IMAT5262 - Research Proposal: Ethics of Violence in Computer Games

This research report delves into the ethical issues surrounding violence in computer games, examining its impact on society, particularly on young people. It aims to identify the relationship between violence in computer games and the real world, analyze the effects on mental health, and propose strategies for resolution. The literature review covers the concept of computer games, their societal impact, and ethical dilemmas. The research employs a qualitative strategy with thematic analysis, utilizing secondary data from online journals, books, and reports to address research questions about the connection between virtual and real-world violence, the ethical concerns involved, the mental health effects on young people, and potential solutions to mitigate these issues.

Running head: THE ETHICS OF VIOLENCE IN COMPUTER GAMES
The Ethics of Violence in Computer Games
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

2THE ETHICS OF VIOLENCE IN COMPUTER GAMES
Abstract
This study has focused on ethics of violence in computer games. The impact of violence in
the computer games on the society have been discussed in the research. This study aims at
identifying the ethical issues in the violence of the computer games. The literature review has
focused on the concept of violence in the computer games. The impact of the violence in
computer games on the society have been discussed. Data has been collected from secondary
sources including online journals, books and reports. The research has used qualitative
strategy. Thematic analysis has been selected for the research. The timeline and Gantt chart
has been provided in the research.
Keywords: Computer games, VFX, Graphics, Descriptive Design, Quantitative and
Qualitative strategy

3THE ETHICS OF VIOLENCE IN COMPUTER GAMES
Table of Contents
1. Background..................................................................................................................................
1.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................
1.2 Aim, Objectives.....................................................................................................................
2. Research Questions......................................................................................................................
3. Literature Review........................................................................................................................
3.1 Concept of Computer games.................................................................................................
3.2 Impact of computer games on society...................................................................................
3.3 Ethical Issues in Computer games.......................................................................................
4. Research methodology...............................................................................................................
4.1 Section 1- Review................................................................................................................
4.2 Section 2- Selection.............................................................................................................
5. Conclusion.................................................................................................................................
6. References..................................................................................................................................
7. Appendix....................................................................................................................................
8. Project plan................................................................................................................................

4THE ETHICS OF VIOLENCE IN COMPUTER GAMES
1. Background
1.1 Introduction
Computer games have been the most influencing media among youngsters all over the
world. The use of simulation of games has been trending in the market. However, a
connection has been found between playing games and aggressive behavior among children
and teenagers. This element has narrowed the minds of young people to behave aggressively
with others in the society. Many types of research have been focusing on this concern that
games lead to violent behaviour among young gamers all over the world. A string discussion
has been prevailing among researchers on this topic for change in behaviour of young people
by playing computer games. Different computer game companies are focusing on the violent
and action games as they are popular in the market and preferable by the young kids (Gray,
Buyukozturk and Hill 2017). These day games are made of high graphics and actions scenes
and moves that are attracting the attention of gamers. The moral panic has been creating an
ethical and moral symptom for degrading cultural issue. The violence in computer games has

5THE ETHICS OF VIOLENCE IN COMPUTER GAMES
been increasing on a daily basis.
Figure 1: Aggressive behavior of young people
(Source: Mortensen, Linderoth and Brown 2015)
This has become a major concern in a modern world as many crimes have been done
due to violence in computer games. The diversion designers have been concentrating on
advancing the VFX and illustrations of the amusements. The moral issues identified with the
PC amusements have been interrelated in the writing. The moral worry of the gamers has
been commonly middle of the road in the diversion. The utilization of moral and legitimate
concern has helped in keeping up these issues in the general public. The utilization of
legitimate elements has helped in limiting the pressure and wrongdoing in the general public
because of playing PC amusements. Government have executed strict guidelines on diversion
engineers for nit demonstrating intemperate activities and sexual substance in the amusement.

