> -----Original Message----- > From: Larry Lyons [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2008 11:55 AM > To: CF-Community > Subject: Re: Video Game Violence? I don't think so. > > >I'll admit that the case for violence in media and its effects are > still > >open for study, I'll even admit that they might in fact be triggers > for some > >personalities... > > Jim, > > I completely disagree with you about this one. We've been over this > before. The research is pretty clear (see http://tinyurl.com/3x9w89 for > a list of the research). But the results of the research is pretty > clear, there seems to be at least a moderate (r >.30, r <. 60) > correlation between exposure to violent video games and aggressive or > violent behavior.
And we've been over this before: you're definition of "aggressive or violent behavior" needs to be addressed at the very least. We're not talking about being "more aggressive in the basketball game", we're talking about the purposeful, cruel, cold-hearted beating-to-death of a much weaker person. At the same time there is significant evidence that refutes any direct correlation or, at the very least, demonstrates a correlation of related activities (in the sense that many, non-video game or non-violent video game activities produce similar effects). The number of people involved in media effects research is small and so is the number and scope of studies. Criticisms abound (Henry Jenkins of MIT is one of the most outspoken academics on this). Many studies isolate "violent imagery" from the narrative context or include people new or unfamiliar with video games. As you note most studies that find anything find a correlation, not a causation which may simply indicate that violent people like violent media. In any case that "moderate correlation" can hardly be seen as a primary motivating force or a fundamental behavioral modifier. But the point remains: as I said, I'm willing to accept that the evidence for either position is still controversial. Hell, this may even be my sacred cow. But do you really feel that THIS CASE is an example of "Video Game Violence"? If you do then I question your acceptance of evidence in other matters as well. We have a violent (a self-proclaimed "martial arts master" whose hands are, by his description, "registered as lethal weapons"), intoxicated individual (one who admitted that he "was too drunk to stop") citing a game made before he was born as inspiration (not "Grand Theft Auto" or "Halo" or any of the "realistic" games)? That individual and his girlfriend (sister to the victim) proceeded to pummel a child to death. Is this an instance of "video game violence" or just plain violence? In a country where over 60% of people play games how do you determine which violence is "video game violence" and which isn't? Is it as simple as mentioning a game and letting the press go crazy? The Virginia Tech shooter was NOT a gamer and yet major news outlets allowed both Dr Phil and Jack Thompson air time to implicate games in the tragedy. With video games on a steady rise I still contend that any inherent aggression has a miniscule societal effect. Violent crime rates are decreasing - juvenile violent crime rates in the U.S. are a thirty-year low despite the enormous increase in both video-game play and fidelity. Violence does not seem to be an issue at large gatherings of gamers - PAX, E3 and so forth. I'd be interested in a correlation of "associated crime" (incidents of violence which take place after patrons leave) at cyber cafes and LAN parlors compared to bars. The fact remains that no study (even the most biased) show any effect near what would be needed to claim "Mortal Kombat" as cause in this girls death. If anything it needs to be pushed far behind neglect, cruelty, stupidity and alcohol. Jim Davis ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Adobe® ColdFusion® 8 software 8 is the most important and dramatic release to date Get the Free Trial http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;160198600;22374440;w Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/message.cfm/messageid:249395 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5
