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