President Obama announces his administration's new gun law proposals in the Eisenhower Executive Office building January 16, 2013 in Washington, DC.
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During a press conference unveiling his proposals for new gun control regulations earlier today, President Obama said he will ask Congress for $10 million to fund a study on the impact of video games and "media images" by the Centers for Disease Control.
It's a reasonable enough request. Gaming industry groups have said they'd welcome serious scientific research into the issue, though it's entirely unclear what the results of that research will lead to. And after what happened in Newtown, Conn., everyone -- from video game makers to movie producers to local news outlets to gun manufacturers -- should be engaged in serious soul searching.
But don't expect new revelations when it comes to video games. Psychologists have for years been looking at whether there are links between the fantasy violence of video games and, with rare exceptions, haven't found a connection. In 2010, the Review of General Psychology, which is the American Psychological Association's journal, published a special issue on the topic. While one psychologist did connect fantasy and real-world violence in certain personalities, the most compelling research found that link for the rest of society to be, at best, specious.
Christopher Ferguson, of Texas A&M International University, argued in one paper that "the negative effects of violent games have been exaggerated by some elements of the scientific community, fitting with past cycles of media-focused moral panics." To put it in historical perspective, Ferguson wrote, the Greek philosopher Plato worried about the deleterious effect of poetry on youths. Hand wringers have been worrying about the impact of movies since there have been movies. And to put in my generation's terms, parent groups worried that the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons would turn teens into axe-wielding occultists. I can say with some certainty that none of the socially challenged junior high kids with whom I played D&D turned into axe-wielding occultists.
But what about those "certain" personalities? Researchers generally believe people with psychopath tendencies (not, notably, people with autism) can at least be impacted by video game violence. That's the same personality, mind you, that most think shouldn't have access to dangerous weapons.
Basically, the research done so far validates common sense. If your kid has violent tendencies or indicates he or she has a low level of empathy (psychologists say a good indication of this is often cruelty to animals), then it would be wise to keep them away from violent games, violent images, and -- most of all -- weapons. Like I said...common sense.
Kate Edwards, executive director of the International Game Developers Association, said in a statement this afternoon that her group welcomes the research, assuming it will not be limited to gaming:
"We especially encourage the new research to explore all aspects of violence in media, including their potential benefits. For example, recent research shows a steam valve effect in which violent video gameplay helps release stress and aggression before it can lead to violence. Others studies have indicated that recent declines in real world violence can be attributed in part to potentially violent people spending more time looking for thrills in video games instead of on the streets."
Gaming reduces violence? Believe it or not, the psychology journal I mentioned did cite some research indicating that could be the case.
So that's the scientific and industry side of all this. The personal side is different. It's different for anyone who doesn't want their kids to see movies that glorify violence. It's different for anyone who isn't the most enthusiastic apologist for shoot-em-up games. Like many other parents I find first-person shooter games repellent. I grew up in a Pennsylvania household where learning how to use a hunting rifle was as natural as learning how to ride a bike. Still, the blood-splattering violence (particularly when you, the gamer, are the one responsible for that blood) in some video games makes me cringe.
Are those game allowed in my house? Nope. But as with discussions of violence in movies and ridiculing local news teams who travel to another state to get a bloody story to lead the nightly report, we're talking about personal taste, not science. And there's a difference between dangerous and distasteful.
Let's hope folks in Washington who set policy and create laws also know the difference.
A connection between video games and real-world violence?
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A connection between video games and real-world violence?
