Just saw this today via CNN (even though it originally aired on local news).
These things are always coming out...for one thing they pretty much prove that we ARE "affected" by violent video games...that there is some sort of emotional response measurable in our brains...what that means in the real world, though, is up for grabs. They compare the brain scans to those done on people that have just watched violent movies, which are similar. They way our brain works, it'd be pretty dumb not to think anything we perceive wouldn't have some sort of measurable affect on brainwaves.
Further questions arise as to what it is we become desensitized to. To some extent video game violence, no matter how graphic, even in its enacted state is different than real violence. And, most games are located in a diegetic state that to some extent contains the violence.
One other issue we've skirted around in class is the ESRB rating system...which provides some guidance for adults buying games. For example, an AO (adults only) rating is akin to the X rating in movies, while a M (mature rating) is similar to the R rating. Like movies, this is an industry created and maintained rating system. There is currently no penalty in most states for a store to sell to minors, the system is only a guide. Some stores do, of course, have internal policies that employees are supposed to follow regarding the system.
Gamers complain that rated R movies often have much more graphic sex and violence than in a video game that will get an AO rating. The difference between the media, though, is the feeling people get from "enaction" which heightens their responses to graphic sex and violence.
18 comments:
I agree. everything we do or watch or experience has a effect on us even if it is little. we just have to learn to control that like much of us have learned to do. the only problem our society is we dont want to know the truth which is why often times kids grow up with little ego skills. we tell ourselfs we love kids and our government does everything for them but do they? we have huge issues about abortion and kids going to school but what happens in between those years. Thats why many kids grow up with poor ego skills which violence would have a worse effect on them.
I'd have to agree with with you. I think rating video games and trying to warn parents about the content of the game is the best approach. In our society, teaching kids is about parenting, and parenting is about making choices. By letting parents make a choice of what game to let their kids play, they allow parents to guide what their children do rather than the law.
I also agree. By having this system for video games it is up to the parents to have control over the situation. Even though it may be hard because stores will sell to young kids parents can obviously see what their kids are playing at home. Parents can try to monitor the playing and try to get games that are made for their kids age. The rating system can help the parents decide which games are appropriate for their child.
I think if you used that mind reading thing in the post under in and tested it with video games, the results are probably going to show what the researchers found. I do agree however, with the agrument. The media and everything has desesitized most of America like that.
Everything we do does affect us whether its good or bad. But i think overall it comes down to parenting and what they allow us to play. Parents now there own kids the best and now how the will react to the game they are playing. If parents dont want their kids playing killing games then they shouldnt buy them. I dont think however if kids are killing people in video games that they will just go out and think they can kill anyone.
So, what do you really think the problem is then? Are parents idiots? Is there something about games that makes them difficult for parents to figure out? How did (if they did) your parents monitor your media consumption? My mom wouldn't let us watch particular shows when I was a kid. Did your parents monitor what you viewed/played?
I do think that everything thing we encounter has an effect on our outlooks/perspectives. Sometimes the media (games/tv/magazines) can give us a really distorted view on how the world really is. I think that kids do need to be moniterd on their video game usage (time and content) not because from playing a game involving terrorist they will one day become one, but because they need to be kids and learn about the world through interactions with people and not games. I think kids that do play these violent games can view it as being glamorous and its just a small reflection on what the parents are doing wrong. Its obvious that if a kid is playing an age inappropriate game that their parents have little involvement in their lives or let them have whatever they want. This could lead to problems, but I mostly think that the game is just a reflection on their upbringings.
I think there is definately some truth to the statement that humans behavior mimicks that of a movie they have just watched or a video game they have just played. I won't lie, after i watch the movie "300" I get a little bit jacked up and feel a little bit violent. But I think this argument is being taken too far. Sane people should have the power to differentiate between what is real and what is media or entertainment.
