Most boys are playing at least 6 hours or more per week.Most teens play on multiple devicesData on playing alone contradicted by Pew information which indicated far more kids playing with friends in the same room and a smaller percentage with friends on line.
Note that if you add together video games and computer games, the concern is much larger.
Much information comes from this study – which also debunked much of the previous work
Violent behavior – most studies indicating this have either been poorly produced or rely on a “gaming effect” which looks at aggression right after or within the game. Many studies have shown no link. And some have even looked at some pro=social reasons to blow off steam in a fantasy world. Some studies out of Iowa indicate an effect based on long term aggressive game play and There is a neurological link and there is a short-term causal relationship.Jenkins - I believe that media is most powerful in our lives when it reinforces our existing values and least powerful when it contradicts them.“Violent video games frequently have been criticized for enhancing aggressive reactions such as aggressive cognitions, aggressive affects or aggressive behavior. On a neurobiological level we have shown the link exists.”Emotional memory is a really important part of your cognitive functioning. If you don't remember negative or harmful situations, you can't learn from them and avoid them in the future," said Bowen. Fantasy v realityAddiction: most addiction research not coming out of US. Most games do have natural breaking points. Mobile apps. Much smaller. Be most careful for young children.Obesity – need to make sure kids have a balance; WII and now other moving games burns 400cals in ½ of play Same as hereSocial isolation – in fact, many games give common ground for conversation or playProf. JENKINS: I am not saying "Grand Theft Auto Three" is good for young kids. But what I am saying is some kinds of violent play allow kids to play with fantasies of power and to rebuild self-esteem that is being destroyed by real verbal and physical violence at our schools. I think it may be healthy within limits. The challenge is how to set those limits, and that requires informed parents.
Young children are more susceptible to confusion over fantasy and realityFrom huge Kutner and Olson study, these are anecdotal but borne out in the research. TIP – monitor the games and start by worrying about those issues that are most transferable to reality. Kids do know the difference. The brief quotes one of the scholars, Celia Pearce, who sums up the humanist understanding of violent fantasy games: "Most of the alarmism about violence," she writes, "is based on a profound misunderstanding about the social and emotional function of games. Games allow people who are midway between childhood and adulthood to engage in fantasies of power to compensate for their own feelings of personal powerlessness. This role-playing function is important for children of all ages."
Jenkins
American Association of Pediatrics, 2006
At risk for social isolation, for relying on video games for self esteem, for not understanding fantasyvs reality, for violent or aggressive behavior, usually have a variety of other risk factors
Henry Jenkins, MIT
We as parents may feel uncomfortable with specific imagery, but in fact, kids are involved with all these skills and practices when playing immersive games…Community – many games are played with friends and MMOG are played with large groupsCollaboration – complex teamwork and collaborationSocial Justice – research on kids who play certain games participate in more charity workIntrinsic motivation – moving up in levels, solving more and more difficult challengesDeep understanding and Active learning – this is training for 21st century. Learn rules, make decisions, change information and actions flexibly according to system, collaborate, very complex intellectual demandTake kids seriously – this is a world they know a lot about and are master of
Find research from pew on WHICH games.
.-Keep computers in public places for younger kids- Very young children do not need to chat onlineOlder kids can talk to friends and familyMultiplayer options – very young kids should not talk to others online, older elementary can talk to people they know, teens can use multiplayer options, but monitor and discuss these interactions
Recommendations for parents: -Acknowledge that there can be cool aspects of violent games, even if they are inappropriate-Find GREAT games for kids that don't involve violence and foster build civic participation. See Common Sense.-Keep computers in public places for younger kids-Talk to kids about the violence in games and its potential impact Multiplayer options – very young kids should not talk to others online, older elementary can talk to people they know, teens can use multiplayer options, but monitor and discuss these interactions
-31% of parents say they always or sometimes play games with their kids-46% of parents say they always or sometimes stop their kids from playing a game, which means there is room for more education and advance discussionYahoo survey, 2008 – 87% of parents say they play video games with their kidsParenting is parenting – be an active parent.83% of game purchases for underage kids were made by a parent or parent and child together. Parents control the purchasing. Girls who play video games with their parents are generally better behaved and showed lower rates of depression than those who don’t - feb, 2011 reported in Journal of Adolescent Health – Brigham Young University
Kutner & Olson; NPD Group, 2008
Some problems with ESRBDon’t use educators as reviewersReviewers had formerly looked at videos, not played games, that’s now changingDon’t look at things in context Issue around showing consequencesFunded by software industryThere isn’t a rating system for games downloaded on the internetNo actual law against selling to minors, though it is self regulated
- Craig Anderson
CRISP began as predator protection software, now part of many virtual worlds. Built in technology for monitoring unsavory communication.