Sociology: Violence & Video Games

The video game industry is big business, and with the improvement of Virtual Reality technology, video games will only become more realistic and immersive. Fears abound that they drive their players to commit violent acts. While many people believe the games desensitize kids to violence, others argue that there has been no scientific connection between aggressive behavior and video games

Summary: Drawing on crime statistics, social research, and studies of the teenage brain, an expert in the field of human aggression reveals how violent video games have ushered in a new era of mass homicide.

This timely collection provides a historical overview of violence in American popular culture from the Puritan era to the present and across a range of media.

* Provides a narrative of the development of violence in American popular culture, illustrating both continuity and change

* Combines an overview of each essay's subject matter with in-depth analysis of specific examples

* Features discussion of well-known portrayers of violence, such as film and television, as well as lesser-known sources.