1st December 2004, 10:47 AM
GR, do you have evidence that it's a combination of all those things? :D
Seriously, a lot of people tend to have the "now I'm not a proffesional psychologist, but I AM an amatuer psychologist" attitude towards this.
Let's look at the facts, MOST kids aren't killing each other. It is a minority, a very small minority, going around killing. It's still bad and must be dealt with, but things that the majority of kids do should be pretty much ruled out as the cause of the actions of this minority. Most kids don't kill, but most kids HAVE played "murder sims". Thus, without any evidence to back them up, these people have no scientific claim to the idea that these games cause violence.
I could propose reasons these kids do what they do all day, I have before, but it was a flawed endevor because, whatdayaknowhattiman, I didn't have any proof to back up my claims either :D.
Hattiman: Thaaaat's a pretty good song thar, who wants to hear of it 50 times moUre?
Now when I hear "a study" on the news, I groan. They offer no information on this study at all. Was it done by some very disciplined scientists, or some high school students looking for an A? Was the test double-blind, as all psych tests have to be, or a survey of random people (which has no real scientific merit)? Now, the first question there isn't really relevent to the accuracy of the test, I'm just saying they don't provide ANY data on it at all. I could post all manner of "studies" of my own that amount to mere anecdotal stories about kids I've seen walking around various malls, and that would have about the same merit as these studies for all I know. Rather, instead of spending time looking at the actual test, they just interview anyone who would say "oh I totally agree", and notably these people really don't have the right background to really have the right to an opinion about it.
Anyway, I'll only say what I think is most likely. It's either some special condition or situation that only applies to this minority (genetics for example), or a lot of factors that only happen to coincide with this minority (like for example not JUST violent games or a bad upbringing alone, but rather both at once which would be rarer). I have no proof, but these are a lot more logical than the claim that violent media, which everyone has been exposed to, is the sole reason this happens.
Listen parents, ever think of just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?
Calculon: *reaction shot*
Seriously, a lot of people tend to have the "now I'm not a proffesional psychologist, but I AM an amatuer psychologist" attitude towards this.
Let's look at the facts, MOST kids aren't killing each other. It is a minority, a very small minority, going around killing. It's still bad and must be dealt with, but things that the majority of kids do should be pretty much ruled out as the cause of the actions of this minority. Most kids don't kill, but most kids HAVE played "murder sims". Thus, without any evidence to back them up, these people have no scientific claim to the idea that these games cause violence.
I could propose reasons these kids do what they do all day, I have before, but it was a flawed endevor because, whatdayaknowhattiman, I didn't have any proof to back up my claims either :D.
Hattiman: Thaaaat's a pretty good song thar, who wants to hear of it 50 times moUre?
Now when I hear "a study" on the news, I groan. They offer no information on this study at all. Was it done by some very disciplined scientists, or some high school students looking for an A? Was the test double-blind, as all psych tests have to be, or a survey of random people (which has no real scientific merit)? Now, the first question there isn't really relevent to the accuracy of the test, I'm just saying they don't provide ANY data on it at all. I could post all manner of "studies" of my own that amount to mere anecdotal stories about kids I've seen walking around various malls, and that would have about the same merit as these studies for all I know. Rather, instead of spending time looking at the actual test, they just interview anyone who would say "oh I totally agree", and notably these people really don't have the right background to really have the right to an opinion about it.
Anyway, I'll only say what I think is most likely. It's either some special condition or situation that only applies to this minority (genetics for example), or a lot of factors that only happen to coincide with this minority (like for example not JUST violent games or a bad upbringing alone, but rather both at once which would be rarer). I have no proof, but these are a lot more logical than the claim that violent media, which everyone has been exposed to, is the sole reason this happens.
Listen parents, ever think of just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?
Calculon: *reaction shot*
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)