We have covered hate speech in our toxic gaming series, but today, we are talking about threatening & aggressive behavior in gaming.
What are threats & aggressive behaviour in gaming?
Threats and aggressive behaviour in gaming may include threats to someones life, threatening and describing violent or sexual acts towards another individual, threats of physical abuse or threatening to attack a person in real life.
Why do players engage in threats & aggressive behaviour?
There has been a lot of research that shows that playing violent video games can increase a person’s aggressive thoughts, feelings and behavior. This was recently documented in the American Psychological Associations’s Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
There has also been research that shows the opposite saying that genetic predisposition can lead to an aggressive child temperament and that playing violent video games has a small impact. With that said, it appears that there are many reasons that people engage in threats and aggressive behavior.
Read more about Toxic Gaming Behaviour: Griefing.
Recommendations for Parents
- It is always important to check the ESRB ratings when selecting games to ensure that they are appropriate for your child age and level of development.
- We always recommend playing video games with your children to share the experience and discuss the game’s content. This will help you to understand what is going on in the game and how players interact with one another.
- Setting clear rules about game content and playing time, both in and outside the home. Set a schedule of when your child is and is not allowed to play. Set a gaming curfew so they know when they need to shut it down for the night.
- Monitor online interactions by using something like Kidas and speak to your children about online dangers.
- Allow video game playing in public areas of the home as it is easier to monitor play.