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The Sess from X-Play got the chance to interview the authors of the new research book, Grand Theft Childhood. The authors, Doctors Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl Olson, reveal to us a shocking truth: Videogames are not to blame for violent behavior in kids and teens. This research that took place in Grand Theft Childhood lasted several years and was financially backed by the U.S. Department of Justice with the help of over 1250 kids and 500 parents involved in the research.

The results show that there is NO evidence at all that videogames influence violent behavior. Violent crimes in the constantly targeted age range have gone down while videogame playing has risen significantly. The interview also reveals how opposing research that seems to always get mentioned by nut jobs is poorly conducted.

We're also told of an interesting aspect of the Grand Theft Childhood research. Some research was conducted among two groups of boys and the group that DIDN'T play videogames got into more trouble than those who actually played violent videogames.

This video really is some fascinating stuff. There's finally some well-done research and it's BACKED by the U.S. Government. You must watch this video and check out the book if you can.


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60 comments | showing # 1 to 50

Remz's Avatar
Remz at 04/17/2008 04:48
Fuckin' awes. Finally a study that isn't full of shit.
atheistium's Avatar
atheistium at 04/17/2008 05:07
fantastic stuff.
CountingConflict's Avatar
CountingConflict at 04/17/2008 05:10
I like that someone finally did a longitudnal study on this subject. However, saying that there is no evidence to support the correlation between videogames and violence is to disregard their own findings. They said that kids that played games more than 15 hours a week were at high risk and rate of deviant behavior.

The basic gist of this and all the crack pot studies performed before it is that researchers are looking for short-term effects over a long period. They obviously found evidence of behavioral change when the kids were exposed for extended periods of time to these games.

I've always carried the assumption that anything in moderation is fine, and apparently this is the case with video games as well. I'd like to read this book, and perhaps browse their data sets. It seems that this study reeks of media agenda, but I'm always skeptical of studies published in books instead of psychological/sociological journals.
MatCD's Avatar
MatCD at 04/17/2008 05:21
I shall consider exchanging currency for their ink and parchment
exodus1925's Avatar
exodus1925 at 04/17/2008 05:23
Finally crappy tabloids like the Daily Mail don't have a leg to stand on.
Elrando's Avatar
Elrando at 04/17/2008 05:26
"Related Products:
* Thats So Raven for Game Boy Advance - Amazon Marketplace"

Lol
Shikaboom's Avatar
Shikaboom at 04/17/2008 05:32
Really interesting, must get a look at this book when I get the chance!
KamikazeTutor's Avatar
KamikazeTutor at 04/17/2008 05:40
Zero has been used as a divisor.
liam2015's Avatar
liam2015 at 04/17/2008 05:46
Man, what a fantastic report. I actually would love to get me a copy of that book.
Pedro Blandino's Avatar
Pedro Blandino at 04/17/2008 05:56
we need to buy a copy of this book and send it to jack Thompson and tell him to read it.
WDot's Avatar
WDot at 04/17/2008 06:05
I find it rather interesting that many tests for aggression involved silly activities like blowing a horn. If politicians knew that was what their 'evidence' was, would they still use it?
wardrox's Avatar
wardrox at 04/17/2008 06:31
Couldn't agree more. and I might actually go buy that report.
AlucardX24's Avatar
AlucardX24 at 04/17/2008 07:09
Pow, right in the kissa'.
Samit Sarkar's Avatar
Samit Sarkar at 04/17/2008 07:10
That was fantastic. Level-headed adults discussing possible positive effects of video games? Color me surprised, and impressed.
AfroJoel's Avatar
AfroJoel at 04/17/2008 07:17
I remember a few podtoids ago, mr sterling mentioning that we as gamers need our own 'anti jack thompson'. Does anyone think that sessler could be that? I do.
Axle's Avatar
Axle at 04/17/2008 07:42
This is interesting stuff, a well researched, properly presented longitundnal study. We need to be objective about it though; there are an equal amount of studies which say that videogames ARE harmful.

