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i didnt know where to put this so but w.t.h.



latley people believe video games movies and music alters a young childs mind . do you believe this can happen on a high level or none at all? personaly i dont believe anything like these 3 options can make a kid go wacko.

I don't think so. I think the person has to have issues to begin with. Most people aren't going to go out and kill someone because they saw it in a movie or they heard it in a song. Mostly when stuff like this happens, people just want to blame something other than the person. If someone actually *does* go out and do something stupid because of something like that, I think they probably already had problems to begin with.

No..

I think video games, movies and such are an easy target for criticism, and blame when there is a killing or whatever. But I think I am right in saying that everytime a movie has been blamed it has been proven that there was no connection.

Originally posted by T.M
No..

I think video games, movies and such are an easy target for criticism, and blame when there is a killing or whatever. But I think I am right in saying that everytime a movie has been blamed it has been proven that there was no connection.





you heard of jack thomas? this guy is a bible thumper who believes kids will mimic game violence. he stated on gamehead last friday that his son plays milatary games. now the funny thing i find about that is this jacck thomas guy said hes fighting video game violence but if thats true he would target the milatary games as well! the guys a hypocrite

Originally posted by PiruBlood
latley people believe video games movies and music alters a young childs mind .

how and what kind of alterations?

Originally posted by PiruBlood
do you believe this can happen on a high level or none at all?

Stimuli does affect behaviour... I don't know what you mean by "high level", but the jury is not really out on this one.

Originally posted by PiruBlood
personaly i dont believe anything like these 3 options can make a kid go wacko.

well, interesting, define wacko and you might be correct.

Originally posted by inimalist
how and what kind of alterations?



Stimuli does affect behaviour... I don't know what you mean by "high level", but the jury is not really out on this one.



well, interesting, define wacko and you might be correct.



my term for wacko is kids get violent from alot of things. but seriously if a 10 year old plays grand theft auto then shoots someone to me is nuts. but i dont believe that will happen. if you look at the collombine massacre those kids who shot up the school were provoked. the cops say they imitated from a movie called natural born killers. even marylin manson was getting attacked by the media because those numb nuts thought one of his songs sent a subliminal message to his fans

Unless the kid has a problem with identifying reality from fiction, then yes.

But otherwise "normal" people, no.

They likely do influence Children. They do influence adults too afterall. In what way is probably hard to predict though.

Originally posted by SelphieT
Unless the kid has a problem with identifying reality from fiction, then yes.

But otherwise "normal" people, no.



my cousin who is chicago p.d said the most commenly used excuse in a courtroom for a crime now is i played a violent game and it influenced me. now that tells me if someone can say that then they just dont wanna admit they did something wrong.

Originally posted by Bardock42
They likely do influence Children. They do influence adults too afterall. In what way is probably hard to predict though.

I think they influence society in making people in general less sensitive to violence. If you're constantly seeing it then it isn't going to bother you as much.

My boyfriend was actually playing Manhunt 2 the other day (which, if you don't know is supposedly a very violent video game which is banned in certain countries) and I found myself saying "this was banned? it's not that violent" and "that's it?" while watching him play it.

But I still don't think it will make someone go out and kill someone.

Originally posted by PiruBlood
Latley people believe video games movies and music alters a young childs mind . do you believe this can happen on a high level or none at all? personaly i dont believe anything like these 3 options can make a kid go wacko.

No. Movies, videos games; the media are not to blame nor are they cause. They can be an issues that may have a slight influence but by and large, they're not the cause.

Originally posted by PiruBlood
my cousin who is chicago p.d said the most commenly used excuse in a courtroom for a crime now is i played a violent game and it influenced me. now that tells me if someone can say that then they just dont wanna admit they did something wrong.

Yeah, you can tell they just want to blame it on something that other people enjoy, so they can act all innocent.

Originally posted by PiruBlood
you heard of jack thomas? this guy is a bible thumper who believes kids will mimic game violence. he stated on gamehead last friday that his son plays milatary games. now the funny thing i find about that is this jacck thomas guy said hes fighting video game violence but if thats true he would target the milatary games as well! the guys a hypocrite

you mean Jack Thompson ?

If you do then yes I have heard of him.. who hasn't the guy wont shut up.

music, TV, movies and even written words can have affects on the behaviour of children and adults. Long term exposure can create long term behavioural patterns and prime behavioural schema. The human brain is NOT EFFECTIVE at distinguishing between fantasy and reality.

However, it seems to be assumed that this means "because I play GTA I am going to kill someone". Which it doesn't. Nor does it support playing games as a defense for violent crime.

