Study finds that violent video games may be linked to aggressive behaviour

[Renae]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/s...-linked-to-aggressive-behaviour-10458614.html

Psychologists have confirmed that playing violent video games is linked to aggressive and callous behaviour.A review of almost a decade of studies found that exposure to violent video games was a "risk factor" for increased aggression.


But the same team of experts said there was insufficient evidence to conclude that the influence of games such as Call Of Duty andGrand Theft Auto led to criminal acts.

Morons.

 

[CMPancake]

I would comment on how utterly contrived the notion that video games lead to violence but I'm a bit too busy playing Team Fortress 2 to care.

 

[AliHajiSheik]

I don't think it is unreasonable that for some, a violent video game may help remove inhibitions to commit violence in real life. The real issue is there is no good way to identify who those individuals may be.

 

[MaggieD]

I don't think it is unreasonable that for some, a violent video game may help remove inhibitions to commit violence in real life. The real issue is there is no good way to identify who those individuals may be.

Well, someone with an open mind.

In my opinion, it is not at ALL far-fetched that the uncooked brains of young people may be adversely effected by slaughtering dozens of characters in minutes. You know, kinda like school and theater shootings?

 

[CMPancake]

Well, someone with an open mind.

In my opinion, it is not at ALL far-fetched that the uncooked brains of young people may be adversely effected by slaughtering dozens of characters in minutes. You know, kinda like school and theater shootings?

Then in that same vein, Simcity would have the same effect on young people to start building cities.

 

[Simon W. Moon]

I don't think it is unreasonable that for some, a violent video game may help remove inhibitions to commit violence in real life. The real issue is there is no good way to identify who those individuals may be.

Society as a whole is become less violent.

Our past times and entertainments used to involve actual violence against real people and animals.

Simulations of violence will always be less of an issue than actual violence.

We're a violent species.

 

[Renae]

Well, someone with an open mind.

In my opinion, it is not at ALL far-fetched that the uncooked brains of young people may be adversely effected by slaughtering dozens of characters in minutes. You know, kinda like school and theater shootings?

And before video games it was movies and TV, and before that books...

YAWN.

It's not the medium that is the problem, it's the parents that let children too young engage in anything that is beyond their scope and making sure that whatever game, movie or book is on their maturity level. Would you let a 6 year old watch porn movies? Why would you let a 6 year old play COD or GTA V?

The real real problem is that we don't identify mental illness effectively and then look for scapegoats when lunatics do horrible things.

 

[MaggieD]

Then in that same vein, Simcity would have the same effect on young people to start building cities.

I think you're deliberately missing the point. It is not hard to imagine that stabbing and shooting and spurting blood and heads rolling on the ground would desensitize children to violence. These are not normal images.

When you look into the dark abyss, remember that the abyss is looking back at you.

 

[Henrin]

So in other news, youth violence is on the decline. In fact, from 2008-2012 juvenile arrests for violent crimes decreased 36%. Pretty cool, right?

 

[Your Star]

Aggressiveness =/= violence

Also, I imagine it's the competitive nature of the game, and not the violence that leads to the increased aggressiveness. You do this same study on sports I imagine you'll get similar results.

 

[CanadaJohn]

Aggressiveness =/= violence

Also, I imagine it's the competitive nature of the game, and not the violence that leads to the increased aggressiveness. You do this same study on sports I imagine you'll get similar results.

I could be wrong but I think sports has been studied and it has been proven to lead to less violence because the sport itself provides a physical release for pent up aggression. Additionally, there's no death or weapons involved in sports, just physical activity leading to exhaustion.

I'm not sure if that extends to video games, since there's little physical involved, but it seems clear that some minds are deadened to the seriousness of gun and other violence through video games since a reset or new game button allows all the killed characters to return to life, seemingly unharmed.

 

[CMPancake]

I think you're deliberately missing the point. It is not hard to imagine that stabbing and shooting and spurting blood and heads rolling on the ground would desensitize children to violence. These are not normal images.

Maybe if it was absolutely real violence, sure. But I've played video games like GTA and Medal of Honor ever since I was a wee little Pancake and it hasn't desensitized me to much of anything. If anything, video games have taught me the majority of 14 year olds had sex with my mother.

But I'm humoring the notion that Video games have this subconscious influence on young children. How come there's a claim that violent video games desensitize children to violence while the same isn't said for games about building cities or managing families?

 

[soot]

In my opinion, it is not at ALL far-fetched that the uncooked brains of young people may be adversely effected by slaughtering dozens of characters in minutes. You know, kinda like school and theater shootings?

I think you're probably painting with much too broad a brush.

I think that if you start with a kid who is emotionally damaged, exposed to real violence, alienated from other people, maybe mentally ill, spends a lot of time isolated with this type of game, and has weak, inattentive, and/or disinterested parents then adding violent video games in to the mix probably has the potential, in some cases, to make things worse.

Maybe not school shooting worse, but worse.

That said, I'd think an argument could be made that there are probably also situations where venting anger and aggression on a video game probably helps such kids cope and forestalls real violence.

On the other hand if you start with a kid who is pretty well adjusted, gets along well with others, is actively involved in team athletics, regularly participates in group social activities, does well in school, receives guidance and positive reinforcement at home and in school, has active involved parents, shows no signs of mental or emotional illness, and is generally nonviolent in every respect except where video games are concerned I'd think the idea that simply playing too much Battlefield 3 might lead to an active shooter scenario is pretty outlandish.

