How Violent Video Games Effect The Brain… The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

1. How Violent Video Games Effect The Brain…The Good, The Bad & The Ugly By: Jeannette Kosenesky EPS 503

2. Video Game Industry • Revenues for video game industry in 2008: • Worldwide = $43 Billion Dollars • United States = $21.5 Billion Dollars • In Comparison: • Music Industry = $10 Billion in the US • Movie Industry = $9.5 Billion in the US • Book Industry = $35.7 Billion in the US • DVD Industry = $23 Billion in the US • Top Violent Video Games For 2009: • Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 • Halo 3 • Grand Theft Auto IV • War of Witchcraft • Empire: World War http://www.npd.com/press/releases/press_080131b.html

3. American Academy of Pediatrics Media Guidelines • The American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes that exposure to mass media presents both health risks and benefits for children and adolescents. The AAP has set the following guidelines for parents: • Remove television, video games, computers and internet connections from children’s bedrooms. • Limit screen time (T.V., video games, computer) to 1 to 2 hours per day for children aged 3 to 18. • Avoid all screen media for infants and toddlers under the age of 2. • Make thoughtful media choices and co-view T.V., movies, and video games with your children. Limit all inappropriate violent and sexual content. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/124/5/1495

4. The Reality of American Media Usage • American children between the ages of 8 to 18 years spend an average of 6.5 hours per day using screen media (T.V., Video Games, Computers) for entertainment. • American children between the ages of 0 and 7 years spend an average of 2 hours per day using screen media. • 68% of children over the age of 8 years have a television in their bedroom. • A T.V. in the bedroom increases usage by approximately 1 hour per day. • Increases the chance of obesity by 31%. • Increases the unsupervised use of video games and the violence that is present in over half of all video games. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/124/5/1495

5. The ‘Good’ Side of Video Games • Educational Purposes • Developing Skills and Abilities – deductive reasoning, memorization, visual attention, computer literacy • Stimulus for Learning – motivational aspects • Content Related – direct learning and repetition • Psychological Purposes • Pro-social aspects –positive impact on attitude and behaviors. • Sense of Belonging – cultivate positive relationship with other players and/or family members. • ‘Virtual’ socializing – develops communication skills that help build self-confidence and self-esteem. • Physical Purposes • Physical exercise (Wii), reaction time, relaxation/stress relief, visual acuity, cognitive exercises (brain plasticity) in specific situations (Alzheimer's, stroke). (Greitemeyer, & Osswald, 2010)

6. Benefits of Video Games on the Brain

7. The ‘Bad’ Side of Video Games • Violent Content: • Encourages using aggression to solve problems. • Characters show no remorse for their aggressive behaviors/actions. • Characters are not punished for aggressive behavior • The interactive aspect of playing violent video games encourages children to identify with their violent characters. • ‘wishful identification’ with the violent hero allows the child to feel the sense of ‘what if.” Related to vicarious learning concept. • The realistic feeling children get from playing ‘total immersion’ games makes these types of games more popular than non-realistic games. • Children under the age of 8 years are unable to distinguish between fantasy and reality completely. • Aggression and danger seeking behaviors peek during adolescence., when many teens are spending hours playing violent video games. Bushman, B., Konijn, E. (2007)

8. The ‘Ugly’ Side of Video Games • Violence Depicted In Video Games • Reduces a child’s ability to distinguish pain/anguish of others. • Desensitizes children to aggression and violence. • Increases a child’s fear/anxiety (the world is bad/scary). • Increased aggression/violent behavior towards others. • Increases acceptance of aggressive attitudes and behaviors. • Leads to more high risk behaviors in youths, such as smoking, drug and alcohol use, and early sexual activity. • Morals and Values Influenced By Violent Video Games • Self-discipline – gaming addiction, not completing homework, not playing with friends (getting absorbed by game). • Gender & Racial – women and minorities are portrayed as targets. • Honesty – cheating/lying via ‘cheat codes’ and short cuts. http://www.springerlink.com/content/t8x6356734104463/

9. What Are Violent Video Games Doing To Children’s Brains? • Impulse control: • Decreases in the prefrontal cortex activity have been linked to children that play violent video games. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for impulse control, concentration and inhibition. • Aggression: • Studies find that in as little as 3 months of exposure to violent video games, children show notable increased physical aggression. • A decrease in frontal lobe activity, which is involved in impulse control. • An increased activity in the amygdala, which is involved in emotioanl arousal • Video: Sanjay Gupta, CNN Medical Correspondent http://www.gametrailers.com/user-movie/effects-of-violent-games-on/24957 www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/resolutionvideoviolence.pdg

10. Brain Imaging – Counting Task • 2 groups of adolescents played video games for 30 minutes: • 1 group played a violent game and the other group played a • nonviolent fun game. • After, they were asked to perform a counting task while in an fMRI. • Non-violent gamers = more activation in the prefrontal area of the brain. • Violent gamers = less activation in the prefrontal areas of the brain.

11. Brain Imaging – Emotional Stroop Task • Same 2 groups of adolescents- performing the emotional stroop task • while in an fMRI. • Non-violent gamers = more activation in the prefrontal area of the brain. • Violent gamers = less activation in the prefrontal areas of the brain. • http://www.sciencenewsden.com/2007/violentvideogamesaffectbrains.shtml

12. Joint Statement on the Impact of Entertainment Violence on Children “Entertainment violence can lead to increases in aggressive attitudes, values, and behavior, particularly in children.” • American Academy of Pediatrics • American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry • American Medical Association • American Psychological Association • American Academy of Family Physicians • American Psychiatric Association www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/resolutionvideoviolence.pdg

13. Putting it into Perspective…Impact of Media Violence on Children According to the Center on Media and Child Health at Harvard: “The strength of the association between media violence and aggressive behavior is greaterthan the association between • calcium intake and bone mass • Lead ingestion and lower IQ • Condom non-use and sexually acquired HIV infection And is nearly as strong as the association between • Cigarette smoking and lung cancer” http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/124/5/1495

14. How Can We Help As School Psychologist? • Educate our co-workers through in-service classes. • Have the Guidelines For Parents from the APA available to give to parents seeking help. • Educate students about the impact on their brains from exposure to violence in small, quick, entertaining lessons. • Have a page on the school website with resources available for parents to access and read. • As parents, make sure that we follow the APA guidelines to be good role-models.

15. References