Violencia, psicología y videojuegos: historia de una relación controvertida

espanolHabitualmente se habla de la violencia representada en las diferentes manifestaciones de la cultura popular –cine, comic, literatura y etcetera– y su vinculacion con la violencia real como de un «hecho cientificamente comprobado». Este supuesto nexo, de longeva tradicion intelectual, ha calado hondo en buena parte de la opinion publica al punto de que ya practicamente ni se discute. Especialmente cuando nos referimos a los videojuegos. No obstante, el recurso al poder explicativo de la ciencia –la psicologica tiene mucho peso en este caso concreto– es otro cliche cultural mas que, a menudo, funciona como simple formula retorica. Es habitual que la inmensa mayoria los estudios cientificos –sobre todo los verdaderamente serios– esten repletos de letra pequena, salvedades, detalles accesorios y matices que, muy a menudo, son pasados por alto por quienes solo pretenden apoyarse en la ciencia para la difusion de sus contenidos ideologicos. Los videojuegos dicen mucho acerca del periodo historico en el que nacieron y, por asi decirlo, la agresividad, al menos en un primer estadio, siempre formo parte intrinseca de su naturaleza psicosocial y economica. De hecho, tanto los videojuegos como la industria multimillonaria que los rodea son una clara representacion de la epoca compleja en la que se desarrollaron. Piensese que los primeros videojuegos experimentales nacen en plena guerra fria, uno de los momentos historicos mas inestables e inseguros para buena parte de la humanidad que vive sumida, por asi decir, en un temor tan permanente como inespecifico. Momento en el que desarrollo tecnologico exponencial experimentado por paradigmas como el de la IA, asi como por sus tecnologias asociadas, buscaran la transustanciacion del panico en diversion y medio de expresion. Es cierto que la American Psychological Association (APA) contribuyo a la confusion al apoyar la creencia de que los videojuegos son causantes y difusores de violencia –u otras aberraciones peores– entre ninos y adultos. Con ello, la APA y sembro un desconcierto generalizado que sirvio para apoyar el criterio de los disconformes con los derroteros que estaba adoptando la industria del videojuego. No obstante, y contra todo pronostico, la postura recibio una respuesta tan dura desde dentro de la propia psicologia, y genero tal controversia cientifica, que la APA hubo de matizar sus puntos de vista. Una controversia que no solo no se ha resuelto aun y que probablemente tenga mas de artificio que de realidad efectiva. EnglishUsually, we talk about the violence depicted in the manifestations of popular culture –such as movies, comics, literature and so on– and its link to actual violence as a «scientifically proven fact.» This alleged nexusis, old in our intellectual tradition, has a deep influence on the public opinion, to the point that sometimes it is not discussed. Especially when talking about video-games. However, turning to the explanatory power of psychological science is another cultural cliche that often works as mere rhetorical formula. It is usual the vast majority of scientific studies, especially these truly serious, are full of fine print, qualifications, details and nuances accessories that are often overlooked by those who only seek to rely on science for the dissemination of ideological contents. Video games themselves say a lot about the historical period in which they were born and, so speaking, aggression, at least in a first stage, always formed an intrinsic part of their psychosocial and economic nature. In fact, both videogames and the multibillion dollar industry that surrounds them are a clear representation of the complex period in which they were developed. Consider that the first experimental video-games were born during the Cold War, one of the most unstable and insecure historical moment. Humanity was living plunged in a permanent and non specific fear. Some sciences, like the IA, experienced exponential technological development paradigms, and were seeking transubstantiation of panic in fun in all means of the expression. The American Psychological Association (APA) contributed to the confusion by supporting the belief that video-games were causing violence –or other aberrations between children and adults. With this position, the APA generated more confusion that served to support the criterion of nonconforming with the road taken by the video game industry. However, against all odds, the position received such a harsh response from within psychology itself, and the scientific controversy generated was so big that the APA had to refine its views. A controversy that has not been resolved yet and probably has more of mistakes and nonsenses than of truth.