 

[MaggieD]

M

Maybe if it was absolutely real violence, sure. But I've played video games like GTA and Medal of Honor ever since I was a wee little Pancake and it hasn't desensitized me to much of anything. If anything, video games have taught me the majority of 14 year olds had sex with my mother.

:lol::lol:

 

[Goshin]

Aggressiveness =/= violence

Also, I imagine it's the competitive nature of the game, and not the violence that leads to the increased aggressiveness. You do this same study on sports I imagine you'll get similar results.

Probably worse results, especially for American football players. Anecdotal on my part, but there's a hell of a lot of anecdotes!

 

[Your Star]

I could be wrong but I think sports has been studied and it has been proven to lead to less violence because the sport itself provides a physical release for pent up aggression. Additionally, there's no death or weapons involved in sports, just physical activity leading to exhaustion.

I'm not sure if that extends to video games, since there's little physical involved, but it seems clear that some minds are deadened to the seriousness of gun and other violence through video games since a reset or new game button allows all the killed characters to return to life, seemingly unharmed.

Like I said, aggression does not equal violence. I wasn't saying that sports led to violence, just increased temporary aggression. I feel some video games can have this same effect. This is due to the competitiveness, and not the physical aspect.

 

[Your Star]

Probably worse results, especially for American football players. Anecdotal on my part, but there's a hell of a lot of anecdotes!

When I played hockey, I saw this so much. :lol:

Not in myself too much, but I played goalie, and I needed very much to be calm and even keel. Otherwise I'd be a nervous wreck. Though, I did get pretty feisty at some points I won't lie. :lol:

 

[Ikari]

Well, someone with an open mind.

In my opinion, it is not at ALL far-fetched that the uncooked brains of young people may be adversely effected by slaughtering dozens of characters in minutes. You know, kinda like school and theater shootings?

And if so the statistics would show that to be the case. Do they?

 

[Fiddytree]

"Risk factor" was the key term there. And it is a risk factor, among many others. But on the surface, it is absolutely true that most console and PC games that sell well are often exercises in relativism and nihilism. The mobile market is much more susceptible to family-friendly content.

The call by the APA to have parents have more controls over gaming content is a good one, though I am uncertain if a substantial amount hasn't already been exercised.

I haven't dug deep into settings on consoles, but aren't there Parent Control settings these days? Do they regulate what ESRB content games can be played without a parental passcode? If not, that would be a good start.

However, as the professional body is also expecting parents to be more proactive in their regulatory duties, they are over 20 years too late. Most parents aren't that discriminating about the content. Instead of being fearful about violent content they are most guarded about their wallets.

 

[Your Star]

"Risk factor" was the key term there. And it is a risk factor, among many others. But on the surface, it is absolutely true that most console and PC games that sell well are often exercises in relativism and nihilism. The mobile market is much more susceptible to family-friendly content.

The call by the APA to have parents have more controls over gaming content is a good one, though I am uncertain if a substantial amount hasn't already been exercised.

I haven't dug deep into settings on consoles, but aren't there Parent Control settings these days? Do they regulate what ESRB content games can be played without a parental passcode? If not, that would be a good start.

However, as the professional body is also expecting parents to be more proactive in their regulatory duties, they are over 20 years too late. Most parents aren't that discriminating about the content. Instead of being fearful about violent content they are most guarded about their wallets.

This has been the case since last generation. The 360 and PS3.

 

[Fiddytree]

This has been the case since last generation. The 360 and PS3.

That's what I thought.

It makes it hard to believe that the APA has much left to argue for other than a seismic shift in the cultural mindset.

For many years retailers have restricted purchasing of M rated content by minors without parental consent, and consoles have enabled parents to restrict what content is played on machines.

 

[Chagos]

A lot of work could have been saved, had the researchers gone straight to Creech airfield in Nevada.

Never mind what make believe deaths caused at the consoles of kids' homes or to what actual physical violence they may later lead, there everything is for real.

The iconic pilot as matinee idol will be out; the team player with programming talent and 'mad gamer skills' will be in.

The New Breed of Pilot - Airforce Technology

 

[t4pi0k4]

But I'm humoring the notion that Video games have this subconscious influence on young children. How come there's a claim that violent video games desensitize children to violence while the same isn't said for games about building cities or managing families?

What you are talking about is a well documented psychological disorder which affects some people who spend most of their wake time playing video games, it's been dubbed Game Transfer Phenomena and concerns those people who experience involuntary impulses to perform gaming actions in real life!
Since it involves mainly base emotions, the more likely attitude is to destroy or take inconsiderate risks (like try to jump from one balcony to the next to evade the police) rather than a sudden urge to build or manage things!

 

[iliveonramen]

I think you're deliberately missing the point. It is not hard to imagine that stabbing and shooting and spurting blood and heads rolling on the ground would desensitize children to violence. These are not normal images.

I think one of the first things you should be able to do is show a rise in violence that follows the popularity of video games. The thing is, while news stations show every murder that takes place in the country, the US is a much less violent place than it's been in a very long time. In fact, violence drops with the rise of video games. I'm not saying the two are related, but that's completely the opposite of what you would expect if video games drove violence.

 

[Hatuey]

I'd say that it's not so much video games, but the culture that they stem from. America is a "pro-gun" culture and has always been. Guns have been seen as a solution to problems far more often than legal processes. We see it on DP, the 250lb/5'4" posters who scream that if the gubmint comes for their fertilizer, they gon raise hell and shoot up DC. I'm being facetious of course, however I think that type of culture definitely has an impact on us as a country especially when such a culture is passed down through various generations.