New Studies: Violent Games Cause Violent Behavior In Children
See Full ImageThis shouldn't come as a surprise to many, but once again, the anti-game activists should be able to distinguish between children and adults. ...it's doubtful, but we can always hope.
According to FOX News, new studies suggest there is a definite correlation between violent video games and violent behavior in children. The studies have tried to find a way around the previous, and very common, obstacle: how do we know if the games actually made kids violent, or if already-violent kids were the ones who played those games? But thanks to three long-term studies in the U.S. and Japan, we now have evidence that "otherwise peaceable kids" can become more aggressive in school after playing violent games. The results were published in the Pediatrics medical journal, and the results were clear across the board: there was a positive correlation in all three samples, and the difference in American and Japanese culture didn't seem to have any effect.
Again, not surprisingly, the younger kids turned out to be more affected, as children between the ages of 9 and 12 exhibited more aggressive changes than the kids between the ages of 13 and 18. The study concludes very simply: "Playing violent video games is a significant risk factor for later physically aggressive behavior. The research strongly suggests reducing the exposure of youth to this risk factor." Yes, well...most well-adjusted and intelligent individuals have known this for a while; violent games can have long-term negative effects on children in the same way that violent movies and explicit music can. This is why these entertainment products carry ratings. ...I'm sorry, but isn't all of this just "common sense?" We really need studies to learn that a 10-year-old who plays GTAIV might get into more fights in school and resist authority more? Really?
11/3/2008 Ben Dutka
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