Violent Video Games: Good for Kids!

[swivel]

The Journal of Adolescent Health has recently published a study (http://gamerush.zoomshare.com/files/my_images/GameRush_Entertainment_New_study_finds_that_violen t_video_games_can_be_healthy_for_kids_News.htm) of more than 1,200 7th and 8th graders that play violent video games. Not only did the study show no link to violence, they found that there might be beneficial effects, such as teaching the kids how to control and regulate emotions. They also found that the stereotype of dangerous kids playing alone is not accurate. Kids tend to play in small groups, or while interacting with others online.

I think it is obvious that violent videogames are just another way for boys to determine a pecking order. It is no different than lion cubs wrestling and biting one another, or our parents playing "war" and their parents playing "cowboys and Indians". How is simulating the shooting of a friend's avatar worse than the real-life simulation of actually shooting your friend in the head? Because that is what we used to do before videogames.

The truth is actually very simple: Violent people look for ways to express their violence. They hurt animals, they play with firecrackers, they pick on younger/smaller kids, and if someone makes a videogame that lets them blow shit up, they will play with that toy as well. Correlational Observations != Causation.

[Athena]

Who do we believe? (http://www.apa.org/releases/videogames.html) Research can say whatever the funding entity wants it to say. I'd be interested to find out who funded the study.

That being said, I was raised with access to damn near anything, certainly violent movies, video games and music. I managed to avoid being molded into a little psychopath. That's because I was supervised. Anything can influence a child who lacks strong values and structure.

[ZombieBabe]

So, does this mean I should let my 8yo play Resident Evil:4? The little booger has been bugging me to at least let him watch.

*edit* I'm actually curious about what you guys think. Dude has been lobbying hardcore.

[I am Legend]

i would, but if he has nightmares, the best thing to do is berate him and call him a pussy. this will cause him to internalize his emotions, and he will therefore be easier to handle as a young man, up until the moment he goes off because of all the years of internal rage he has built up and kills a bunch of kids in his school.

i also think most kids suck at video games compared to those of us who grew up with em and are now in our 30's and such. i dont know if an 8yr old can handle the controls so much, but if he cant, at least he will give up on his own.

[brokenandtwisted]

I don't think you should ZB. Sure, all of these statistics say such but I agree with Athena, who's funding this 'research'? There must be something hidden within the psychological recesses in relevance to violence in video games...

[ZombieBabe]

i would, but if he has nightmares, the best thing to do is berate him and call him a pussy. this will cause him to internalize his emotions, and he will therefore be easier to handle as a young man, up until the moment he goes off because of all the years of internal rage he has built up and kills a bunch of kids in his school.

i also think most kids suck at video games compared to those of us who grew up with em and are now in our 30's and such. i dont know if an 8yr old can handle the controls so much, but if he cant, at least he will give up on his own.No nightmares. No bed wetting. Sleeps through thunderstorms. I can't remember the last time he slept in bed with us. He's a pretty fearless and well-adjusted kid.

I have no doubt that he can handle the controls. He plays Twilight Princess very well and completely unaided. Granted, RE:4 is much faster paced, but I think he could do it.

But I don't think I'm going to let him. It is bloody and violent, and the people don't really LOOK like zombies (at least not the ones I've encountered so far). He's seen DotD '04 and AoD, but this is different. I've always told him that I would let him play certain games that are rated "T" (I can't deny the poor kid some Metroid) but I told him that he would at least have to be a teenager before I would let him play any "M" rated games, and even then, that's debatable. I won't let him play Prince of Persia 2 either.

Thanks for the input just the same, guys.

[brokenandtwisted]

You're quite welcome! He shouldn't be playing Condemned Criminal Origins just yet either.

Don't they have Harvest Moon for Wii? :winktongue: