Arguably one of the most controversial topics of the Digital Age is the affect violent video games have on those who play them, specifically among youths. As video games become more realistic – in some cases more violent – and mainstream media increasingly covers the likes of tragic school shootings, harrowing suicides, and the purported correlation between reckless abandon and interactive entertainment, one Massachusetts lawmaker is sick of examining parallels and wants tangible stats.
State Senator William Brownsberger is pushing Beacon Hill to form a commission to investigate whether there’s truth behind the notion that violent video games are directly responsible for violence in contemporary society. Brownsberger’s commission calls for 16 members, variously appointed by the likes of the Governor and Attorney General, as well as members from both chambers the Bay State’s bicameral legislature, two mental health professionals specializing in addiction, a member of the military who “engages in military training,” a spokesperson from the gaming industry, and a law enforcement professional.
Should the measure be signed into law, appointments will be made within 30 days and the entire coalition will meet with the chairperson within 90 days.
Findings will be presented within 270 days of Governor Deval Patrick placing his signature on the bill.
More specifically, the group “will study, investigate, and provide conclusions regarding…
According to GamePolitics, naysayers are already expressing their discontent, mostly with the language of the bill as opposed to its aims. They, including advocacy group Media Coalition, alleged Browsnberger of “using ‘inflammatory language’ in his bill such as ‘killing games’ and ‘rampage killing’ to prejudice any meaningful study of the issue.”
In essence, they’re claiming that such stigmatized language will lead to biased findings, likely favorable to those who consider there to be a direct relationship between actual violence and violent games.
The site also claims that there has already been plenty of studies conducted, research gathered, and evidence examined for the commission to be considered a waste of time, energy, and resources.
Still, the details currently out there could be damning for those who don’t think a correlation exists.
A 2001 study by the American Academy of Pediatrics “has shown that the strongest single correlate with violent behavior is previous exposure to violence.”
A 2006 study published in the Journal of American Medical Associates found that “exposure to media violence was positively related to subsequent aggressive behavior, aggressive ideas, arousal, and anger.”
The list goes on and on, but is equally long on the side of those who think that there are other factors at play.
For example, a 2011 German study found that violence amongst youths who engaged actively with the likes of violent video games “was due to a number of underlying variables ranging from ecological variables (neighborhood) to family variables (migration status, older brother) and child variables (gender, self-esteem, level of achievement).”
We reached out to Senator Brownsberger’s office but he was not immediately available for comment.
