Brain Changes When Viewing Violent Media

Ponca City, We Love You writes "Scientists at Columbia University have used Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to show that a brain network responsible for suppressing inappropriate or unwarranted aggressive behaviors became less active after study subjects watched several short clips from popular movies depicting acts of violence. These changes could render people less able to control their own aggressive behavior. Although research has shown some correlation between exposure to media violence and real-life violent behavior, there has been little direct neuroscientific support for this theory until now. 'Depictions of violent acts have become very common in the popular media,' said researcher Christopher Kelly. 'Our findings demonstrate for the first time that watching media depictions of violence does influence processing in parts of the brain that control behaviors like aggression.' The full research paper is published on the The Public Library of Science, a peer-reviewed, open-access, online publication, that publishes all its articles under a Creative Commons Attribution License."

Comments

surprising

[jadrian]

So passing a visual stimulus that is interpreted by the brain as violent affects the corresponding area of the brain...? Who would have guessed that...

It's true.

[grub]

After watching violent movies I beat my wife much worse than usual.

Re:It's true.

[Faylone]

Well, either you have multiple accounts for your different personalities, or that's illegal in most countries.

Re:It's true.

[Explodicle]

I don't think your comment is funny at all. Considering how people are the victims of such behavior, and the traumatic and painful emotional experience it is, would someone please mod this as ignorant and insensitive. It's called "black comedy". You'll understand when your humor chip is installed by means of brutal ear rape.

Re:Hmmmm

[daninspokane]

I'll be honest, sometimes I wonder to myself how I ever got so desensetized. When I can watch a video of a prisoner in iraq get his head sawed off and not blink an eye... maybe that means I should cut down on the violence... Screw it, time to go beat up some GTAIII hookers for cash.

Re:Bull I play video games all the time.

[Anonymous Coward]

And it doesn't make me violet and well beat the crap out of the anyone that says different. Violet? You're turning violet, Violet!

Re:Nothing new

[VorpalRodent]

When any game (video or otherwise)
I'm particularly interested in this "otherwise" category. What (non video) games out there will reward me for beating upon someone who isn't remotely a threat?

Monopoly: Mob Edition - when someone lands on your space, you walk over to their side of the table and "collect rent" by any means necessary. Alternately, you may choose not to injure them, in exchange for protection money.

Re:Hmmmm

[Beardo the Bearded]

So the DVD is worth getting?