Video Game Violence and the Link to Actual Violence with "Scientific Evidence"

Via Kotaku I just watched an episode of Penn & Teller's BullSh*t outlining the problem of video game violence and discussing the link to real violence. Now (as it is easy to tell by reading this blog) I am a gamer and do tend to play violent video games so I don't think there is much of a link between fantasy violence and real violence (at least among emotionally stable adults). Yet some individuals that I know have big problems with this stating that a) Violent video games will make an individual more violent and b) gaming is a socially isolating experience. If you know anyone like this I recommend that they watch this show.

I will concede that playing too many video games violent or otherwise is bad (after all too much of anything is bad). Playing too many games can lead to repetitive motion injuries (ie. Carpal tunnel syndrome), eye strain, and in the long run the sedentary lifestyle associated with gaming can lead to obesity. But gaming alone does not make kids more violent. Most (not all) kids learn the difference between right and wrong, and fantasy and reality at an early age. If they can make this distinction, acts of "simulated violence" shouldn't lead to real violence.

The program feaures Jack Thompson and other anti-video game activists who give there two cents as to why they feel that video games are destroying today's youth (which is fairly entertaining on its own merit because of how ill informed these people are), but also features the views of gamers, researchers, and others that don't feel that video games are infecting today's youth. Oh, and they also let a 9 year-old gamer fire an AR-15 assault rifle (can you guess what happens?). So I encourage you to watch this show which has been embedded in three parts below. Though I feel that I need to mention (and I know I'm not the first to say this but...) that it is up to parents to pay attention to there kids (and the games/ amount of time they play), not government regulations.

Also, as a scientist I feel obligated to point out that correlation doesn't equal causality. No Jack Thompson there is not a "CAUSAL LINK" between "teens playing violent video games and increased aggression by teens" (the word you may be looking for is "correlation" assuming that a "substantial body of...evidence" actually exists).

PART 1



PART 2



PART 3