Now that we've done away with the sex, let's get rid of the violence. - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

FngKestrel · 08-18-2005, 10:21 AM

From GameDailyBiz:
http://biz.gamedaily.com/features.as...feature&email=

Quote:

Research finds increased aggression
American Psychological Association Calls for Cutback of Violent Games

According to the United States' leading psychological organization, which cites recent research on violent media, violent video games can cause increased aggression and increased physiological arousal in children. The APA is calling for a reduction of violence in today's games. More within...

The American Psychological Association (APA), the world's largest association of psychologists, today issued a statement announcing that the organization has "adopted a resolution recommending that all violence be reduced in video games and interactive media marketed to children and youth."

Violent games leads to violent behavior?
According to the APA, recent research indicates that "exposure to violence in video games increases aggressive thoughts, aggressive behavior, and angry feelings among youth. In addition, this exposure reduces helpful behavior and increases physiological arousal in children and adolescents."

The APA is also concerned that youth may not learn the consequences of their actions because in most games the player can get away with violence and is sometimes encouraged to commit violent acts. The research on violent media found that 73 percent of the time, perpetrators in violent scenes do not get reprimanded or punished. "Showing violent acts without consequences teach youth that violence is an effective means of resolving conflict. Whereas, seeing pain and suffering as a consequence can inhibit aggressive behavior," commented psychologist Elizabeth Carll, PhD, co-chair of the Committee on Violence in Video Games and Interactive Media.

Furthermore, the APA insists that video games are more influential than movies or television because the player is an active participant in the action rather than a passive observer. "Violence in video games appear to have similar negative effects as viewing violence on TV, but may be more harmful because of the interactive nature of video games," continued Carll. "Playing video games involves practice, repetition, and being rewarded for numerous acts of violence, which may intensify the learning. This may also result in more realistic experiences which may potentially increase aggressive behavior."

APA's recommendation
Consequently, the APA is recommending that a number of steps be taken to lessen the impact of violent games on today's youth. First, they would like media literacy to be taught to children "so they will have the ability to critically evaluate interactive media." Second, they are encouraging the computer and video games industry to "link violent behaviors with negative social consequences."

Third, the APA wants to see the industry "develop and disseminate a content-based rating system that accurately reflects the content of the video games and interactive media"—apparently the ESRB rating system isn't effective enough for the APA. And lastly, the association is recommending that "developers of violent video games and interactive media address the issues that playing these games may increase aggressive thoughts and behaviors in children and adolescents and that these effects may potentially be greater than the effects of exposure to violent television and movies."

ESA responds
Naturally, the video game industry was none too pleased with the APA's statements. Entertainment Software Association (ESA) president Douglas Lowenstein immediately reacted to the psychological association's statement.

"This resolution is hardly surprising since the APA has made it clear over a long period of time that it believes violent video games are harmful and thus justify enactment of unconstitutional restrictions on First Amendment freedoms," began Lowenstein.

He continued, "The APA continues to disregard a body of other credible research and analysis from such sources as the U.S. Surgeon General, the State of Washington's Department of Health, and from a professor at Harvard Medical School's Center for Mental Health and Media, to name just a few, which challenge claims that video games cause aggression or crime, and highlight the deeply flawed and suspect methodologies that underlie much of the research endorsed by APA. In fact, just this week, a researcher at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign released the first long-term study on the effects of playing violent online video games and found that they do not cause any substantial real-world aggression. Nary a word of it is mentioned by the APA, which is disappointing if it is genuinely interested in an objective look at all the science, including that which does not fit into its world view."

"The resolution also shows that the APA is unaware of, or chooses to ignore, some key facts -- the games on which it is focused are clearly rated M for Mature, make up a small percentage of game sales, and are made for the majority of game players who are adults," concluded Lowenstein.

Now, I'm up in the air about this. I do find people more likely to emulate the types of games they're playing, but I also find a cutback on violent games to be ridiculous. The types of games created are in direct correlation to the consuming public. Game makers want to make fun games that will make them money. I think they're just the bad guy du jour.