However, without a doubt, violent media in any form does enhance arousal and aggression. A very clear example of this is long term exposure to pornography and misogynistic behaviour. Men who watch lots of porn are more likely to objectify women over those who do not.

The most important thing to keep in mind with all this is that, if one is conscious of the media they consume, is parented well, and receives some education regarding media, the influencing effects of media are almost completely eliminated.

Originally posted by PiruBlood
i didnt know where to put this so but w.t.h.



latley people believe video games movies and music alters a young childs mind . do you believe this can happen on a high level or none at all? personaly i dont believe anything like these 3 options can make a kid go wacko.

I believe the entertainment industry can influence a person greatly. I dont believe they inspire physical violence though.

We've had threads on this before.

But no, I do not believe in the least that games, movies, etc. are responsible for people being violent. There can be some effect, but generally this is if the person is already pre-disposed to violence, cannot differentiate between fantasy and reality, or otherwise has issues. But really? Not a single credible study has shown any real link. Seriously, in just about every case where someone has tried to blame violent games or music or movies on someone going nuts, if you look at that person's background, it's pretty clear they weren't right in the head to begin with.

And Jack Thompson is a joke. I don't think anyone takes him seriously anymore because he always comes off as such an idiot. He generally has no idea what he's talking about, and if I remember correctly, he was suspended from practicing law and ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. The guy is nuts.

It's all just scapegoating. People don't want to deal with personal responsibility, so they try and pin the blame on anything convenient that they can.

Originally posted by Lana
We've had threads on this before.

But no, I do not believe in the least that games, movies, etc. are responsible for people being violent. There can be some effect, but generally this is if the person is already pre-disposed to violence, cannot differentiate between fantasy and reality, or otherwise has issues. But really? Not a single credible study has shown any real link. Seriously, in just about every case where someone has tried to blame violent games or music or movies on someone going nuts, if you look at that person's background, it's pretty clear they weren't right in the head to begin with.

And Jack Thompson is a joke. I don't think anyone takes him seriously anymore because he always comes off as such an idiot. He generally has no idea what he's talking about, and if I remember correctly, he was suspended from practicing law and ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. The guy is nuts.

It's all just scapegoating. People don't want to deal with personal responsibility, so they try and pin the blame on anything convenient that they can.

Well said Lana.

Originally posted by Lana
Not a single credible study has shown any real link.

there is a very large body of evidence showing the link

I even wrote a topic about a study that found religious text was a prime for aggression:

http://www.killermovies.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=450796&highlight=god+sanctions+killing

There is a recent report that shows a publication bias toward reporting evidence that confirms the media hypothesis (relating specifically to video games), so it is still debatable how much of an effect the media might have. However, media as a prime for aggression and later behavioural issues is very well supported in scientific literature.

well you have to look at the whole debate from the opposite end as well...you have to ask whether music, films etc can have a positive influence of a persons behaviour

put this in the context of your own experiences...does a film ever make you feel some kind of emotion...the same question regarding music...the answer in most cases is probably yes...has a piece of art, be it music, film or whatever...ever inspired you to take action on some sort of social issue...in some cases this would be yes also

so people who automatically deny that these things can also have a negative effect are quite possibley wrong

although saying that...in most most extreme cases there is almost always an underlying mental health issue that causes the person involved to commit whatever act they then try and blame on whatever medium it was

of course it takes too much time, effort and probably money to investigate these issues so society likes to adopt a quick blame, problem solved, move on mentallity that ultimately benefits nobody

To some degree movies, games and music effects kids, but not in the way people may think.

This is ridiculous.

Computer games don't affect people. I mean, if video games affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching magic pills and listening to repetitive electronic music...

Originally posted by inimalist
there is a very large body of evidence showing the link

I even wrote a topic about a study that found religious text was a prime for aggression:

http://www.killermovies.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=450796&highlight=god+sanctions+killing

There is a recent report that shows a publication bias toward reporting evidence that confirms the media hypothesis (relating specifically to video games), so it is still debatable how much of an effect the media might have. However, media as a prime for aggression and later behavioural issues is very well supported in scientific literature. Originally posted by jaden101
well you have to look at the whole debate from the opposite end as well...you have to ask whether music, films etc can have a positive influence of a persons behaviour

put this in the context of your own experiences...does a film ever make you feel some kind of emotion...the same question regarding music...the answer in most cases is probably yes...has a piece of art, be it music, film or whatever...ever inspired you to take action on some sort of social issue...in some cases this would be yes also

so people who automatically deny that these things can also have a negative effect are quite possibley wrong



QFT.


The short answer is, YES.

The topic asked: Do games/movies/music effect kids?

Of course they do. Whether positive or negative, those forms of media have an effect on all of us.

