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Ten year study: No link between violent video games and aggressive behavior

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Re: Ten year study: No link between violent video games and aggressive behavior

#71
post #11

Can we do a study on a link between video games and ADHD or dopamine deficiency? https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/adhd-and-video...

This is entirely my own experience but the friends I had in high school/university always clocked in way more hours in WoW than I could doing repetitive tasks such as reputation grinding, crafting, dailies, raiding etc. I always wondered if it was something to do with ADHD or possibly the medications they took. The latter seems less likely as they played even more when they were off their meds.

I can tell you, as someone with quite severe ADHD, it affects gaming as well. What I mean is, I can focus just as little when I am playing games and just get distracted by my smartphone. It's been like this as a kid too, the game isn't really that enjoyable when you can't focus and pretty much miss the story.

Medication could have that effect but I experience quite the opposite. It almost makes me feel "bad" that I am playing a game and doing something more productive. That's generally how these meds work, they "stress" you into doing tour work, so you don't do it the day before you have to turn it in.

But I guess it's different for a professional gamer. It maybe doesn't feel unproductive when it's your main source of income.

Another thing is, the H in ADHD stands for hyperactivity. To play a game however, you have to sit still.

I do still play some games, but only those that are non competitive and casual. For example, I really like playing Stardew Valley, it's very calming and because it is open ended, there is no FOMO.

Re: Ten year study: No link between violent video games and aggressive behavior

#72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I think kids have more ability to self regulate than we typically treat them as having. This "kids need adult supervision" is a relatively new thing, we used to be sent out to play as kids for HOURS (be home by dinner) and ran the woods and parks or played murderball (soccer with tackling) and other forms of roughhousing, all without serious mayhem. Parents would let us "work it out" if there was a fight.

I emphasize "work it out" so often with our kids. Funny story. my 4yo was playing with the neighborkids around the same age. the neighbor girl came to me to tattle, saying they weren't sharing. I told her you need to work it out with them, use your words and manners. Clearly not the result she was looking for, she turned and yelled "He said you have to share!" I clarified with the other kids "that's not what I said!…

Haha! That's a good one. She heard what she wanted to hear, or she was testing out lying. Kids all test out lying around the pre-school age, some of them find it useful and keep doing it.

Re: Ten year study: No link between violent video games and aggressive behavior

#74
Even with a 10 year study, there will still be groups/collectives soliciting political posture and donations on the back of fighting all this with the usual "think of the children" trope to push it along.

Simple fact is we have far more evidence to prove the Earth is not flat and yet there are those that still insist in going against all the evidence in the World. This will be no different.

Re: Ten year study: No link between violent video games and aggressive behavior

#75

Does anyone have a non-paywall link to the PDF? It's pretty annoying that so many studies are paywalled.

You could check out sci-hub(.do) and plug the DOI (https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2020.0049) into the search field. One of the greatest resources for researchers and the scientific community at large.

Re: Ten year study: No link between violent video games and aggressive behavior

#76

I'm a rabid anti-gamer and I will tell you they are a gateway drug to antiproductivity.

I love video games, but I agree. You also have nothing to show for the time (I don't buy the "if you had fun, it was worth the time" argument). Hobbies where you can learn/hone new skills are more valuable. With video games, there's nothing to show for it. The only scenarios where I think they're beneficial is when they're enjoyed with friends (preferably in-person), or for the elderly to help with hand-eye coordinat…

> You also have nothing to show for the time (I don't buy the "if you had fun, it was worth the time" argument).

This is also true of: (recreational) sports, reading, social interaction, and probably the majority of recreational activities. The entire point is to have fun, because having fun is important.

Re: Ten year study: No link between violent video games and aggressive behavior

#78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having grown up in the manner you describe, and being a parent of several young kids - I do find the prospect of them having a similar childhood pretty terrifying. I am forever thankful for a childhood like that - but letting my kids run amok in this day and age for hours brings me a lot of anxiety. It is an interesting paradox that makes me a bit sad. edit: for the record, we have them in wrestling / jiu jitsu - so…

there is nothing different this day and age except awareness crime is lower across the board compared to 15-20 years ago ignorance was bliss, for you

Awareness also brings behavioural changes. Could be there's less crime because of all the extra precautions being taken.

Re: Ten year study: No link between violent video games and aggressive behavior

#79
post #12

Perhaps in the case of some individuals, there may even be a negative link: finding a non-destructive outlet for violent tendencies. I recall seeing a recent article (the title and site escapes me) that posits something similar with regards to the rise of internet pornography and a seeming reduction in serial killings.

> Perhaps in the case of some individuals

Sure, but that’s my problem with this whole thing.

Some idiots and media claimed there was some obvious links to violence and video games to use as reasoning for increased government control... and now the push back is NO NEVER HAPPENS!

But in some people yes, of course it hurts. There are definitely some people who are unstable and seeing hyper-graphic depictions of violent mutilation is not healthy. There are some people in the opposite.

These studies always end with a DEFINITE correlation or lack of. The truth is obviously it’s a scale. And while the result is yes, some people might be negatively effected that doesn’t mean the population at large needs to be “protected” with censorship.

I really hate the black and white of this.

Re: Ten year study: No link between violent video games and aggressive behavior

#80
I have noticed that many social science articles posted on Hacker News bring out critical comments about study design, doubts about the strength of the study's conclusions, that kind of thing.

This submission, on the other hand, is a link to some kind of gaming news website, which links to an abstract for an article in a Cyberpsychology (?) journal which costs $60 to access, and there is widespread and uncritical agreement with its supposed conclusion.

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