This is just another one of the fights that the game industry needs to overcome as it goes through its growing pains. It's occured with other forms of media, and it'll continue to occur.

Coppertop · 08-18-2005, 11:15 AM

This article makes me want to climb the nearest tower with a high-powered rifle.

Pragma · 08-18-2005, 12:00 PM

I'm going to have to agree with Coppertop on this one.. it's bad enough that they get rid of the sex in my video games, but now the violence? The problem is not with the video games, nor has it ever been. The problem always boils down to parents who don't monitor/care what their children play, and the stores that don't check IDs for mature items.

Lasereth · 08-18-2005, 02:10 PM

I said this in another thread and it sums up my feelings about that article as well:

If a teenage kid (yes, 13+) is changed or influenced by violence or sex in videogames then I honestly believe they have issues. I'll be 22 this year. I've been into videogames since my early childhood. My parents let me play violent videogames when I was 10+ (to my surprise). I've grown up to be perfectly fine. I do not think downward upon women. I do not think violence is the answer to anything. The only feeling I'm left with is wondering what kind of fucked up teenager would let a videogame get to him. There's way worse problems with the kid than videogames if he is influenced negatively by them.

-Lasereth

StuckinRow · 08-18-2005, 02:51 PM

When will people learn. Media and Video games are not the reason why people go crazy and violent. It depends on each and every childs mind and how their parents raise them. My mom has never cared what I played or watched. I watched violent movies since I was 2, no I dont remember them but I would watch whatever she watched. I probably started playing violent videogames since they came out. I was a spoiled kid since I was an only child. Yet, I have never even gotten into a fight even though I have had plenty of reasons to, I have never preformed any acts of violence, and I never would do anything to look down upon or harm a woman. So it cannot be the media, like Lasereth said, the children that are violent and whatever else have either mental problems or were not taught right and wrong from the parents.

thatoneguy · 08-18-2005, 03:37 PM

Yeah, I don't know... I think it should just get chalked up to poor supervision if kids are playing games that they are too young for. I realize a parent can't watch their kids 24 hours a day, or control what they do when they go over to other peoples' houses or whatnot, I just don't see the point of making EVERY game "kid friendly" because kids under 12 aren't the only ones who play them.

hulk · 08-18-2005, 06:03 PM

There has yet to be a study to connect game violence with, well, anything. The increased aggression can be easily linked with the competitive nature of the games, the violence meaning nothing.

Slavakion · 08-18-2005, 06:56 PM

I've played just about every violent game ever. From Mortal Kombat to Unreal Tournament to Manhunt to GTA to Club-A-Seal. I believe that I've been more... aggressivized... by high school. Seeing real-life violence and damn-near being dragged into it on a weekly basis has much more of an effect on you than moving some pixels around.

RedCometChar · 08-18-2005, 09:03 PM

All these video game studies explain why Japan has such a high murder rate. Oh wait...

Siege · 08-18-2005, 09:31 PM

"Video games don't make people violent, and i'll kill anyone who says otherwise." I love that quote, especially since it comes from a video game store owner

But seriously though, if violent games make people violent, should mario brothers make me want to pick up mushrooms and jump on things?

I find it interesting that they don't ever say that all the crappy drivers in the world are crappy drivers because of games like Need for Speed, or Driv3r.

t3m3st · 08-18-2005, 10:10 PM

I think the kids in my neighbourhood are into gangs and violence because they've been living in an area where this violence has occured every day for the last decade. Where members of the gangs seem to garner some sort of respect from the younger generation. Not because of San Andreas, as the news will tell me...

Blame RL, not the games.

Catdaddy33 · 08-19-2005, 03:13 AM

We cant think for ourselves, so lets have the government do it for us!!

Derwood · 08-19-2005, 07:32 AM

i'm too lazy to dig it up, but another thread had some stats that showed that teenage violence has in fact steadily decreased over the past 10+ years. So to say that video games cause violent behavior is specious at best.

japhyryder · 08-19-2005, 08:22 AM

I definately agree that I don't think video games cause violence. I do think that it should be a rule of 13+ to buy Teen games and 17+ to buy mature. Then it is the parents fault if the kids turn in to crazy killers

Zeraph · 08-19-2005, 11:16 AM

Just another example of the non scientist taking a scientific study and blowing it out of proportion. OK..video games increase aggression, well so does any competitive sport, lets ban those. So does sexual tension, better cut off all our sexual organs.