In spite what you'd all like to believe, videogame research is at best inconclusive and at worst, scant.
Professor Pew's Avatar
Professor Pew at 04/17/2008 08:04
I wonder how long it will take before other politicians call it flawed.
TrailerParkJesus's Avatar
TrailerParkJesus at 04/17/2008 08:11
I remember watching this yesterday and did a little celebration in my head, but then being the skeptic that I am, I realized that this study unfortunately might not get the attention it deserves from the people that need to take noticee.

I mean, what makes us think people like Jack Thompson, FOX News, and anyone else who decry violence in videogames are going to listen to this kind of reasoning?
JonDarkwood's Avatar
JonDarkwood at 04/17/2008 08:21
I'd like the anti-Jack to be kind of like Jon Stewart. Someone who could get Jack's blood pressure so high that he'd explode.
B-Radicate's Avatar
B-Radicate at 04/17/2008 08:27
This is great stuff. Unfortunately I can't wait until some jackass like JT comes out and spouts bullshit to the contrary just to get back on Fox News and ruins all the good that these two doctors have done.

Also, I just found my next book purchase.

Great stuff.
B-Radicate's Avatar
B-Radicate at 04/17/2008 08:29
**Not that I don't agree with what they are saying, just that it's going to be inevitable. It'll be humorous to see how quickly JT spouts more shit, is what I meant.

My last comment came out wrong, sorry.
loki d20's Avatar
loki d20 at 04/17/2008 08:34
Well, even though this will be criticized for some reason or another by the opposing view point holders, it's nice to have people actually speak honestly about the topic rather than going in with a hidden agenda.
Holyetheline's Avatar
Holyetheline at 04/17/2008 08:37
When I saw this on xplay lastnight I was very happy.
Log1c's Avatar
Log1c at 04/17/2008 08:45
Too bad they are preaching to the choir here. But at least there is actual research to back up our side!.. take that!
NightDehumidifier's Avatar
NightDehumidifier at 04/17/2008 09:06
Yeah, video games are not to blame for violence, and there are diet books saying chocolate and fast food are healthy.
infinity's Avatar
infinity at 04/17/2008 09:26
very interesting indeed. those guys seem to know their shit.
MATTFOO's Avatar
MATTFOO at 04/17/2008 09:28
what you talkin bout willis??

good post
KingMe's Avatar
KingMe at 04/17/2008 09:42
Jack Thompson says that these psychologists of the child and adolescent mind are stupid, even though he's a lawyer and knows nothing in their field of work.....he still says they're stupid. I'm not the source, just the messenger lol
SyntaxError's Avatar
SyntaxError at 04/17/2008 09:42
Jack Thompson can't touch this one. Doing so will mean he denies his own country. It was funded by the Department of Justice fer cryin' out loud!

Lol at the God Mode comment
Bluefusion's Avatar
Bluefusion at 04/17/2008 09:57
Well, I don't believe you can say absolutely that video games have no blame whatsoever in causing violence in children. I think it's a false dichotomy to say that either video games are to blame entirely or not to blame at all for violence. Even the authors of the book make the point about people who play mature games exclusively. If we believe this is a black and white issue, then we're making the same mistake Jack Thompson makes.

Any media--be it movies, television, and music, has the potential to increase aggression in certain people. So can playing sports such as football and wrestling. What we want to know is whether video games merit any particular scrutiny. I think the debate needs to be reframed as, "How does the possibility of increasing violence in video games compare with already socially accepted media and activities?"

This is a much more sensible question, and it allows reasonable discussion. Of course, I believe researchers will find that there is no real special link between video games and violence, even as this report bears out.
GeneralWong's Avatar
GeneralWong at 04/17/2008 10:00
Surprised i am not.
Nessie's Avatar
Nessie at 04/17/2008 10:00
I just dinged in my pants <3
ghnvt's Avatar
ghnvt at 04/17/2008 10:09
I might be purchasing this book, at least give it an awesome review on Amazon.
yourfriendawk's Avatar
yourfriendawk at 04/17/2008 10:22
I've done some research on this before, and the only papers i could find only disproved this point as well. All the ones that try to say it increases aggression, just look at how kid's blood pressure and heart beat rise, and assume it is because of aggressive thoughts.

