Violent Video Games A presentation by: The Be the Change Campaign
Be The Change Be the Change you want to see in the World M. Ghandhi What is your world vision for the future? What kind of a world do you want your child to live in? Your grandchildren?
Today s Virtual World Between the ages of 8 and 18, the average American child spends an average of 6.5 hours/day of screen time. By age eighteen, a typical American child will have seen at least 200,000 dramatized acts of violence and 40,000 screen murders. A child playing a violent video game experiences an average of 138 aggressive exchanges during typical period of game play.
Today s Real World One child is shot every thirty minutes in America.(Children s Defense Fund) Eight children are killed by gun violence every day. (Brady Campaign) American children are 17 times more likely to die from guns than children in the next 25 highest income countries combined. (CDF)
Goals of the Workshop Take a look at some of the most popular violent video games. Listen to some experts in the field discuss the impact of video games on the player: desensitization, increased aggression, addiction. Identify the links between game manufacturers and gun manufacturers Encourage parents to unite toward change.
Why violent video games? Parents may be less familiar than t.v./movies Constant stream of extreme violence. Interactive nature of first person shooter games make them extremely potent. Identification with shooter and lack of social consequences.
Ten Most Violent Video games Saints Row: The Third Dead Space 3 Hitman: Absolution God of War: Ascension Gears of War 3 Dead Island Riptide Shadows of the Damned Darkness II NeverDead Call of Duty: Black Ops II
The Bottom Line Joystick Warriors: Video Games, Violence, and the Culture of Militarism from the Media Education Foundation
Violent Video Game Advertising/Marketing Ads in gamer magazines depict the newer games as more realistic and more violent. And emphasize the fun of killing. Consider this copy found in a recent issue of PC Gamer: Fatalities can be the best part of Mortal Kombat, or It s as easy as killing babies with axes. Or more fun that shooting your neighbor s cat. Video game advertisers use cross promotion to expose their product to target audiences. For example, the game Halo, an M rated game, was promoted with Burger King, Mountain Dew and 7 Eleven Slurpee's.
Violent Video Game Advertising/Marketing Also, game manufacturers have ties to gun manufacturers. Game manufacturers consult with gun manufacturers to develop more realistic weapons. Bushman Firearms assault weapons are the model for the assault weapons in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. And Barrett and Browning Firearms are featured in Black Ops II. In return, gun manufacturers have links on game websites, so that it is easy for someone looking at a game website to find real firearms.
Guns and Games Footage from Joystick Warriors:Video Games, Violence and the culture of Militarism (Media Education Foundation)
Risk Factors Is there a link between media violence and increased aggression? 1972 Surgeon General, convened an advisory group of researchers, scientists who conducted experiments and produced 5 volumes of technical reports. The results: they found a relationship between exposure to television violence and aggressive behavior. Life imitates art; art imitates life. Children may imitate what they see in the media.
Research Cigarettes Violent Video Games Lung Cancer Increased aggressive behavior
Myriad Risk Factors Peer influence Economic status Gender Media Violence Violence Family Violence Age Risky Behavior Mental Health
Addiction Addiction is defined by: A person needs more of substance/behavior to keep him/her going If a person does not get more of substance/behavior, he/she becomes irritable and miserable. Using/attaining the substance becomes more important than other matters of daily life functioning.
Addiction to Games Video games are designed to meet a player s ability level so there s instant gratification and clear sense of mastery as you move to new levels. Every time a player kills, the player s score increases. This is immediate, positive reinforcement. This is extremely potent, seductive, and addictive.
Brain Research Brain research indicates that the frontal lobe of the brain does not completely develop until the early 20 s. The frontal lobe is responsible for executive functioning: judgment, decision making, etc. Violent video games connect killing with the pleasure centers of the brain. Once this is repeated, it becomes hard wired in the brain. Once the brain solidifies the link, it is very difficult to undo.
Media Violence Update Indiana University Brain Scan Research The brain scans on the right show that media violence stunts or "retards" kids' brain development: children with violent TV, movie, and video game exposure had reduced cognitive brain function. Media violence also makes violent brains: violent TV, movie, and video game exposure had an effect on normal kids that made their brain scans the same as children with documented, diagnosed Aggressive Behavior Disorder
Media Violence Update Indiana University Brain Scan Research This second set of brain scans shows brain activity during a decision making exercise, called Go No Go. When it comes to looking into the future, weighing consequences and making decisions, the low media violence exposure group is using a lot of the logical part of their brain; the high media violence exposure group is using very little.
Violence, Cruelty and Pleasure Narrow notions of gender Increased fear Societal Risk Factors
De Sensitization and Normalization of Violence Loss of empathy and compassion
What to do? Pay attention to the rating system. Limit your child s playing Swap violent video games for non violent video games Visit Common Sense Website Lobby legislature to make it illegal to sell M rated games to minors.
Lesson from the Anti Smoking Campaign In 1964 when the report to Surgeon General was issued, 42% of Americans smoked. 1965, Congress issues warning labels on cigarette packs. 1967, Congress orders the Federal Communications Commission to order TV and radio stations to provide free air time for anti smoking public service announcements. 1998 Biggest legal case against the tobacco companies, 40 states brought lawsuits. Tobacco industry settled by agreeing to pay $200 billion and curtail marketing cigarettes to youth. 2009, Congress gives Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate the manufacture, distribution and marketing to tobacco products to protect public health. Today, 18% of Americans smoke.
RATING INFORMATION ESRB Entertainment Software Rating Board C Early Childhood E Everyone E10+ ages 10 and up T ages 13 and up M ages 17 and up A ages 18 and up Adult Only RP rating pending www.esrb.org/ratings_guide.jsp#rating_categories
Non Violent Alternative Video Games Mirror s Edge Heart of the Swarm Skylanders Giants Infamous 2 Minecraft Portal 2 Injustice: Gods Among Us Quantum Conundrum Battleblock Theatre
Child and Family Services, Inc. Rotary Club of Nauset Brewster Cultural Council Orleans Cultural Council Individual donations Be the Change funding