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No Link Between Violent Video Games and Increased Aggression in Teens, Study Finds (gamesindustry.biz)
A new study from the Oxford Internet Institute claims to have found no link between time spent playing violent video games, and increased aggressive behavior teen teenagers. From a report: Published in Royal Society Open Science, the study is "one of the most definitive to date" according to the University of Oxford. While many studies have previously made similar and contrary claims, lead researcher professor Andrew Przybylski said the "idea that violent video games drive real-world aggression is a popular one, but it hasn't tested very well over time". According to the university, this study is set apart from previous work by preregistration, where researchers publish their hypothesis, methods and analysis technique before beginning research.
"Part of the problem in technology research is that there are many ways to analyze the same data, which will produce different results," said Przybylski. "A cherry-picked result can add undue weight to the moral panic surrounding video games. The registered study approach is a safeguard against this." This was supported by co-author Dr Netta Weinstein from Cardiff University who said: "Our findings suggest that researcher biases might have influenced previous studies on this topic, and have distorted our understanding of the effects of video games."
"Part of the problem in technology research is that there are many ways to analyze the same data, which will produce different results," said Przybylski. "A cherry-picked result can add undue weight to the moral panic surrounding video games. The registered study approach is a safeguard against this." This was supported by co-author Dr Netta Weinstein from Cardiff University who said: "Our findings suggest that researcher biases might have influenced previous studies on this topic, and have distorted our understanding of the effects of video games."
It seems like there is one of these stories per year. Always the same. Not that facts will ever sway the anti violent video games people. Not claiming for anyone else, but in my case I believe violent games probably saved some lives. Here is why: I was bullied constantly during high school and if I had not had the release of games when I got home from school I firmly believe that I would have lost it one day and come to school ready to take out those that deserved it. Those people are alive today because of video games.
First law of people: People are generally stupid.
There was this concept that was en vogue in the 1990s and 2000s called "Social Priming." The idea was, if you are exposed to violence, or bigotry, or sexism, or other anti-social behaviors through media, you were more likely to adopt those behaviors. There were a few influential studies that proved the theory to be true.
Then, a few years ago, there was a bit of a scandal when a group of researchers attempted to re-create these studies and couldn't get the same findings. If I recall correctly, the impetus for some of these re-tests where the dearth of evidence coming from video game violence studies. This study seems to line up with previous findings.
My Other Computer Is A Data General Nova III.
I have been reading these studies for over 20 years. Why is this even new? The outcome is always the same in each study.
It's not new. We see the same studies over and over again- and everyone acts surprised every time. SURPRISE- violent video games do not cause violence (in your typical teenager).
Now, notice I saw "typical"; I think, even though the vast majority of children can differentiate between video game violence and real life violence, there are some for whom it could be a trigger.
Just because in 99% of children violent video games don't cause violence- it doesn't mean that that last 1% WON'T. Parent's need to be responsible, if your kids is one of those who are easily influence by video games to mix the imaginary worlds with the real, or has mental health problems, you probably should use more care in what games your kids play.
For the other 99%, let them shoot, stab, and impale!
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
Being a Teenager is a source of aggression.
It is an interesting combination of near adult intelligence combined with an emotional maturity of a kid, then added to it, during that stage of development, their risk center of their brain is getting rewired.
So they know when they are not being treated fairly, their emotional state cannot be easily calmed, and let it just be ignored. The risk of being violent to the source that hurt them, isn't properly weighed. All in all just a bad combination.
Video games, organized sports, music, comic books, at least do a good job of distracting them enough to allow what ever slight against them, to be forgotten or at least given enough time for the intelligent part of the person to take over. Probably the worse thing to do, is allow the kid to stew in their own anger, only feeding back to itself. But a game even a violent one, just changes the topic.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
I'm wondering where all the "correlation isn't causation" posts are.
The correlation is in the other direction. Video games first became popular in the 1990s, and were correlated with a dramatic decline in violent crime. Part of this was likely from other factors, such as a reduction in blood lead levels, and demographic changes (fewer people in the prime-crime age group), but it is also likely that video games helped keep kids at home in their mom's basement instead of out on the street getting in trouble.
Even today, violent crime is more common among low income teenagers, who have the least access to video games.
None of this proves causation, but the correlation is "more video games" <=> "less violence".