RSSStudy: Violent Video Games Affect the Brain
By Ed Oswald | Published November 28, 2006, 3:51 PM
A study released Tuesday indicates that violent video games cause noticeably different effects on the brains of teenagers then non-violent ones.
Increased activity was noted in the region of the brain that governs emotions, while activity decreased in the area that deals with self-control, focus, and concentration.
The findings are sure to renew the debate over the safety of such games. The group noted that the video game industry has become a $10 billion per-year business, and is expected to grow with launch of next-generation consoles such as the PlayStation 3.
For the purposes of the study, the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) allowed 44 teenagers to either play a violent or non-violent game for a period of 30 minutes. The games selected were Medal of Honor: Frontline and Need for Speed: Underground.
After playing the game, MRIs were taken while the subjects performed a series of activities to monitor brain function. Accuracy or reaction time in the tasks did not differ from group to group, however changes in brain function were clearly visible in the MRI scans.
"During tasks requiring concentration and processing of emotional stimuli, the adolescents who had played the violent video game showed distinct differences in brain activation than the adolescents who played an equally exciting and fun -- but nonviolent -- game," study author and professor of radiology at Indiana University School of Medicine Dr. Vincent Matthews said.
The so-called fight-or-flight response of the brain seemed to be activated after playing the violent game. The effects were short-term, and further research is needed to investigate any possible long-term effects.
"Additional investigation of the reasons for and effects of this difference in brain functioning will be important targets for future study, but the current study showed that a difference between the groups does exist," Dr. Mathews said.
I wouldnt call need for speed underground a fun game....
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|I guess I should say that parents should be held accountable for their children. I think study did nothing but state the obvious. If you think about it nothing more than a big waste of money. Those teenagers should be encouraged to go to school and not play video games. Why blame the people who make video games? Regardless, I think there is too much censorship as it is.
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|This study is not perfect in its design, but it definitely shows something significant. The researchers didn't say what people SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T DO. These issues are not what scientists study. But, America is one of the most violent of the developed nations and when middle class or rich white teenage boys commit violent crimes, it might be useful to know what are the factors that lead to these kinds of aggressive behaviors; because "getting out of the hood" or "gang-related " or "marital assault" usually don't apply.
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|Sheesh, somebody should have just sent in Captain Obvious to school the researchers of this waste of money called "reaserch"...
What they need to do now is do a study on watching the evening news vs watching educational programming so that we can correlate the difference in brain function.
I have an even better idea... let's do a study on the effects of liberal media vs conservative media!
Or wait... how bout study rich vs poor people, black vs white, hispanic vs asians, smart vs dumb!
Baahhhh statistics can be manipulated to show *any* result you want.
FUD. FUD FUD FUD FUD FUD.
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|No--just the "implied statement" that results from the study. Like the person above me stated, the results are fairly accurate for the number of teens used (only 44 teens I think) and the setting. Now--the assumption that this is saying "studies show violent video games are evil"? That is pure BS, or as you put it, "FUD. FUD FUD FUD FUD FUD".
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|if this study was done on kids who watched violent movies vs barny.. then yah you would see the same thing.
are we gonna ban violent movies? im not saying im for or against it, just common use logical thinking.
then what next? somone whos born in a violent neighbour hood, are they more prone to being violent? shall we just go out and mercfully kill all the violent things anywhere? to limit it?
well how can we? the one assigned to do the merciful killing, would not be able to kill, or he would be killed.. but by who? oh the irony.. plz my head hurts thinking about it.
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|flawed study. they are dealing in subject matter and not game types. they should test violent games that play without high concentration and addictive simplicity. likewise test non violent games with high intensity, concentration and addictive simplicity. I'm mostly talking about FPS games. GTA kinda works here too.
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|Okay, this really proves nothing.
"The so-called fight-or-flight response of the brain seemed to be activated after playing the violent game."
Maybe, that's because in a game like Medal of Honor, you shoot or die. It's a war simulation and thus makes you feel like you're fighting in a war, it's only natural such feelings would be invoked. Any so-called "violent" game player could tell you that. They should test soldiers with the same tests after they've been fighting for hours. Yet they waste time and money to tell us things we already know. Morons, absolute morons.
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|These are the same people who were classified as "hippies" in the 60's and 70's. Lets live in a peaceful world, well heres the catch, we are a war like nation and would rather play war related video games than some sappy mind rotting sissified game. I would rather play an fps than a racing game any day. Not because i am violent, but because i find the fps more exciting.
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|Hey, let's not take this report out of context. The trouble of reporting this kind of reports in mainstream media is that whatever is the most sensational part will be fully covered but other important things on the study are not mentioned.
Pardon my bluntness, but how many of you here has read the proper full paper? The people probably best to evaluate such studies are neuroscientists, neurologists and psychiatrists. The circuitry of the brain is a fascinating research area and much more needs to be understood about the brain. Every little study helps in postulating or debunking the pathways.
Such studies are also useful for translation into clinical use later, e.g. in treatment of psychiatric patients. Not just playing the 'safer' games, but also therapeutic targets for medical modulation for example.
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|Well if we're on the topic of things that affect the brain, heres another one: Reading this also affects your brain. 'nuf said.
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|As long as games sell they'll make them. There will always be some one for and someone against. It is the way of the world. Money talks, morals don't. I play violent and non voilent games and get just as angry in both, but I leave it in the game, and carry about my normal business away from the game.
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|Republicans affect the brain.
Political Correctness affects the brain.
Professional Virgins otherwise known as censors affect the brain.
