“Life is Like a Video Game:” The Impact of Violent Media on Moral Development

Moral development is a prominent part of cognitive psychology; it includes how and why different ethical codes develop across various distinct groups. A growing field of research explores the impact of increasing exposure to media and video game violence on the development of these ethical codes (Anderson and Dill, 2000) (Funk et al., 2003) (Rothmund et al., 2015). New research indicates that heightened exposure to media violence may increase moral disengagement, that is, the convincing of oneself that one’s existing ethics do not apply to a certain context (Gabbiadini et al., 2014). These findings pose concerns for the healthy moral development of children growing up in a society with a high dependence on technology, raising questions regarding the growing influence of media on the next generation. This paper will first explore the basics of cognitive and moral development as informed by Jean Piaget (Flavell, 1963) and Lawrence Kohlberg (1981), respectively, laying the foundation for a deeper exploration of the effects of violent video games on these processes. Next, Moral Disengagement Theory (Bandura, 1990) and the mechanisms used to facilitate immoral behavior will be examined in relation to violent video game play. Possible interventions to minimize these harmful effects will be offered and research limitations will be acknowledged. The conclusion of this paper will offer evidence for potential intervention strategies to mitigate the detrimental effects of violent video games, as well as identify limitations and future directions of research Engaging voices from cognitive developmental psychologists and political scientists alike, this paper will provide an interdisciplinary perspective