I agree with your oppinion. I know that if I was a parent, I would want to know what my kids were playing. Just like the way movies are rated so a parent can expect certain words or ideas to be present throughout the movie, I think the same should be given for a video game. If the parents are monitoring the games that their kids are playing, then their kids will be less exposed to violence and the types of things that they as a parent don't want them to be exposed to.
My parents where more strick than other parents when it came to movies and t.v shows. I was not allowed to watch P.G 13 movies until I was 13 and same with R movies. I also wasn't allowed to watch certain T.Vs shows like The Simpsons. I think it is very important for games and t.v shows and movies, things that kids are able to watch sould have a rating on them for the parents and also parents need to make sure their kids are mature enough to watch or play the games. I know the kid I babysit is 11 and his dad allows him to watch any P.G 13 movie that he wants and he is fine, because he has been taught not to repeat the things that are said in the movie. It just depends on the kids maturity level on what they can handle in my opinion. But the parents need to be in control on what they think there kids maturity level is and how much they can handle.
I agree that what we watch has an effect on us to some extent. I think rating the video games is the best way to let parents know what their children are playing. I feel that video games are just as real and serious as movies. I think that everything we watch or do has some effect on us, and I believe it is up to the parents to keep track of what they do and do not approve of their children playing.I think that most parents were more worried about what movies their children were watching but not it is shifting to be more equal to video games. I believe it is good to rate the video games because a lot of parents have no idea what is in video games or how bad/graphic they might be. The rating give the parent a better idea of what their child is playing which is a good thing.
I think that our minds can be molded. So what we watch can affect us in some way. However, I think that it affects some of us in different ways than it does others. Some people are good at controlling the thoughts in their head, or they are good at controlling how they let certain things affect them in life. Yet, others are not as good at controlling these certain things and they let their urges take over. There are a lot of bad things out in the world, so I don't think that we can always turn to video games, or movies, or music as the blame. Everyone has different experiences, different views, and different reactions. All I know is that this world is complicated, and it's going to be hard to completely understand where everyone comes from.
I don't think parents care that much anymore, personally. As a whole the general attitude is more accepting of these kind of games today, and parents often ignore the ratings and get the child the game anyways. The "old school" mentality of not allowing these games/other forms of media for kids has for the most part vanished, and most of the times parents don't even care anymore.
I can agree too I suppose. Even subconsiously, I think we can be affected by what we see or hear on televsion or in video games.
All social aspects of life affect you . I don't like admitting it but violent games and movies influence peoples actions. But it doesn't mean that playing a violent game in will make you kill people. That would be stupid to assume. I think the age at which kids are introduced to these violent games affect the development of the kid too, which is why parents should follow the esrb ratings.
I definitely agree that video games (and even violent movies) have some sort of affect on everyone (no matter how much you think you are unaffected scientifically it has been proven that these things do have some affect on us) but I think it's only to a certain extent. I personally believe that people that are really affected in a negative way by violent video games (people that blame their actions on video games) need to take responsibility for their own actions and I think that if people are really affected by video games that much they need some sort of psychological help because I do believe that people get way to caught up in video games. I don't believe that people should be able to blame video games however because it's the same thing with fat people blaming McDonald's for the reason for their heaviness, if you get heavy from eating McDonald's then it's your fault not McDonald's fault.
I believe that parents should be the ones responsible for controling the games that their children are playing. The ratings given for movies and video games are only a suggestion that indicates the age groups that should not be exposed to these certain games/movies. It is up to the parents to choose to take this suggestion seriously or to ignore it.
More beating of the dead horse huh. Sigh* Shrugs. I used to work with an x-airforce dude and they used to have to watch hours of video clips of violence and death and blood. People smacking the ground with failed parachutes, chopped in half, shot in the head etc. The Army can do it and it's OK i guess because these citizen's have to be desensitized to violence as so they can commit violent acts without second guessing it and as an effective means of killing this does great. So what happens when they come home? Do they kill every moving thing. No we'd hear about it cause we'd have 40-50 year old army's out to get us all and old men trying to man the trenches against us. ha wow I'm making that into a movie.
Shrugs. go violence!
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