The topic also asked: if they "alter" a kids mind.

Of course they do. We all start out as blank slates, and what we put in the barrel is what makes up who we are.

The last part of the topic asked about: "whacko".

This I don't know. I believe that media does influence, effect, and alter us as people, but whether or not it will manifest itself in some physical way, like violence, remains to be seen.

I think most people who commit the school shootings, for example, are already dealing with serious issues, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, etc...

The effect of media is more on an individuals mindset and their perception of life in general and people in particular, including perception of themselves.

If said child has no bearings on reality, and hasn't grasped the difference between fantasy and reality, then yes, it can have an effect and influence them. However, almost every time this could be countered by decent parenting -- informing the child about what is and isn't real. This is mostly relevant for younger kids.

Older kids, 11, 12, 13, whatever, no they won't be effected by them unless they have some deeper mental problem.

Originally posted by BackFire
If said child has no bearings on reality, and hasn't grasped the difference between fantasy and reality, then yes, it can have an effect and influence them. However, almost every time this could be countered by decent parenting -- informing the child about what is and isn't real. This is mostly relevant for younger kids.

Older kids, 11, 12, 13, whatever, no they won't be effected by them unless they have some deeper mental problem.

the major problem is that, without specific media education, the human brain is very bad at distinguishing between reality and fantasy.

I can almost guarantee you that at least something you remember happening to you happened on TV.

Originally posted by inimalist
the major problem is that, without specific media education, the human brain is very bad at distinguishing between reality and fantasy.

I can almost guarantee you that at least something you remember happening to you happened on TV.

I have a hard time with my dreams. Sometimes, I think that what I dreamed actually happened and it didn't happen...For example, one time, I accused my brother of misplacing an object of mine because I dreamed that let him borrow it and I was pissed at him for "lying"...I then realized that it was only in my dream that I let him borrow and I had to eat some humble pie and apologize....

Is that normal? To confuse your dreams for reality?

Is it possible that these same people being discussed have a similar problem but it occurs at a conscience level due to psychosis or schizophrenia?

Originally posted by dadudemon
I have a hard time with my dreams. Sometimes, I think that what I dreamed actually happened and it didn't happen...For example, one time, I accused my brother of misplacing an object of mine because I dreamed that let him borrow it and I was pissed at him for "lying"...I then realized that it was only in my dream that I let him borrow and I had to eat some humble pie and apologize....

Is that normal? To confuse your dreams for reality?

Is it possible that these same people being discussed have a similar problem but it occurs at a conscience level due to psychosis or schizophrenia?

totally normal

and honestly, these people, or "everyone", doesn't need a mental problem to confuse reality and fiction. Our brains evolved to survive in the real world, not to distinguish between a real world and simulated one. It is a difficult idea to come to grips with, because none of us think we are watching real life when we watch a movie, and the context does help us distinguish it, but that context is built over many years, and even then it is not 100%.

I would think, by definition, someone who shoots another (for seemingly no reason) has a mental problem (sociopathy at the very least). Yes, a schizophrenic would have a much higher degree of difficulty in distinguishing between reality and fiction (in some cases), but one does not need to be a sociopath or schizophrenic to mistake fantasy for reality. While I would argue that mental health and parental issues are at the heart of most spree shootings at schools or whatever, that doesn't mean we as individuals who do not have mental health problems are immune to similar problems.

For instance, as you noted with your dream, you can quickly realize which parts of your memory are real or fictitious with the eating of a little bit of humble pie. This would be the parental influence or media education.

Originally posted by inimalist
the major problem is that, without specific media education, the human brain is very bad at distinguishing between reality and fantasy.

I can almost guarantee you that at least something you remember happening to you happened on TV.


My niece and two nephews perfectly distinguish reality from what is not reality.

Originally posted by Dreampanther
This is ridiculous.

Computer games don't affect people. I mean, if video games affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching magic pills and listening to repetitive electronic music...

Pack Man you mean.

Ted Bundy used to drink Coca Cola...anyone thinks that affected him?

I do.

Originally posted by BackFire
If said child has no bearings on reality, and hasn't grasped the difference between fantasy and reality, then yes, it can have an effect and influence them. However, almost every time this could be countered by decent parenting -- informing the child about what is and isn't real. This is mostly relevant for younger kids.

Older kids, 11, 12, 13, whatever, no they won't be effected by them unless they have some deeper mental problem.

So you think that if we took 2 sets of "older" kids as you say, ages 11, 12, 13 and all of the kids were normal, healthy individuals who'd been raised to know the difference between movies and reality and showed one group nothing but porn movies and Hostel/Saw type slasher films and showed the other group Disney cartoons and Star Wars for say, 2 straight years... that both groups of kids wouldn't be affected in their thoughts, actions, and feelings?

