Last Thursday we spent the majority of the class debating over whether or not violence in the media has an effect on the audience. In other words, is there a correlation between violence in the media and violence committed in reality? I personally think there is definitely some sort of correlation. Of course I do not think that anyone who watches a violent movie is going to go commit a murder the next day, but continuous exposure to violence, especially at such a young age, could be problematic for certain already unstable individuals. The main issue I have with violence in the media, is exposure of violence to young children. My train of thought is that at such a young age the brain is not fully developed and cannot distinguish between what is right and what is wrong, what is fantasy and what is reality. In class we looked at the tragic murder of young James Bulger, who was killed by two ten year old boys. How is it possible that two ten year old boys could be capable of doing such a horrible thing? I personally do not think it was a coincidence that the murder occurred the same year as the release of a very violent movie (cannot remember the name). Of course these two boys were already very disturbed, but I'm convinced that exposure to such violence at such a young age definitely played a part.
I read an article about a study that was conducted in 2006 by researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine, who looked at the effects violent video games had on the brain through brain scanning technology. The results concluded that children who played a violent video game showed an increase in emotional arousal and a corresponding decrease of activity in brain areas involved in self-control, inhibition and attention. All in all does this mean that after playing call of duty you are going to go on a shooting spree ? No, but I do think parents of young children should consider monitoring what their children are exposed to until they are mature enough to handle the content for what it is and nothing more.
Good call on that research. I'd also like to see some cross-cultural studies, too - how do say Maori children not exposed to video games turn out? And how would they react when exposed to videogames.
ReplyDeleteMy only concern with this line of reasoning is its impact on freedom of speech. Your country has noble intentions in this area but they lately only seem to apply unequivocally to corporations. If this research bears out, then do videogames get banned? Given that videogaming is larger than the movie industry, I doubt that this would happen, but I still wonder what the right outcome should be. Age limits like movies probably is the best outcome, but how enforceable is this going to be? Will this just be lip service, like who can buy it, or would it require credit card authorization and fines against credit card misuse for online games? Hmmm....
Annie, i believe it's very interesting that you did research to support your argument and i have to agree that i do believe that violent video games have some affect on young children. I know one game that has been often criticized is Grand Theft Auto. While i am unsure if any studies have been done on the affects of this video game on the actions of young children, i believe that it would be very interesting to find out.
ReplyDeleteAnnie I think that this research is very interesting. I personally do believe that video games have the ability to make certain children violent. Howeever, I do believe there are many other cirsumstances that would cause a child to be affected that greatly by a video game. I think as long as the children are monitored like you said then, it shouldn't be as big an issue as I think it is becoming.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that exposure to violent video games does have effect on a child's likeliness to act violent. However, I think that a child's home-life and the environment in which he or she is brought up is a basis for how children that play violent video gamed are affected. For example, I child living in a household where parents are always fighting and poverty is an issue, will see the violence as a way of acting out. A child living in higher society and is exposed to less violence in real life will be less likely to be influenced by video games as they are more aware that the violence in them is fictional.
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