6THE ETHICS OF VIOLENCE IN COMPUTER GAMES
Figure 2: Violent vs non-violent games
(Source: Nguyen and Zagal 2016)
This research will focus on the ethical issues in the violence in computer games.
Various ethical issues will be discussed in the study that deals with the computer games. The
problems with the violent computer games on the young people will be discussed in the
study. The relation between the violence in computer games and in the real world will be
analyzed. The impact of the action computer games on the mental situation of young people
will be critically analyzed in the research paper. The paper will provide some
recommendations related to the solution of this problem in the

7THE ETHICS OF VIOLENCE IN COMPUTER GAMES
Figure 3: Counselling sessions
(Source: Zvyagintsev et al. 2016)
1.2 Aim, Objectives
This study aims at identifying the ethical issues in the violence of the computer games.
The objectives of the research have been mentioned below:
 To identify the relationship between violence in computer games and real world
 To identify ethical issues in the violence of the computer games
 To analyze the impact of the computer games on the mental condition of young
people
 To recommend strategies for resolving these ethical issues of violence in computer
games
2. Research Questions
The research questions are as follows:

8THE ETHICS OF VIOLENCE IN COMPUTER GAMES
 What is the relation between violence in computer games and the real world?
 What are ethical issues in the violence of the computer games?
 How have computer games affected the mental condition of young people?
 How can these ethical issues of violence in computer games be resolved?
3. Literature Review
3.1 Concept of Computer games
Computer games have been increasing its market in all over the world. It has ability to
attract many teenagers in the society. These companies are mainly focusing on the graphics
and action sequels in the game. Most of the young gamers are preferring to play mission and
actions in their computer games. However, these games have been continuously affecting the
mind of the young people. The graphics quality in games has been enriched to attract more
young gamers to the industry (Schrier 2015). Over last two decades, it has been influencing a
large number of individuals all over the world. However, violent games are most preferable
by gamers in the market. These phenomena have been affecting the mental condition of the
young gamers (Giddens 2015). The computer games in the UK has been growing at
significant speed in last decade. Although, the UK has become the third largest market for the
computer games after Japan and US. The sales of the entertainment software in the country
has been made a revenue of £1.34 billion and continuously increasing in the market (Pötzsch
2017). This industry has contributed an important part in the UK economy. Therefore, the
craze of computer games among young people has been increasing that created a significant
problem in the society. The violence rate of the country has been increased in last five
decade. Many criminal cases have been reported against the computer games all over the
world. There has been a report in the UK, the computer game Manhunt was implicated in a
murder of a young teenage boy. There have been many high profile gun killings in by
adolescent boys in various places in the UK. Therefore, this has become a huge issue in the

9THE ETHICS OF VIOLENCE IN COMPUTER GAMES
country as the crime rate has been increased (Lynch 2017). There have been many cases of
violence in the UK related to the plying games. These have created a complex issue in long-
term duration on children and teenagers. The change in behavior of teenagers has been
creating problems in the society. The criminal activities by teenagers have been increasing in
the society (Adachi et al. 2016). The young people are getting mentally affected by playing
action games and implementing them in the real world. The fight moves shown in the games
is being interpreted by the young gamers in the real world that has been creating dangerous
issues related to a life of an individual.
3.2 Impact of computer games on society
Computer games have been related to the complex cultural objects as they rule
guiding behaviour. Computer games create their open virtual world in which the gamer starts
living in. These fantasies create problems in the mind of gamers. The game developers have
been focusing on enriching the VFX and graphics of the games. The ethical issues related to
the computer games have been interrelated in the literature. The ethical concern of the
gamers has been mutually intermediate in the game. The use virtue of the ethics has been
maintained during playing the games. As argued by Gray, Buyukozturk and Hill (2017),
ethical consideration in the games has not been properly followed by the companies as they
might use anyone information in the game. The use of information in the game has been
unethical in the perspective of developing a game. The ethical concerns of the game have
been maintained by the developer of the game and its company. The company have to take
actions in order to maintain the ethical values of the games. The ethical agents of the game
have been reflecting their own values for developing and experiencing their own conflict with
the games.
The use of various literature in the chapter has helped in understanding the impact of
violence in the computer games in normal real life. There has been the major impact of the