Just like the study in another thread saying staring at bewbs make men live longer healthier lives, well ya so would anything that achieves a calming-stress relieving effect. TV in the right proportions does this as well. While these types of things are technically true it doesn't make sense to apply them like this.

Not to mention these articles take one sentence of scientific finding and add in all sorts of other "concerns" "possibility" etc that make it look like the finding supports what theyre saying.

777 · 08-19-2005, 09:00 PM

Blame, blame, blame. All finger pointing and no admission of guilt. Just face it parents, if your kids are misbehaving, then you have bad kids

ColonelSpecial · 08-19-2005, 10:04 PM

My favorite quote by a comedienne is "I love playing video games because it lets out all my aggression. If I don't play I will kill someone in real life. So you have a choice, I kill in the game or I kill you in real life!" It is so true! I love video games for the very reason that I get to be outside reality!

sinjien · 08-21-2005, 12:40 AM

Saying that violent video games has a high probability of influencing people of being more violent is ludicrous. Video games is just another form of media entertainment - like books, comics, movies, and music. It is pure stupidity on the part of our government to believe that limiting violence in games will solve anything. I dont hear them pushing congress to limit the amount of violence in my comics or in the books that I read which are easily accessible to ANYONE. Violence and aggression stems from one or a combination of two things: abuse and abuse. Physical and verbal abuse time and time again causes many teenagers to become withdrawn and only focus on things that help them forget the problems in their lives. And then when they finally do have a serious breakdown everyone sites how they always played videogames as the cause; failing to realize that it was their only outlet for even a moment of peace. Videogames are not the problem. The problem is the parents inabilty to be parents. I think we all can agree that child abuse and neglect has killed millions more than games ever will.

...my two cents...

CityOfAngels · 08-23-2005, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coppertop

This article makes me want to climb the nearest tower with a high-powered rifle.

As insane as Coppertop's statement was, I'm amazed to find how much I sympathize with it. It's funny how saying videogames make people violent has more potential to make us violent than videogames actually do.

CityOfAngels · 08-23-2005, 10:07 PM

Join GAF. I'll be your president.

crxforum · 08-25-2005, 11:54 PM

Tom Cruise says that Phycology is a scam ruining todays youth, culture, and purity of self thought and moral system. Tom Cruise knows the history of phycology so he says and thats good enough for me.

Sorry just had to say that because Cruise is a total whackjob.

Everything pretty much causes people to get mad now a days. Someone cut you off, you get out of your car at a light and kill them. Someone makes fun of you on the internet you track them down and kill them. Someone says something behind your back you go back the next day and kill them and everyone else before killing yourself.

There were murders, cerial killers, rape, muggings, theft and other things before video games were invented. Sounds to me like those phycologists need to go to a few of their own sessions and learn how to tune into reality.

CRX Forum

jwoody · 08-26-2005, 12:51 AM

If someone pays me enough, I'll produce some research which proves the exact opposite.

Any offers?

hulk · 08-26-2005, 02:16 AM

Someone already did.

jwoody · 08-26-2005, 04:26 AM

Damn! Missed the boat again.

I'm doing a special offer at the moment: 'Smoking is Good for You' & 'Carrots Improve Your Night-Vision' - two for the price of one.

Still no takers?

jt6879 · 08-28-2005, 07:36 AM

These studies are so stupid. How many people grew up playing MK and then Doom and then GTA and are now serial killers, they dont make you demented any more than movies do. I get so aggravated with stuff like this.

TexanAvenger · 08-28-2005, 07:49 AM

I don't know guys... this is an issue that started early on in videogaming. I think violence and gaming are tied inextricably together. I mean, look at Tron and Battlezone and Duckhunt. Even Mario jumped on the heads of cute little things and set animals on fire. Fuck, once Yoshi came on the scene he even started eating the little bastards.

