Nathaniel Bitterman

Summary of Violent Video Games:

The Effects on Youth,

and Public Policy Implications

By: DOUGLAS A. GENTILE AND CRAIG A. ANDERSON

            This article begins by talking about the coloration between children viewing violent acts and committing them. On the next page, the article talks about the history of video games and the commercialism of them. As well as the first violent video games to be released such as mortal combat.  In response to the game Wolfenstein 3D, members of congress began taking actions to find the effects these games were having on children. The next page goes on to talk about the research that has been done on violent video games. The three major types of studies are experimental, correlational, and longitudinal. Over a dozen experimental studies have been done. The goal is for a sample size of 200+ but they have done some studies with smaller sample sizes as well. The two conclusions reached are that (1) that E-rated games (even those with violent content) are safe for all ages; and (2) that T-rated violent games have a significantly bigger immediate negative impact on players than E-rated violent games. The article then goes on to compare recent research to previous research. The article then goes on to talk about solutions to the problem, such as mandatory ratings by the manufacturer, or by a third party. Even going as far as having the government set restrictions on what games can be produced.

 

Summary of Weinstein, Tarantino and the standoff over movie violence

            This article doesn’t just focus on video games, but in violence in general and the effect it as on America. It talks about how gun ownership in America is the highest in the world, and how violent crime has been decreasing and is now to the levels it was in the 1960s. The article agrees that we can’t really come to a conclusion about whether or not guns cause violence, so it does little to say what affects they have for video games and movies.

 

Summary of Columbine: Whose Fault Is It?

            This article starts off talking about how when Cain killed Able, he didn’t need any violent media to help influence him. Just his human nature. It then says that the world isn’t getting any more violent, but the violence is becoming more televised. It then talks about the media coverage of the funerals and how they interviewed the parents of dead children. It says how Americans love finding a scapegoat and place the blame for killings.