Racing computer games as aggressive as war ones according Huddersfield Uni lecturer

Nov 11 2009 by Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

He said: “I think there are a lot of myths about video games and a lot of research hasn’t been done properly. The argument that violent games make people more aggressive is fundamentally flawed.”

Dr Goodson is not sure why driving games make people more aggressive than violent ones.

He said: “The evidence is that driving games evoke more aggression because they are based on reality which people can relate to.

“Shooting people is a fantasy, but driving isn’t. Everyone’s been in the situation where they get cut up on the roads.”

And Dr Goodson added that violent games may actually reduce aggression.

He said: “Some people find playing a violent game actually reduces stress – like beating a blow-up doll. That’s an argument, but we need to do research.”

Dr Goodson doesn’t believe the runaway success of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will lead to real-life violence.

He said: “I don’t think players will start dressing up as soldiers and shooting people.”

However, the lecturer warned that his research did not cover young people. He said: “We can’t do research on people aged under 18. Parents have to act responsibly.”

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was expected to notch up global first-day sales of £300m yesterday – easily eclipsing the record held by Grand Theft Auto 4 which sold £120m worth of copies on its release day last year.

However, some have criticised the violence in the game. Labour MP Keith Vaz said he was “absolutely shocked” by a part of the game leaked on the Internet, which showed civilians being murdered in an airport.