| Video games for children, teens and young | | | | Said psychologist Craig A. Anderson, Ph.D.: |
| adults bring in $10 billion a year in the | | | | |
| United States. Certainly some of the games | | | | "Violent video games provide a forum for |
| offer harmless entertainment and maybe even | | | | learning and practicing aggressive solutions |
| some educational value. But the games that | | | | to conflict situations. In the short run, |
| seem to be the most eagerly anticipated, the | | | | playing a violent video game appears to |
| games that major retailer Zany Brainy says | | | | affect aggression by priming aggressive |
| "the industry is focusing on," and the games | | | | thoughts. Longer-term effects are likely to |
| that fly off the shelves as soon as they're | | | | be longer lasting as well, as the player |
| released are those rated "M" for mature and | | | | learns and practices new aggression-related |
| "AO" for adults only. | | | | scripts that can become more and more |
| | | | accessible for use when real-life conflict |
| To garner an "M" rating, the content is | | | | situations arise." |
| intended for people aged 17 and older, and | | | | |
| may contain sexual themes and intense | | | | Some researchers say that violent video games |
| violence or language. An "AO"-rated game is | | | | are worse than watching similarly violent TV |
| suitable only for adults 18 and over, and may | | | | programs or movies because the interactive |
| include graphic depictions of sex and/or | | | | nature of the game makes the player become |
| violence. | | | | involved and learn to identify with the |
| | | | aggressive game character. |
| The popularity of the games is astounding. | | | | |
| According to a 2004 report by the National | | | | No, Video Games and Violence are Not Related |
| Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center, a | | | | |
| 2001 review found that 49 percent of the 70 | | | | On the other side of the coin are those who |
| top-selling video games contained serious | | | | argue that no such link exists. One recent |
| violence. Out of all games, 41 percent | | | | study at the University of Illinois at |
| required violence for the protagonists to | | | | Urbana-Champaign supports this case. After |
| achieve their goals. And in 17 percent of the | | | | playing a violent video game called Asheron's |
| games, violence was the primary focus of the | | | | Call 2 (AC2) for an average of 56 hours in a |
| game itself. | | | | month, no link between the game and |
| | | | real-world aggression was found in the 75 |
| The violence is often brutal and degrading to | | | | players (average age 28). |
| women. In the game "Duke Nukem," for | | | | |
| instance, a player can enter a room with | | | | Said lead author Dmitri Williams, "Players |
| naked women saying "Kill me," while tied to | | | | were not statistically different from the |
| posts. In the Grand Theft Auto series, one of | | | | non-playing control group in their beliefs on |
| the most popular and also most violent and | | | | aggression after playing the game than they |
| controversial of the games, a player is | | | | were before playing. Nor was game play a |
| rewarded if he has sex with a prostitute and | | | | predictor of aggressive behaviors. Compared |
| then murders her (the most recent of the | | | | with the control group, the players neither |
| series, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, was | | | | increased their argumentative behaviors after |
| the best-selling title in 2004). | | | | game play nor were significantly more likely |
| | | | to argue with their friends and partners." |
| Whether or not these games contribute to | | | | |
| violent "real-life" behavior among their | | | | Another study of 35 8- to 12-year olds, in |
| primary users (pre-teen and teen boys) has | | | | which the children played a non-violent and a |
| spurred major controversy. And, as with most | | | | violent video game for 15 minutes each, found |
| hot-button issues, there are strong | | | | the game playing did not alter the children's |
| proponents and opponents on either side. | | | | previous tendencies toward aggressiveness or |
| | | | empathy. |
| Yes, Video Games Cause Violence | | | | |
| | | | Are the Game Ratings Enough? |
| Much attention was brought to video game | | | | |
| violence after it was realized that the two | | | | Just as controversial as the violence issue |
| teenagers behind the Columbine High School | | | | is whether or not the game ratings go far |
| shootings played (and even created their own | | | | enough. While some contend that it's up to |
| levels of) DOOM, one of the first | | | | parents to monitor the game ratings and their |
| "first-person shooter" video games (attesting | | | | children's exposure to them, a study found |
| to its popularity, a movie version of DOOM | | | | that many parents, though aware of the |
| was just released on October 21). | | | | ratings and of their meanings, do not take |
| | | | them seriously. |
| The most recent study on the topic, to be | | | | |
| published in the January 2006 edition of | | | | "Most parents think their child is mature |
| Media Psychology, found that playing violent | | | | enough so that these games will not influence |
| video games does indeed cause violent thought | | | | them," said Jurgen Freund, chief executive |
| patterns in the brain. | | | | with the Swiss research firm Modulum. |
| | | | |
| A team of international researchers observed | | | | According to the study of over 1,000 UK |
| 13 males, aged 18 to 26, for the study. It | | | | adults, parents were more concerned with the |
| was found that, after playing a mature-rated | | | | number of hours their children were playing |
| game, 11 out of the 13 participants showed | | | | video games than with what game they were |
| significant effects from the games. | | | | playing. |
| | | | |
| "There is a causal link between playing the | | | | "Parents perceive age ratings as a guide but |
| first-person shooting game in our experiment | | | | not as a definite prohibition," said Freund. |
| and brain-activity pattern that are | | | | "Some may have not liked the content but they |
| considered as characteristic for aggressive | | | | did not prohibit the game." |
| cognitions and affects," said René Weber, | | | | |
| assistant professor of communication and | | | | And while the debate is likely to continue on |
| telecommunication at Michigan State | | | | a large scale in years to come (California |
| University (MSU) and a researcher on the | | | | Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently |
| project. "There is a neurological link and | | | | signed into law Assembly Bill 1179, which |
| there is a short-term causal relationship. | | | | prohibits selling or renting violent video |
| | | | games to Californians under 18), one thing's |
| "Violent video games frequently have been | | | | for sure -- kids will continue to be drawn to |
| criticized for enhancing aggressive reactions | | | | them, if for no other reason than because |
| such as aggressive cognitions, aggressive | | | | they're not supposed to have them. |
| affects or aggressive behavior. On a | | | | |
| neurobiological level we have shown the link | | | | "We called it Magic 18," said Freund. "The |
| exists," he says. | | | | 18+ label was seen as promoting the content, |
| | | | promising adult content rather than saying |
| Previous studies have also found such links. | | | | 'my parents will stop me playing this. |