Videogames are based in the realm of escapism. Sometimes people need the ability to go out and whack a couple of mob bosses and run over innocent people in a game that tries to simulate real life so that people don't actually do it in real life. Again, the issue comes from the point where a person (especially a kid) cannot draw the line between this fantasy world and the real one. However, where this is the case the game is not to blame as the person clearly has issues that result from something entirely different from Grand Theft Auto... like a hormonal imbalance, or developmental disorder.

Take away my violent videogames and I'm climbing up with Coppertop.

Jinn · 08-29-2005, 08:50 AM

http://gr.bolt.com/articles/violence/violence.htm

That's all I have to say to these bastards.

VIOLENCE IN VIDEO GAMES DOES NOT CREATE VIOLENT PEOPLE.

08-18-2005, 12:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
Pragma I am Winter Born Location: Alexandria, VA	I'm going to have to agree with Coppertop on this one.. it's bad enough that they get rid of the sex in my video games, but now the violence? The problem is not with the video games, nor has it ever been. The problem always boils down to parents who don't monitor/care what their children play, and the stores that don't check IDs for mature items. __________________ Eat antimatter, Posleen-boy!

08-18-2005, 02:10 PM	#4 (permalink)
Lasereth Knight of the Old Republic Location: Winston-Salem, NC	I said this in another thread and it sums up my feelings about that article as well: If a teenage kid (yes, 13+) is changed or influenced by violence or sex in videogames then I honestly believe they have issues. I'll be 22 this year. I've been into videogames since my early childhood. My parents let me play violent videogames when I was 10+ (to my surprise). I've grown up to be perfectly fine. I do not think downward upon women. I do not think violence is the answer to anything. The only feeling I'm left with is wondering what kind of fucked up teenager would let a videogame get to him. There's way worse problems with the kid than videogames if he is influenced negatively by them. -Lasereth __________________ "A Darwinian attacks his theory, seeking to find flaws. An ID believer defends his theory, seeking to conceal flaws." -Roger Ebert

08-18-2005, 03:37 PM	#6 (permalink)
thatoneguy Crazy Location: Omaha, NE	Yeah, I don't know... I think it should just get chalked up to poor supervision if kids are playing games that they are too young for. I realize a parent can't watch their kids 24 hours a day, or control what they do when they go over to other peoples' houses or whatnot, I just don't see the point of making EVERY game "kid friendly" because kids under 12 aren't the only ones who play them. __________________ "Thank you for flying Church of England, cake or death?"

08-18-2005, 06:03 PM	#7 (permalink)
hulk C'mon, just blow it. Location: Perth, Australia	There has yet to be a study to connect game violence with, well, anything. The increased aggression can be easily linked with the competitive nature of the games, the violence meaning nothing. __________________ "'There's a tendency among the press to attribute the creation of a game to a single person,' says Warren Spector, creator of Thief and Deus Ex." -- From an IGN game review.

08-18-2005, 09:03 PM	#9 (permalink)
RedCometChar Not Brand Ecch! Location: New Orleans	All these video game studies explain why Japan has such a high murder rate. Oh wait... __________________ Killing that robot makes me want to go home.

08-18-2005, 11:15 AM	#2 (permalink)
Coppertop Getting Medieval on your ass Location: 13th century Europe	This article makes me want to climb the nearest tower with a high-powered rifle.

08-18-2005, 02:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
StuckinRow Upright	When will people learn. Media and Video games are not the reason why people go crazy and violent. It depends on each and every childs mind and how their parents raise them. My mom has never cared what I played or watched. I watched violent movies since I was 2, no I dont remember them but I would watch whatever she watched. I probably started playing violent videogames since they came out. I was a spoiled kid since I was an only child. Yet, I have never even gotten into a fight even though I have had plenty of reasons to, I have never preformed any acts of violence, and I never would do anything to look down upon or harm a woman. So it cannot be the media, like Lasereth said, the children that are violent and whatever else have either mental problems or were not taught right and wrong from the parents.

