Artifact 8

Copyright © 2005 Chicago Tribune. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services. April 14, 2005. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission. http://discoverer.prod.sirs.com/discoweb/disco/do/article?urn=urn%3Asirs%3AUS%3BARTICLE%3BART%3B0000215096


They are saying that kids may get influenced by video games and may not be aware of the consequences.

Most real-life games ban brutal behavior. But some video games are all about aggression. Fighting in video games wins points. But real-life brawls, in sports contests or on the playground, can have serious consequences.
Now some grown-ups are worried vicious video games could inspire real-life smack downs. Gov. Rod Blagojevich wants Illinois to be the first state to ban the sale of violent games like "Mortal Kombat" or "Grand Theft Auto" to kids under 18.


They say that the ratings on games may not be so accurate.

The ban would mean a big block for some gamers. At least 60 percent of popular video games have violent themes. And almost 60 percent of fourth-grade girls and 73 percent of fourth-grade guys say most of their favorite games have violence, reports the National Institute on Media and the Family.
And just because a game is rated "E" for everyone doesn't mean it is void of violence. Harvard University researchers say a game is considered violent when the characters try to hurt or kill each other.
Sports games like football might seem aggressive, but the researchers say tackling is part of normal play. But just like in real sports, the researchers call excessive contact--like high sticking--violent.
All that aggression can change the way a kid sees the world, says Barbara Wilson, a speech communication professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "People who spend more time with media violence get less upset with violence in the real world," Wilson says.
Playing a video game doesn't mean a kid will charge outside and slug the first person he or she comes across. But a kid who plays a lot of violent games could consider aggression as a good way to solve problems, Wilson says.
Though there are no studies citing a definite link between violence and video games, research shows playing violent video games can have a negative effect on people with aggressive personalities.
But for most kids, too much game time is more likely to cause other problems. Staring at the screen means less time for homework, sports or music lessons.
Gaming is like a part-time job for some kids. Eighth grade boys average 23 hours of video games a week. Girls the same age play about 12 hours a week, according to a survey by Michigan State University.
Serious game time is big for kids at Laura P.'s school. "I'd say almost every kid I know has a PlayStation, Xbox or one of those systems and plays it two hours a day," says Laura, 12.
Two hours of game play a day would cut into Laura's viola practice time. She went six months without touching a video game and says it was no loss. "I don't see the point in trying to beat all these levels," she says. "I just think there are better things to do with your time than play video games."
Joe S. had to find those better things to do after his mom tossed the family's game system. "It was too hectic around the house with all my little brothers and sisters playing it," says Joe, 12. "It was getting to be too much, like no control."
Once the games were gone, Joe says he became "more organized" and read more books. He still plays sports video games at his friends' houses, but says his house is OK without a system. No game system means no temptation.
Beth W., 12, says she has control over her temptation. "If I'm in school, I play half an hour at the most because I have a lot of homework. On breaks, I play just an hour," she says.