Violent Videos Games and Behavior

[rraehal]

Check out this report and talk with some Harvard researchers. This study should carry a bit more weight than most.

It isn't what you think:
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/253399

finally a real step in the right direction. (unless i'm violent and don't know it :) )

[RockNRoll]

it shows the shooter (Seung-Hui Cho) played Sonic the Hedgehog at age nine, but did not play video games later in life.


:eek: Zomg nobody play sonic the hedgehog!!

Younger kids IMO are more impressionable... Just like when you watch power rangers when you were 6 and wanted to copy their moves on your sibling/friend, but when you're older, you are much more rational. A game doesn't MAKE you violent, unless you have mental issues or something, seeing digital (or any kind of violence anywhere for that matter) is probably like a switch that'll turn on your rage I guess, but is the case with any kind of obsession/addiction/mental insanity? I play alot of FPS but I don't feel like running around a school shooting everybody, but granted, I wouldn't really care to do that in a game either... lol... :rolleyes: :r

[rraehal]

...A game doesn't MAKE you violent...

Well theres the source of the debate. As the video said most studies do claim video games DO MAKE someone violent. This study was funded by the US Dept of Justice and was conducted by Harvard. I think the credentials and funding source will lead to this having a little more weight than Mr. Jack.

I never turned violent and I still play Doom 3 and Quake 4 on a regular basis. Heck a couple of days ago I reinstall Warcraft 3 and have been playing that. I don't think I'm violent. Maybe someone will disagree. ;)

[RockNRoll]

Yeah see I've always had a problem with games like Manhunt 2 and GTA, and I don't believe they're a good influence especially on the younger kids I see gramma letting them buy at the mall, but that's a different subject completely... But yea, bottom line is it really can't make you violent unless you somehow are brought into a hypnotic state while playing and you hypnotize yourself with murderous images. :p

[Imperion1]

Video games haven't made me violent.
What makes me violent are the people that do 40mph in the far left lane on the Interstate. Or cuts me off in traffic. I'm more likely to force someone off the road than beat someone with a metal pipe. :D

[Rabbitrunner51]

i tend to agree with both viewpoints.. but heres my take. Younger kids whether they are prone to violence or not are indeed impressionable. That is a fact. No one other then ones parents perhaps, or trained pychologists, can say whtehr a violent game might lead to actul real life violent outbursts or situations, often times too late and that is sad.

Grownups with age, get wiser and mellower over time, and get less prone to violent behavior, unless listed as total psychotic or a hopeless criminal. i doubt for them or normal adults, violent games would add to or cause one to do likewise.

Personally, if I had kids, i would teach them some things, and to be responsible for ones actions. I would not let them play these type of games until they are much older and can think for themselves. Hopefully,by then i would have done my job, and they wouldn't even be playing video games all the time anyways.
Too much of one genre ( hence, shootem up and violent games ) is not good at a young age. This is the time they learn waht is right and what is wrong. If a bit unbalanced, these games can lead to unusual behaviors or tendancies.

I believe, games are labeled as such and that is good, but they should also not be able to sell them to kids or younger until mature teen or adult. One way would be to have to have ones parents give their OK, but that would only work so far. ( like having criminal parents or likewise etc.. )

Me, i am older and can disassociate with what is playtime and what is the real world. I also had parents that cared, and we were taught whats right and wrong. if youy have kids, you are responsible. letting them play these games all the time ,then wonder why my son went out and murdered one or more of his classmates,well? There is no subsitute for Love, and a bit of caring and listening.

I think you'll find that porblems do arise whther one plays games or not if these three things are missing in ones developement.

[RockNRoll]

I think that was quite well said. :D

[Rabbitrunner51]

Almost all the games i play are violent and mostly FPS. Heck, when i was a kid, i played sports, got in my fair share of touble and mischief, and generally was an above avg. student. >There were no computers , nor video games to play.< I played board games,and that was all there was,oher then making up our own game. In other words.., we had to think and participate or use our brains. I was lucky.

Unfortunately, its like most other things in this country. As long as somebody is making money, then most anybody ssems to be able to get away with putting out as mcuh violence in games as the public demands. The trouble here is that even in cartoons, which is where it starts for kids, its always been about violence. The next step is video games.. and there ya have it. Just part of our culture.

[Guille_Expat]

And here's my take, I think so many of todays kids practically spend almost all of their free time playing video games. A lot of kids don't have their parents to spend time with doing other activities. They are to busy with their own lives or careers, they are not in tune with kids activities, schooling or what have you?

I have friends who have 3 kids and they let them play their PS3's and both their parents play with them (all the games..wow). But the don't let them spend their entire on those games. They all go out for bike rides, to the park, beach what have you. They care about their kids and what influences they have.

And I have other friends who's kids are holed in their rooms all day playing video games. And their attitudes...well you take a guess? To me it just shows how much the parents are willing to be an important part of their kids lives. I mean you can not let your kids have violent video games in the house, but if their friends have it and they are holed up all day playing?

Thats just my view and what I've seen.