08-18-2005, 06:56 PM	#8 (permalink)
Slavakion Mjollnir Incarnate Location: Lost in thought	I've played just about every violent game ever. From Mortal Kombat to Unreal Tournament to Manhunt to GTA to Club-A-Seal. I believe that I've been more... aggressivized... by high school. Seeing real-life violence and damn-near being dragged into it on a weekly basis has much more of an effect on you than moving some pixels around.

08-18-2005, 09:31 PM	#10 (permalink)
Siege is a tiger Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada	"Video games don't make people violent, and i'll kill anyone who says otherwise." I love that quote, especially since it comes from a video game store owner But seriously though, if violent games make people violent, should mario brothers make me want to pick up mushrooms and jump on things? I find it interesting that they don't ever say that all the crappy drivers in the world are crappy drivers because of games like Need for Speed, or Driv3r. __________________ "Your name's Geek? Do you know the origin of the term? A geek is someone who bites the heads off chickens at a circus. I would never let you suck my dick with a name like Geek" --Kevin Smith This part just makes my posts easier to find

08-18-2005, 10:10 PM	#11 (permalink)
t3m3st Vroom! Location: Toronto	I think the kids in my neighbourhood are into gangs and violence because they've been living in an area where this violence has occured every day for the last decade. Where members of the gangs seem to garner some sort of respect from the younger generation. Not because of San Andreas, as the news will tell me... Blame RL, not the games. __________________ I do it for the rare drops

08-19-2005, 03:13 AM	#12 (permalink)
Catdaddy33 Psycho Location: TN	We cant think for ourselves, so lets have the government do it for us!!

08-19-2005, 07:32 AM	#13 (permalink)
Derwood Who You Crappin? Location: Everywhere and Nowhere	i'm too lazy to dig it up, but another thread had some stats that showed that teenage violence has in fact steadily decreased over the past 10+ years. So to say that video games cause violent behavior is specious at best. __________________ "You can't shoot a country until it becomes a democracy." - Willravel

08-19-2005, 08:22 AM	#14 (permalink)
japhyryder no one special Location: Charlotte, NC	I definately agree that I don't think video games cause violence. I do think that it should be a rule of 13+ to buy Teen games and 17+ to buy mature. Then it is the parents fault if the kids turn in to crazy killers __________________ It's only entertainment, someone's sick idea of a joke.

08-19-2005, 11:16 AM	#15 (permalink)
Zeraph Banned Location: The Cosmos	Just another example of the non scientist taking a scientific study and blowing it out of proportion. OK..video games increase aggression, well so does any competitive sport, lets ban those. So does sexual tension, better cut off all our sexual organs. Just like the study in another thread saying staring at bewbs make men live longer healthier lives, well ya so would anything that achieves a calming-stress relieving effect. TV in the right proportions does this as well. While these types of things are technically true it doesn't make sense to apply them like this. Not to mention these articles take one sentence of scientific finding and add in all sorts of other "concerns" "possibility" etc that make it look like the finding supports what theyre saying. Last edited by Zeraph; 08-19-2005 at 11:19 AM..

08-19-2005, 09:00 PM	#16 (permalink)
777 drawn and redrawn Location: Some where in Southern California	Blame, blame, blame. All finger pointing and no admission of guilt. Just face it parents, if your kids are misbehaving, then you have bad kids __________________ "I don't know that I ever wanted greatness, on its own. It seems rather like wanting to be an engineer, rather than wanting to design something - or wanting to be a writer, rather than wanting to write. It should be a by-product, not a thing in itself. Otherwise, it's just an ego trip." Roger Zelazny

08-23-2005, 10:07 PM	#20 (permalink)
CityOfAngels Oh shit it's Wayne Brady! Location: Passenger seat of Wayne Brady's car.	Join GAF. I'll be your president.