And beyond that, both groups of kids would be exactly the same? Normal and well adjusted because they "know" it isn't real?

Fail.

Originally posted by sithsaber408
So you think that if we took 2 sets of "older" kids as you say, ages 11, 12, 13 and all of the kids were normal, healthy individuals who'd been raised to know the difference between movies and reality and showed one group nothing but porn movies and Hostel/Saw type slasher films and showed the other group Disney cartoons and Star Wars for say, 2 straight years... that both groups of kids wouldn't be affected in their thoughts, actions, and feelings?

And beyond that, both groups of kids would be exactly the same? Normal and well adjusted because they "know" it isn't real?

Fail.

What you're describing would constitute torture. I'm talking about just watching movies/playing games in a normal manner, not forcing some kid to sit and watch certain things for years.

In that case, both kids would probably be affected, not because of what they're watching, but because of the amount of time they'd be forced to spend watching it.

So, in short, that was a lazy, invalid example.

Originally posted by sithsaber408
So you think that if we took 2 sets of "older" kids as you say, ages 11, 12, 13 and all of the kids were normal, healthy individuals who'd been raised to know the difference between movies and reality and showed one group nothing but porn movies and Hostel/Saw type slasher films and showed the other group Disney cartoons and Star Wars for say, 2 straight years... that both groups of kids wouldn't be affected in their thoughts, actions, and feelings?

And beyond that, both groups of kids would be exactly the same? Normal and well adjusted because they "know" it isn't real?

Fail.

I love horror and in fact, the first script I started writing is a horror film. I watch horror movies every chance I get...even the shitty ones. I don't kill people, hit people, get aggressive with people, ever...I haven't been in a fight since I was 17. I play violent videos games all the time. I can honestly say that I am not affected by that stuff ...but I am probably affected by in the fact that I think about "horror" film material all the time...you know, violent "scary" things. I have a slightly darker sense of humor that involves violence sometimes and it frightens people a little bit until I explain it to them. But on he whole, I am a very calm and benevolent person.

That isn't what you thought it would be, was it?

Writing horror scripts is fun, isn't it?

First one I wrote was horror, writing another one now.

And like Dude, I'm calm, rational, I don't get angry easily and I don't cause harm to people.

Yes, they among many other things AFFECT (not EFFECT) people in general........not just kids..........

Anata wa wakarimasu ka.....

I would say that if anything, violent movies/games/music provide an outlet for emotion.

Playing an action video game reduces gender differences in spatial cognition.

Feng, Jing; Spence, Ian; Pratt, Jay.

We demonstrate a previously unknown gender difference in the distribution of spatial attention, a basic capacity that supports higher-level spatial cognition. More remarkably, we found that playing an action video game can virtually eliminate this gender difference in spatial attention and simultaneously decrease the gender disparity in mental rotation ability, a higher-level process in spatial cognition. After only 10 hr of training with an action video game, subjects realized substantial gains in both spatial attention and mental rotation, with women benefiting more than men. Control subjects who played a non-action game showed no improvement. Given that superior spatial skills are important in the mathematical and engineering sciences, these findings have practical implications for attracting men and women to these fields.

Psychological Science. Vol 18(10), Oct 2007, pp. 850-855

Originally posted by JediSamuraiMRB
My niece and two nephews perfectly distinguish reality from what is not reality.



and such good proof too...

http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/

no they dont. every stimuli affects children. but it can never be a significant causative factor in ACTING OUT those fantasies. thta wud require other major problems outside videogames to be present.

BIBLE though, thas another story. that reall is sumthing that shoul have a 16+ parental advisory sign with it. and the quran too, n basically, most kinds of major relegious scriptures.

Originally posted by BackFire
Writing horror scripts is fun, isn't it?

First one I wrote was horror, writing another one now.

And like Dude, I'm calm, rational, I don't get angry easily and I don't cause harm to people.

Sounds like me. I write horror stories as a hobby, but you would have to literally kill someone close to me to get me angry. I'm not an angry person.

In response to the original question, I think video games and the like only affect children depending on there outlook on it and how often they are played. If they are played constantly, then yes, it can have a negative affect on the child. BUT, if a child plays video games AND socialises with peers, gets involved in other activities, such as a community sport, then there wouldn't be much of an affect on the child. The child (with the help of the parents, of course) needs to establish the essential balance to make it all work correctly. Video games and movies are made for simple enjoyment. You can't make friends with a video game character or a movie hero, it just doesn't work. There are other, more important aspects to life, and video-game obssessed children need to learn that.