The Great Video Game debate
So as I was coming home today I had the radio on a Christian station, specifically it was Dr. Dobson's Focus on the Family. Today's broadcast caught my eye (or my ear I suppose). It was on the issue of violent video games. Of course the only game mentioned was Grand Theft Auto, though at least one or two of the 'experts' say they aren't completely anti-gaming.
Now I'll admit, I've played GTA, I liked it, it was a great game, but in a disturbing manner. They make it sound that you are encouraged to do these horrific acts, which I suppose is somewhat true. However there are consequences for killing cops and pedestrians. It's not like the entire object of the game is to do this, though I have found myself doing things just to get cops chasing me. Something about running from the cops and driving crazy is entertaining. I think for the most part because it's something I'd never do, and I know I could never 'get away' with it.
So yes, if all games were like GTA, I could see their point, but I suppose they are speaking of violent games like GTA. One of the 'experts' was a stay at home mom, wife of a former vice-president of Focus on the Family talks about the addictiveness of video games and how they eventually put a 'ban' on it in their house. Now she admits she'll let her kids play games at their friends house telling them to make sure it's something she would approve of (yeah... right).
Maybe it's just me, but I think it's human curiosity to want or know about what we can't have. Putting such a 'ban' or limit does nothing but to fuel this. Once they are outside of their parents' grasp, they are going to go dive head-first into this stuff. This is my theory, kinda adapted from Hupe. I think of it like you can't stop a child from burning him/herself by explaining its bad, or it's hot. They aren't going to stop until they actually experience what 'hot' is or what 'burn' means. Now yes early in development it's not be a good thing for an infant to get a burn on the hand.
Probably what has set me off the most is some of the 'claims' these people have. Several of them citing research saying that it releases dopamine, kinda like amphetamines. They then use this as a bridge to assert that video gaming is addictive and dangerous like drugs. Now I couldn't get the actual research article they were discussing as it requires a subscription to a journal, but I did follow their link to Discovery Channel's review. This was the only reference to a source outside of this Focus on the Family network that I could find on this claim. (yet plenty of claims of what research has found or concluded do not appear to cite any sources)
Reading that link on Discovery Channel's site, if anything convinced me that this research could say anything conclusive about video game use other than a dopamine release. Little neurological fact here, dopamine is used for lots of things as stated in that article, including motor control and pleasure. So what this study found was that people get pleasure from playing video games, just like people get pleasure from shooting up amphetamines, from having sexual intercourse, from having pain removed, from laughing.
From that article (the only non-internal source I have found):
Alright, I'm done ranting for now.
Now I'll admit, I've played GTA, I liked it, it was a great game, but in a disturbing manner. They make it sound that you are encouraged to do these horrific acts, which I suppose is somewhat true. However there are consequences for killing cops and pedestrians. It's not like the entire object of the game is to do this, though I have found myself doing things just to get cops chasing me. Something about running from the cops and driving crazy is entertaining. I think for the most part because it's something I'd never do, and I know I could never 'get away' with it.
So yes, if all games were like GTA, I could see their point, but I suppose they are speaking of violent games like GTA. One of the 'experts' was a stay at home mom, wife of a former vice-president of Focus on the Family talks about the addictiveness of video games and how they eventually put a 'ban' on it in their house. Now she admits she'll let her kids play games at their friends house telling them to make sure it's something she would approve of (yeah... right).
Maybe it's just me, but I think it's human curiosity to want or know about what we can't have. Putting such a 'ban' or limit does nothing but to fuel this. Once they are outside of their parents' grasp, they are going to go dive head-first into this stuff. This is my theory, kinda adapted from Hupe. I think of it like you can't stop a child from burning him/herself by explaining its bad, or it's hot. They aren't going to stop until they actually experience what 'hot' is or what 'burn' means. Now yes early in development it's not be a good thing for an infant to get a burn on the hand.
Probably what has set me off the most is some of the 'claims' these people have. Several of them citing research saying that it releases dopamine, kinda like amphetamines. They then use this as a bridge to assert that video gaming is addictive and dangerous like drugs. Now I couldn't get the actual research article they were discussing as it requires a subscription to a journal, but I did follow their link to Discovery Channel's review. This was the only reference to a source outside of this Focus on the Family network that I could find on this claim. (yet plenty of claims of what research has found or concluded do not appear to cite any sources)
Reading that link on Discovery Channel's site, if anything convinced me that this research could say anything conclusive about video game use other than a dopamine release. Little neurological fact here, dopamine is used for lots of things as stated in that article, including motor control and pleasure. So what this study found was that people get pleasure from playing video games, just like people get pleasure from shooting up amphetamines, from having sexual intercourse, from having pain removed, from laughing.
From that article (the only non-internal source I have found):
This isn't to say that video games are "special" activities capable of altering neurotransmitter levels in the brain. It is entirely possible that other behaviours (e.g. playing cards) could produce similar results. But this is easier said than demonstrated.I guess I just hate this 'close mindedness' on issues and then saying 'research shows' this or that, when it really doesn't or they don't give the source of this research.
Alright, I'm done ranting for now.