08-19-2005, 10:04 PM	#17 (permalink)
ColonelSpecial Insane	My favorite quote by a comedienne is "I love playing video games because it lets out all my aggression. If I don't play I will kill someone in real life. So you have a choice, I kill in the game or I kill you in real life!" It is so true! I love video games for the very reason that I get to be outside reality! __________________ "Mommy, the presidents are squishing me!" "Using the pull out method of contraceptive is like saying I won't use a seat belt, I'll just jump out of the car before it hits that tree." Sara

08-21-2005, 12:40 AM	#18 (permalink)
sinjien Tilted Location: the back of a giant turtle	Saying that violent video games has a high probability of influencing people of being more violent is ludicrous. Video games is just another form of media entertainment - like books, comics, movies, and music. It is pure stupidity on the part of our government to believe that limiting violence in games will solve anything. I dont hear them pushing congress to limit the amount of violence in my comics or in the books that I read which are easily accessible to ANYONE. Violence and aggression stems from one or a combination of two things: abuse and abuse. Physical and verbal abuse time and time again causes many teenagers to become withdrawn and only focus on things that help them forget the problems in their lives. And then when they finally do have a serious breakdown everyone sites how they always played videogames as the cause; failing to realize that it was their only outlet for even a moment of peace. Videogames are not the problem. The problem is the parents inabilty to be parents. I think we all can agree that child abuse and neglect has killed millions more than games ever will. ...my two cents...

08-25-2005, 11:54 PM	#21 (permalink)
crxforum Crazy	Tom Cruise says that Phycology is a scam ruining todays youth, culture, and purity of self thought and moral system. Tom Cruise knows the history of phycology so he says and thats good enough for me. Sorry just had to say that because Cruise is a total whackjob. Everything pretty much causes people to get mad now a days. Someone cut you off, you get out of your car at a light and kill them. Someone makes fun of you on the internet you track them down and kill them. Someone says something behind your back you go back the next day and kill them and everyone else before killing yourself. There were murders, cerial killers, rape, muggings, theft and other things before video games were invented. Sounds to me like those phycologists need to go to a few of their own sessions and learn how to tune into reality. CRX Forum

08-26-2005, 12:51 AM	#22 (permalink)
jwoody Shackle Me Not Location: Newcastle - England.	If someone pays me enough, I'll produce some research which proves the exact opposite. Any offers? __________________ .

08-26-2005, 02:16 AM	#23 (permalink)
hulk C'mon, just blow it. Location: Perth, Australia	Someone already did. __________________ "'There's a tendency among the press to attribute the creation of a game to a single person,' says Warren Spector, creator of Thief and Deus Ex." -- From an IGN game review.

08-26-2005, 04:26 AM	#24 (permalink)
jwoody Shackle Me Not Location: Newcastle - England.	Damn! Missed the boat again. I'm doing a special offer at the moment: 'Smoking is Good for You' & 'Carrots Improve Your Night-Vision' - two for the price of one. Still no takers? __________________ .

08-28-2005, 07:36 AM	#25 (permalink)
jt6879 Crazy	These studies are so stupid. How many people grew up playing MK and then Doom and then GTA and are now serial killers, they dont make you demented any more than movies do. I get so aggravated with stuff like this.

08-28-2005, 07:49 AM	#26 (permalink)
TexanAvenger Born-Again New Guy Location: Unfound.	I don't know guys... this is an issue that started early on in videogaming. I think violence and gaming are tied inextricably together. I mean, look at Tron and Battlezone and Duckhunt. Even Mario jumped on the heads of cute little things and set animals on fire. Fuck, once Yoshi came on the scene he even started eating the little bastards. Videogames are based in the realm of escapism. Sometimes people need the ability to go out and whack a couple of mob bosses and run over innocent people in a game that tries to simulate real life so that people don't actually do it in real life. Again, the issue comes from the point where a person (especially a kid) cannot draw the line between this fantasy world and the real one. However, where this is the case the game is not to blame as the person clearly has issues that result from something entirely different from Grand Theft Auto... like a hormonal imbalance, or developmental disorder. Take away my violent videogames and I'm climbing up with Coppertop.

08-29-2005, 08:50 AM	#27 (permalink)
Jinn Lover - Protector - Teacher Location: Seattle, WA	http://gr.bolt.com/articles/violence/violence.htm That's all I have to say to these bastards. VIOLENCE IN VIDEO GAMES DOES NOT CREATE VIOLENT PEOPLE. __________________ "I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel