07-24-2004, 05:57 PM
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#71 (permalink)
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Insane
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http://culturalpolicy.uchicago.edu/c...goldstein.html
I specifically liked this part.
Quote:
It is surprising that social psychological research on video games so rarely considers the social life of gamers. A Danish study of 5- to 17-year olds (Sorensen & Jessen, 2000) concluded that "Children’s fascination with violent computer games cannot be understood without considering these [social] aspects. The violent elements fascinate some children, but this fascination should not be mistaken for a fascination with violence in the real world. On the contrary, all children in the investigation repudiated real-life violence. The violent elements in computer games are attractive as spectacular effects, but also because they prompt excitement and thrill. Computer games are, thus, in line with genres known from the film industry: action movies, animation, thrillers and horror movies. Computer games have inherited the content of violence from a cultural tradition within fiction…Generally, these effects contain an element of exaggeration, which is fully recognized by children. In relation to this, the act of playing violent computer games can be seen as a parallel to the violent and ‘rough’ play traditionally found among boys" (p. 120).
Sorensen and Jessen note that the interactive nature of computer games "is usually described as a problem in relation to violent computer games – the fact that the player himself must conduct violent deeds – actually makes children aware that their actions take place in a fictitious universe. For children, computer games are in fact ‘games’ with their own rules. From an early age, they are aware that these rules do not apply outside the realm of the game, with the exception that children can include elements and rules from the games in their play" (p. 121).
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Mechanical Engineers build weapons. Civil Engineers build targets.
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