Besides, video games keep kids inside, doing nothing. Whereas if we were to release them into the real world, who knows what might happen. The next children of the corn might occur!
mister1337's Avatar
mister1337 at 04/17/2008 10:41
Eat it Thompson. Eat it.
king3vbo's Avatar
king3vbo at 04/17/2008 10:45
Yeah you wont hear a word about it on Faux News or anywhere else, for that matter
galagabug 's Avatar
galagabug at 04/17/2008 10:53
science? facts? proof?

unless you can find a bible passage with the same info, JT still has a leg to stand on.
TheHunter234's Avatar
TheHunter234 at 04/17/2008 11:06
Ahh, vindication at last. If you look back at the early histories of new entertainment mediums, you see similar trends of backlash from the self-appointed social guardians of the time, and then acceptance as advocates make their case and the industry reforms itself into an accepted form of art and entertainment. It happened with film in the 1920s, and it's happening now with games.
Wobachuki's Avatar
Wobachuki at 04/17/2008 11:18
I want to get a list of everybody involved in that study and bake them a cake. ...or at least send them a cookie.
wtfitsjared's Avatar
wtfitsjared at 04/17/2008 11:28
Awesome, suck it Jack Thompson.
Schmo0zle's Avatar
Schmo0zle at 04/17/2008 11:29
This doesn't surprise me.

When I was around 13, my parents were too poor to buy me a console or anything, so I never got to play video games.

So what did I do for an activity? Illegal things. Breaking into cars, fighting, etc.

Then my dad started working for himself, making much more money per year, and I worked for him for a couple weeks and made enough for a PS1...Immediately, I stopped (and haven't since) doing illegal things, and started playing games.

I was playing GTA at this age, mind you.

Games probably helped me not become a fucking criminal, so Jack Thompson and other 'tards really piss me off.
Corak's Avatar
Corak at 04/17/2008 11:45
Good stuff here. Glad to see a rational discussion by experts not interested in spreading propaganda. It also sucks that Fox news will never cover this story because they are only interested in bullshit stories that get people all worked up and mad/disgusted.

I thought their parallel between playing too many violent or M rated games vs. none at all was very interesting, and did make sense. Just goes to show that moderation is key, something others and myself have been saying for quite some time.
MissHinasaki's Avatar
MissHinasaki at 04/17/2008 11:46
All I can do is smile real big. ^_^
bruceleethree's Avatar
bruceleethree at 04/17/2008 12:00
I might have to order G4TV now, if I had the money to..
CelicaCrazed's Avatar
CelicaCrazed at 04/17/2008 12:10
So I am normal!! Not only that but socially competent!! Wait, I didn't need a study to tell me that :P. But good study nonetheless. It would have more weight to it though if they used a bigger sample size. 1250 kids is pretty small.
HijackedFlavor's Avatar
HijackedFlavor at 04/17/2008 12:33
Just as a nitpick, research by definition doesn't prove anything. It demonstrates and helps to explain phenomena, but there's no proving going on here.

That said, it is nice to see research that suggests video games don't have the kind of effect on behavior that so many politicians and pundits want it to.
Barcode's Avatar
Barcode at 04/17/2008 12:34
I just bought it.


I am expecting awesomeness in my mail come next week.
brainderailment's Avatar
brainderailment at 04/17/2008 12:35
Excellent, good, good. Strokes cat.
foxhound009's Avatar
foxhound009 at 04/17/2008 12:42
Ha Ha! how many times have I told you, you scum wanna be psychiatrist's and journalist's the same thing heee?
HA!

I was righ all along you bustards... Eat shit JT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and the.. the mass effect one minute fame psych/writer....

Ha.. Ha!!! (so excited :) )
sacredchao's Avatar
sacredchao at 04/17/2008 12:55
Somebody should CC this about 50 times to Jack Thompsons email. Maybe put "Urgent" as the subject.
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