketed to kids now are certainly much more flashy, techno-hip and expensive than they've ever been (well, in comparison to my childhood -- the most expensive item on my wish list was a BMX bike).
ReplyDeleteFunny, just the other day, I overheard a conversation at a coffee shop I frequent -- a girl of no more than 10 years old trying to entice her mother to get her a Blackberry phone...
...and here I am, trying to scrounge up some cash so that I can afford a Blackberry myself!
I don't think it was the video game that made him shoot his parents. I think it was being without the game is what made him do it. When he was playing the game he let out all of his anger out in killing the members of the game. Without the game he may of done it sooner out of aggression. Video games are a way to let out anger, aggression, and helps prevent things like this from happening. However, that's just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteTake a look at the reactions of children playing these sorts of games here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.walyou.com/blog/2008/12/05/video-game-killing-sessions-in-childrens-faces/
Desensitized, you think?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI believe video games can cause teens to be emotional. I dont think they can cause violence though. I agree with Jesse, I think the problem with the child that killed his parents was much deeper than just seeing the video game and putting it into reality. Parents need to be aware of what they are letting their children get into.
ReplyDeleteI definately agree with bearp!
ReplyDeleteHe obviously had alot going on and he seriously had some crazy anger issues...
This is absolutely an insane case! He shot his parents? sounds to me like he had issues before he started playing the game and maybe the game finally set him off. I dont personally think children should play violent games but clearly this boy was 16 and perfectly capable of distinguishing a game from reality.He definetely had prior issues!
ReplyDeleteI think everyone is right and no one is right...I think that it is a mixture of alot of reason why this happened.
ReplyDeleteObviously, this young man had underlying emotional issues. Being on bed rest probably helped manifest and nurse those emotions. Most kids, and even adults, have attachments to physical items. Nowadays, that can be contributed to both parents working and parents thinking that buying them things will show there love when they are not physically there to do it themselves. If your love is bought your whole life it spoils you and you want or "need" items to help feel better.
However, I do think that videogame contributed alot to these actions. This videogame could have been what opened his mind to the thought of shooting his parents. When kids wish their parents dead they don't wish they did it themselves, kids wish they would be just struck down, some natural phemomenia. No one thinks hey I wish I had a gun so I could take them out. I think the game instilled the fact that if it easy to shot someone repeatedly in first person on a game it can't be that hard to do it in real life.
Third thing I have a problem with about this story is, what idiot parents. I mean of course you dont expect your child to shoot you but why would you lock this item he wanted in with a gun; and second, why would you leave the key where he could get it.
Daniel Petric’s case is quite abnormal. Not many kids would go to such extremes over a video game. However, some people handle things differently. Daniel most likely had suffered some psychological problems due to the fact that he was injured and ordered to stay at home with nothing to do for a year. He probably committed the crime without thinking of the aftermath and reality of what he was actually doing.
ReplyDeleteDoes game violence make teens more aggressive? According to the study that the researchers of the Indiana University School of Medicine conducted, they can.
I believe that it depends on the person. You can't group every individual as to having a negative impact from violent video games. If you give a teen a car, some will drive hectically and unsafe, some will do everything extra-careful and abide by the laws, some will go below the speed limit. It all depends on the person.
Most likely Daniel Petric did have some underlying aggression. Perhaps this was the “last straw to him”.
Regardless, you can't assume that every teen will do what he did.
I don't think playing video game will make the teenager more aggressive, but I believe some teenager who spend so much some in video game will very weak in ethic.
ReplyDeleteThey wallow in the invented world, they ignore the love from people who were really care them. They all lack of purpose and religion. The video game become the necessary stuff like the air or drug.
I believe this tragic case is not cause by the the game's content but we should regard the invented world is changing our teenager.
It's a horrible story and an example of how video games can take part in influencing violence.There is obviously something wrong with this boy mentally, even before the shooting, and it may never have been apparent or noticed.The video game and also the parents taking it away from him just triggered him and pushed the last button for him.
ReplyDeleteSummer Goode MWF
ReplyDeleteDid anyone else thing that it was a dumb move by the parent to lock the wanted item in with a gun and leave the keys where the kid could get in the lock box?
I feel that it is already present in psychology and that it olny takes so much to finally set it off.
ReplyDeleteI dont agree with violent video games however I think this boy had some serious psychological problems. I believe if his anger wasn't triggered by the video game it would have been triggered by something else. I agree that children today want the newest, best gadgets and usually get them. The father wasn't very bright in locking the game and key somewhere that his teenage son could access. Parents should monitor to some extent what their children watch or what their hobbies become. I also think maybe the parents weren't paying enough attention to their son because any teenager who has to spend such a long time confined to his bed could probablly benefit from some counseling.
ReplyDeleteTruly bizarre, Summer. Talk about a lack of common sense.
