Violent video games don’t ruin your kids, but it’s good to talk about them

Do the kids know better here? If so, why do parents still suspect that these games are harmful in some insidious way?

Decades of research have not established a strong link between violence committed in games and violence committed in real life. Still, questions persist about the subtle effects that violent games have on developing minds. Questions have become more urgent as the pandemic drags on. U.S. consumers spent nearly $ 19 billion on video games in the fourth quarter of 2020, 26 percent more than the previous year, according to the NPD group. “Fortnite” and “Minecraft” were one of the best-selling games of the quarter.

On the one hand, video games have been a saving grace in a time of little social interaction. Still, we still worry about how it will affect children all this time spent shooting, stabbing, and hitting friends, strangers, and robots.

A study published last month has raised new questions about aggression and violent video games. Unlike previous studies, this one followed teenage players for a decade. Brigham Young University researchers found that players with violent and constant levels of video game play were more related to higher levels of aggression than those who started playing a lot but shrank or played in low levels with slight increases over time.

The authors concluded that “sustained violent play over time may be more predictive of long-term outcomes compared to violent violent play that fluctuates dramatically over time.” However, they acknowledge limitations in the study, including the fact that the players ’aggression was reported on its own.

“Research on video games is highly contested and debated and most of the research is very short-term, so it’s hard for parents to know what to do,” said Sarah Coyne, the study’s lead author. He suggests that parents consider several factors when determining what types of games they can let their children play. “He would look at his personality, his state of life, who his friends are,” he said.

The study did not distinguish between drawing violence and graphic violence. Most of the violent games that existed when the studio began were more graphic in nature, such as “Call of Duty,” “Grand Theft Auto,” and “Gears of War.” In recent years, games like “Fortnite” have introduced a more violent version of violence, providing an alternative to the bloody first-person shooter games. “Fortnite” received an “T” rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board, meaning it is considered suitable for teens instead of an “M” for mature gamers. This has provided some parents more comfort in allowing even teenagers to play with it.

Numerous studies have found that cartoon violence is no different for children than realistic-looking violence, and some studies specifically comparing cartoon violence and graphics in video games have found that the impact on aggression is similar.

So, does it mean that violence of any kind in video games is bad for children or, at best, neutral? The consensus seems to be that neither realistic violence nor the cartoons in the games translate into real-world violence.

But that doesn’t mean there’s no risk. Dimitri Christakis, director of the Seattle Children’s Research Institute’s Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, said parents should not be worried about their children committing criminal acts as a result of playing video games. violent, but rather by the more subtle impacts of psyches. He noted studies that have shown that people are less empathetic and helpful to others after playing violent games or watching violent movies. “There are small to moderate effects on aggressive actions and thoughts, but violent video games are not the only determining factor,” he said.

Douglas Gentile, a psychology professor at Iowa State University and co-author of a book, “Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents: Theory, Research, and Public Policy,” said he is concerned about the aggressive behavior being rewarded. in video games. , and the impact it has on shaping the players ’worldview. In one of his studies, children who played violent, realistic, cartoon-like video games were more likely to want to blow up an opponent with loud noise. “Your way of thinking changes the odds of how you will act,” he said.

But what about the social and cooperative nature of many games? “The human brain is capable of learning many things at once,” Dr. Gentile said. “If the game has aggressive elements, you’ll learn them and if you practice cooperation, you’ll learn as well.”

In addition, frustration can be confused with aggression, said Rachel Kowert, a psychologist and research director of Take This, a non-profit mental health organization for gamers and game developers. “You may see your child hit a mouse when he loses to Fortnite and that seems like an aggression, but it’s more likely to be frustrated by the competitive nature of the game,” he said.

She notes that while some children show frustration and anger after playing video games, juvenile delinquency has declined during the same period in which violent video game use has increased. “The takeaway food is that kids will probably be fine, no matter what they’re playing, as long as it’s age-appropriate,” he said.

Dr. Coyne was surprised by an important finding from her study, which can provide comfort to worried parents. “We predicted that violent video game play would have a long-term negative effect on empathy and pro-social behavior, and we didn’t find it,” he said.

What you can do

This is something to keep in mind when deciding if you want to let your kids play violent video games.

Think about the risk factors. Instead of making a choice based solely on the graphics or score of a game, focus on your child’s risk factors for aggressive behavior. According to Dr. Kowert, exposure to domestic violence and peer crime are major risk factors.

Protective factors, such as having good friends and loving parents, are equally important to consider, Dr. Gentile said. “For each risk factor, the odds of aggressive behavior increase, and for each protective factor, the odds go down,” he said.

Study the nuances of the game. Not all violent games are the same, and even within games there are different ways to play. In “Minecraft,” for example, kids can choose the “peaceful” difficulty level, where they can play without encountering hostile mobs. Some games can be played alone or with others, and in some multiplayer games people can choose to play with or against each other.

Highlight critical thinking. Don’t underestimate the value of asking questions while watching your kids play or while playing with them. “Ask,‘ Why did this character do that? “Why is it like that?” “At school, if someone acted like that, what would really happen?” Dr. Gentile said. “When parents talk to their children about what they see and hear, it can mitigate almost all the negative effects “.

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Write to Julie Jargon to [email protected]