Ok, I was supposed to post a game review here, but I'm too upset. Look at this article I found on Megagames' site (www.megagames.com):
"Study says gamers violent potheads
DescriptionNew research seems to suggest that violent video games make it more likely that players will engage in violent behavior and drug abuse than non-violent video games. A study carried out by Dr Sonya Brady, of the University of California San Francisco, and Professor Karen Matthews, of the University of Pittsburgh on 100 undergraduate males aged between 18 to 21 has revealed some interesting findings. Participants were asked to play a game that involved taking homework to school on time or another game featuring violent beatings with a baseball bat. Those who played the violent game were more likely to interpret the behavior of others towards them as hostile. You're kind of on the lookout for other people being rude to you, Dr Brady said. The same study also examined participant attitudes regarding marijuana and alcohol use and appears to suggest that the young men that played the violent game were more likely to consider the consumption of such drugs as acceptable. What this study suggests is that they might increase any type of risk-taking behaviour, said Dr. Brady. This study is not what you may consider definitive as the sample was small, participants did not try both games and we are not clear on what games were used and their real world relevance. The study does however, raise some interesting questions regarding the effect of gaming, questions which need to be addressed in similar studies and in fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) studies which may tell us exactly how gaming may affect brain chemistry."
Now, this type of thinking could mess with the gaming world forever! I won't stand for it! If you agree with this article, NEVER go near a Video store...Unless you like the taste of your own blood ("video games made me say that" heehee). So please help the gamers who aren't psychotic overdosers out and support the cause! Fight for your right! And by the way, who would play a game about getting your homework in on time?!
EDIT: check out this Penny arcade comic http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/04/12
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"Never hold discussions with the monkey when the organ grinder is in the room." Sir Winston Churchill
7 comments:
Upon reviewing the study, I have learned that the games were, in fact, the Simpsons: Hit and run and Grand theft auto 3.
I'm confused. I don't know what the Simpsons have to do with drugs OR real violence.
I think several things confound these types of studies. While social research has shown that children will model behavior they observe, I think that these studies don't account for differences in family settings where children are allowed to watch television for hours on end vs. households that actually engage the kids with conversation. I mean, TV is a terrible babysitter.
As for the drug thing, I find that ludicrous. It's, again, possible that those kids suffer from a lack of parental supervision more than anything else. I have never known a pot-head to be violent. Mostly they just want to watch Ren & Stimpy Reruns and eat doritos.
Uh, SME, the simpsons was the less violent game they used.
Oh! Duh. Or should I say d'oh.
The people who do the studies have too much time on their hands. Besides, what people do in their free time is their own business.
There are a couple of issues with this study. First, we don't know how long-lasting these attitude changes might have been. Were the violent game players a little more off for an hour? a day? a week? a month? a year?
The other thing, is perception and attitudes do not necessarily translate into action. If a person inappropriately interprets the behavior of others as hostile, will they become violent? depressed? soothing peace makers?
One would have to be very careful about interpreting the results of the study, and cautious about extrapolation from mental state to behavior.
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