Video Games Cause Violence?

Last Friday, at the American Psychological Association's annual meeting, a study was released concluding that violent games do impart at least short-term aggressive behavior in kids. The co-researchers from St. Leo University in San Antonio, Florida, reviewed 20 years of previously published papers and found that kids who play violent games are more likely to have aggressive behaviors in the short-term, are more likely to argue with adult "authority" figures, and are becoming desensitized to violence. Doug Lowenstein, president of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) responded that the new review is, "little more than a rehash of old papers repackaged as 'new findings.'"

Lowenstein continues, ""In truth it is neither new nor comprehensive. It is simply a highly selective review of previous research, much of which has been challenged as either weak, unpersuasive, and flawed by independent sources."

Despite the fact that the research is questionable and potentially biased you can be sure that everybody from Hillary Clinton to Jack Thompson will cite these new findings with authority as a basis for everything from government regulation of games to using the "GTA defense" in court trials.

Once again, what everybody is overlooking is the fact that the study reviews research dealing with the impact of violent video games on children. Children shouldn't be playing violent video games! The rating system is in place and it's up to the parents to follow the guidelines and to know what their kids are playing. In the absence of parental involvement, well, playing violent video games is only one problem in that situation.

Also, playing any game, especially if it is a competitive game, will up the aggressive behavior of a kid, whether it's violent or not. Why don't the researchers apply the same tests to kids who just got done with football or hockey practice? I'd surmise the results would be similar.

Anyway, get ready for a new onslaught of press regarding violent games and kids. Don't say we didn't warn you.