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