10THE ETHICS OF VIOLENCE IN COMPUTER GAMES
violence shown in the computer games in the real life. Various teenagers are being affected
by this violence in the computer games (Hartmann 2017). The aggressive behavior of young
children has been common in the society. This research will discuss the elements in the
ethical consideration in video game playing and social learning. Teenagers have been playing
computer games in order to utilize their spare time. Different theories related to the
behavioural concept of the human nature have been affecting tenancy of the games. The
action games are directly affecting minds of the student and young people in the country
(Lynch 2017). Various teenagers get stressed in the playing games for long durations. This
creates mental tension and pressure on the gamers. Therefore, these type of influencing
society have created a major impact on a young individual (Young 2017). The mindset of the
teenager has been changed and dominated by various violent activities with serious
aggression. Sentiments and feelings of an individual depend on what he see and experience in
life. As teenagers are deeply involved in paying action games, the mindset has been
aggressively changed (Zagal 2017). The aggressive behavior of teenager affects both family
members and own. These children indulge themselves in the physical fight with family
members and friends which might lead to an end of life of any person including themselves.
Therefore, it can be demonstrated that the addition of video games have been showing
negative effects on the life of young children and also affecting the society around them. The
game developers have been focusing on enriching the VFX and graphics of the games.
3.3 Ethical Issues in Computer games
The ethical issues related to the computer games have been interrelated in the
literature. The ethical concern of the gamers has been mutually intermediate in the game.
The use of ethical and legal concern have helped in maintaining these issues in the society
(Hogan, Draper and Sorell 2017). The use of legal factors has helped in minimizing the
stress and crime in the society due to playing computer games. Government have

11THE ETHICS OF VIOLENCE IN COMPUTER GAMES
implemented strict rules on game developers for not showing excessive actions and sexual
content in the game. The moral operators of the diversion have been mirroring their own
qualities for creating and encountering their own ion with the amusements. The utilization of
different literary works in the part have helped in understanding the effect of savagery in the
PC diversions in ordinary genuine living (Hay et al. 2017). There has been a real effect if the
savagery appeared in the PC diversions in the genuine living. Different young people are
being influenced by this brutality in the PC amusements. The forceful conduct of youthful
kids has been basic in the general public (Wonderly 2017). This research will examine about
the components in the moral thought in computer game playing and social learning.

12THE ETHICS OF VIOLENCE IN COMPUTER GAMES
4. Research methodology
4.1 Section 1- Review
As demonstrated by Flick (2015), research design is a methodology which guides in
social affair data and information related to the research. Three sorts of research
configuration are exploratory, descriptive and exploratory. Descriptive design helps in giving
the observational investigation of research parts. The researcher has used expressive layout in
this research. The use of this arrangement helps in giving quantitative approach to manage
research of amassed data and information concerning research point. The splendid contract
thought has been unmistakably using the square chain propelled advancement for getting a
phase to execute. Data aggregation is a basic bit of the research that assistants in social event
day and information evaluated to the research topic. As demonstrated by Clemence et al.
(2014), inspect thinking are of three sorts including Positivism, Interpretivism and Realism.
The positivist hypothesis deals with the learning joined into the objectives and accumulates
data and information tentatively. In like manner, the researcher has used positivism
hypothesis in this research. This has helped in making the hypothesis of the research. Data is
accumulated through quantitative and subjective methods. Positivism discernment deals with
the quantifiable data inciting the quantifiable research. The research approach is two
composes including Deductive and Inductive approach.
4.2 Section 2- Selection
As expressed by Neuman and Robson (2014), deductive approach deals with a
specific level of research. As needs be, researcher has picked the deductive approach for this
research. It helps in focusing on objectives of research rejecting each other substance in
explore. It also depends upon quantitative approach in the research. The deductive approach
oversees introduction of speculations and models and its application. The use of the data