Get a life or get one installed.
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|Not having these violent games will make me shoot people.
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|Run away from the scary guy;) Ok, that was bad, but I just had to say it.
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|MOVIES = VIDEO GAMES
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|Can we show exciting movies and violent movies to the same crowd, and elicit the same events? I get jumpy during movies... should violent movies thus be subject to the same scrutiny? How many billions of dollars is the film industry??
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|Video Games make people violent like spoons made Rosie O'Donnell fat.
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|That is such a cool analogy but not sure how it stands up to close scrutiny.
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|The study seems legit, but I have a problem with the fact that it only tested two games. I'm sure MRI scans are expensive. In order for me to belive the study's conclusion, there would need to be about 20 'violent' games and 20 'nonviolent' games. There would also need to be somewhere over a thousand testers. Each one would have to test each game. Problem is, that's 40 MRI scans per tester which just can't be healthy. and 40,000 MRI scans can't be cheap.
Please, learn how to make an expirament credible before spending crazy money on it and posting it on the internet so parents can get pissed over nothing.
I'm also agreed that there are many other forces of the media that affect brain activity as much as video games. A GOOD study would test some of those factors as well.
This study has no credibility.
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|not only that but you also have to consider the people's aditude's and the way the were tought to handel and deal with certin thing like video games... if the kids parents didnt give a hoot, they would be more susceptible too the affects that a game or anything else for that matter.
if parent dont want to take the time too raise their kids someone or somthing else will, weather it be good or bad
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|wow, what a conclusion. ALL games affect the brain. EVERYTHING affects the brain one way or another!
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|That is just what I was thinking. Hey, you just affected my brain!
After playing the game, MRIs were taken while the subjects performed a series of activities to monitor brain function. Accuracy or reaction time in the tasks did not differ from group to group, however changes in brain function were clearly visible in the MRI scans.
What, you mean people actually repeat things in their head? I guess the radiological society doesn't know all that much about how people process experiences from working memory to short term memory to long term memory. I'd be curious to see the differences in brain activity between someone playing a violent FPS on a map they know well vs a fairly experienced player new to the map. I bet the less exposed participant would show more related brain activity as they try to remember the layout of the map and placement of items.
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|I guess those Images from IRAQ and the Middle East bring up thought of Sunshine and Flowers.
STOP BLAMING GAMES / MUSIC AND MYSPACE FOR THE WAY SOME IDIOT ACTS! IF THEY PLANNED ON KILLING SOMEONE, THE GAME DID NOT HELP THEM PLAN IT, THE SONG DID NOT PUT THE GUN IN THEIR HAND AND MYSPACE DID NOT MAKE THEM PULL THE TRIGGER!
Want to blame anyone, Blame the Individual for what he / she did and Blame the Parent/s that did not spend more time with them when they were kids and teach them right from wrong.
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|Nowhere in this article did it relate this study to any shootings or acts of violence.
"The findings are sure to renew the debate over the safety of such games." is just saying that people debate about it, and this study may another.
The only ones to blame are the parents for buying games that are rated M for thier kids, and the ones that do any shooting. But from my experience, when playing violent video games with my friends, it always ends up with hostility and screaming. No one screams when we play Fuzion Frenzy, just Halo2. There is definately a difference in attitude when playing these games.
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|you could say the same thing about diffrent sports
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|plus, most game like halo 2 are alot more competitive as to fusion frenzy or need for speed.
i bet if they tested PGR3 online instead of NFS the results wouldnt differ as much
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|My point was that this "Study" was done to fuel the argument that Violent Games cause people to do Violent Acts. That BLAME gets thrown everywhere (On a Internet Site, Music Choice or in this case the Gaming Industry) EXCEPT where it need to be which is on the individual and the parents.
Also, THEY ARE GAMES. If someone is not able to tell the difference between a game and real life, they have REAL ISSUES!
Games, Music and the Internet are thing that are supposed to take us away from the stresses of life. If Killing a Demon on DOOM 3 makes the bad day you had at work go away, but all mean PLAY IT! If cranking up the Linkin Park CD you bough gives you a rush of energy, then by all means TURN IT UP!
Also look at it this way, how many retail stores (Not On-line, although there are a few) have you walked into, bought a "M-Rated" item (Music or Game) and then actually got carded to make sure you were of age?
I have a thought, lets just BAN TV! After all, there is a much higher chance of that device being in every household then a PS2 or XBOX. Lets list the shows that put Violent and Graphic Images on a Nightly Basis that require nothing more then tuning in:
* 24 (FOX)
* CSI (CBS)
* LOST (ABC)
* Law and Order (NBC)
Wow, one from EACH major Network. All these shows have some form of Graphical Violence which may "Affect the Brain". Did not have to go into a store to buy them... Did not have to Order them on-line, they just came right into the house FOR FREE! (And FREE is a Valid Statement since you do not need Cable to watch the Major Networks)
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|Honestly i had more violent moments in NFS Underground and NFS Most Wanted than in Quake 4 or System Shock 2. Especially in drag races where i repeatedly lost because of some dumb a** reason. Keyboard suffered here and there but in general i really don't care if my brains are emitting gamma rays after i play "violent" games. As long as they are fun to play i'm fine with that.
Makes me wonder why the keep bombarding games with these stupid tests. Why no one tests brainwaves and s*** yo with movies (watching Teletubies or Texas Chainsaw Massacre is indeed comparable to that one with games right?)...
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|they should compare these games to someone reading or watching the news... my bet is the person watching would be affected more
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