ReplyDeleteThe question of how violent video games affect children can be resolved by using your common sense. The question itself shows a lack of intuitiveness, and the inclination to get involved in mental masturbation on the subject. Part of the discussion should involve the age of the children. I think it is an enormous mistake to let small children play video games at all, especially the ultra violent, high resolution, intensely graphic games. Most of your learning occurs between the ages of one and eight when your mind absorbs information like a sponge. It is a time of innocence when your mind does not have prejudices about what is right and wrong. I think that certain children and adolescences have a natural proclivity toward violence or at least a lack of compassion for others, and in some cases it is caused by abuse, or it could be a combination of the two. I think that violent video games definitely have a detrimental or least an adverse affect on youth's behavior. I think if you have a child that is prone to violence video games could have an extremely deleterious affect, and the more docile children to a lesser degree. All this begs the question, "where are the parents". (David B.)
ReplyDeleteYou are so right Jennings! (vidoe games definitely have a detrimental or least an adverse affect on youth's behavior)
ReplyDeleteOne of my bestfriend's little twin brothers have been playing HALO since they were 8 years old. They are now 12. They get so absorbed in this game! They play it for like 3 hours straight! On weekends we would want to watch movies with our friends and stuff and we would just walk up to the xbox and turn it off. They would FREAK out! Like screaming and crying! It was crazy!-- we just turned it back on and found something else to do haha.
But for the parents--
The mom hates for them to play the game, when she's around there's no HALO. But when it's just daddy, they play it whenever they want!
It's kind of scary and shocking how kids get so into violent video games. My little brother isn't alloud to play games like HALO and Call of Duty. My dad hates violence.
Aggression is developed by the experience with family life. Experiences with family, friends, and environment are the main factors in the outcome of an aggressive behavior. The mentaliy of the person is also a key role. Early developement of the child, such as being a shut in or being sheltered by the parents. Being exposed to violent material when being sheltered for a long time, close to atleast 14 years, would result in violent behavior. Also if the child was sheltered, but still given everything they asked for. Then something being taken away could cuase the child to in a sense, lose their mind. I have seen people who have played violent games for a long while and not developed violent or aggressive behavior, then again I have seen violent and aggressive people who have never touched a video game in their life. It would only be a maner of perspective, and a sense of pointing the finger, because people don't wanna take blame for something they either had a hand in, or was responsible for.
ReplyDeleteIm Natasha from T/R 11:00 class
ReplyDeleteI think in Daniel Pertic's case there was something wrong with him. Seriously, he shot his parents over a game, somethings not right. Anyways i dont believe violent video games make teens aggressive. I do believe these games are addicting and kids take the games them to seriously but Im not sure i would blame aggressiveness on these games.
That kid is nuts. Halo kicks ass. Josh Pitek
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that the child murdered his parents because of the violent imagery he was exposed to from video games. He murdered his parents because he was angry, not because a stupid game taught him that murdering people was good way to deal with people who oppose him.
ReplyDeleteI also do not believe that the video game was at fault for this. David more than likely had some psychotic aggressive issues and the accident may have been the result of this. I agree with Jesse because I believe that david had time to premeditate his actions. He was cooped up into his room all day with nothing to do but to play video games. When his parents saw that the video game had some intense violence, they took it away from him with good intentions. David was probably addicted to the games mature content and took things to the extreme in order to get it back.
ReplyDeleteI still don’t understand how people think that video games made Daniel shoot his parents. Psychological research show that people learn by habits and experiences, but in this case, I think he had psychological problems. There is no way I will accept that video games made him do this. Why my brothers who play video games regularly don’t have any negative behavior like Daniel? According to me, a halo game can’t make a child shooting his parents.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like Daniel had a previous problem with violence prior to playing Halo 3. I don' think playing a violent game would make you go to your parents closet, get their gun, and shoot them dead. This child must of had a violent upbringing which triggered his viloent rage against his parents. Playing Halo 3 might of gave him an idea of how to hurt his parents but not making him commit the act.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it was the game that caused Daniel to kill his mother and wound his father. My little brother plays halo and has never thought of acting out what he does in the video game and to do it in real life. I still think it has to do with the persons psychological state of mind not the game that brings them to harm someone.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right! this kid had problems way before he played the game im sure he was already sick of his parents telling him what to do and he finnaly snapped. When i was a teen my parents got on my last nerves but I never thought of killing them. I know some people are just crazy but I also think that there are certain life chances that may change their mind frame. Im sure he did alot of things in the past that should have been paid more attention to. I do not believe in hitting kids but some kids need the hell beat of them and God beat in them! atleast thats what my granny says
ReplyDeleteViolent video games give no advantages but bad influence on children. It's no good to give children intentions of being satisfied by bloody battles or crazy killers in these games. I strongly agree that kids shouldn't be exposed to violent video games
ReplyDeleteThe violent behavior shown by Daniel Petric had to already have been present. I believe that the aggression is already present in some teens before they actually play these games. I think that video games influence teens with aggression to act out with violent behavior.
ReplyDelete