After reviewing more than 1000 studies based on over 30 years of research, 6 major public health organisations, including the American Medical Association, found that 'viewing entertainment violence can lead to increases in aggressive attitudes, values and behaviour, particularly in children.'
Research and developmental theorists have proven that children who view a lot of media violence are more likely to view violence as an effective way of settling conflicts. Viewing media violence can lead to emotional desensitisation towards violence in real life.
According to Huston 'Big world, Small screen. University of Nebraska Press (1992) Children, on average, will witness on television 200,000 acts of violence, including 40,000 murders, by the time they are eighteen. As found by Haninger and Thompson Violence in teen-related games (2008) www.kidsrisk.harvard.edu/images/MGMvideogames.pdf a study of teen-related games found that 98% involved intentional violence and 69% rewarded killing or required the player to kill in order to advance in the game.
It is a common belief held by many childhood developmental theorists and professionals that operant conditioning - the reinforcement of ideas and behaviours is likely to produce such ideas and behaviours. Behavioural science research demonstrates that playing violent video games can increase the likelihood of aggressive behaviour in children and youth.
What are your thoughts and experiences in relation to video game violence?
We would love your feedback and suggestions for further topic discussion/information.
Thank you for ensuring tomorrows children's dreams are unlimited.
Kids Unlimited Australia
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Good post.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'm a fan of video games, but wouldn't claim to be a big fan of violence (the opposite, if anything!). That said, I'm an adult and can consciously and (somewhat) rationally draw a deliberate line in the sand.
I'd be interested in hearing your potential solutions to the problem. Left to the responsibility and discretion of the parents? To limit the content of tv/games for us all would be difficult to justify.
On a somewhat related note: I find it interesting that the maturity ratings on things are often in inverse proportion to the actual maturity of the content. e.g. indulging immaturely in swearing or other vulgar behaviour - not much maturity there!
I think the main way that maturity might be helpful in handling what would be dangerous without is that with it comes awareness, the ability to hold the content at a distance, etc.
As to the extent children should be exposed, maybe the rating system as it exists, if stuck to, would suffice? I'll leave that up to you!
- R.S.
Some of these games are incredible, regardless of the ratings kids want to play them and get their hands on them, some games are all about selling drugs, killing prositutes and gang memebers - again, pointless and so destructive. No wonder so many youths seem to find violence ok - they have grown up with these video games. I can see your point on the operant conditioning.
ReplyDeleteMaree
I think the ratings are relevant to the games but i also think parents are not overseeing what their children are playing either through lack of research or not caring (just another babysitter scenario). I think children learn at an early age that movies are stories but then we see such violence on our tv with news stories and hear on radio inappropiate language or personal unsuitable stories. Once again the parents responsibilty.
ReplyDeleteD.S.