Myths, Facts, WOAH!

As I have continued researching this topic throughout the semester on the American Psychological Association Website, it seems that a lot of the myths that are presented are virtually the same, so this week I have decided to talk about the next two myths, (8 and 9).


Myth 8. Unrealistic video game violence is completely safe for adolescents and older youths.
Facts: Cartoonish and fantasy violence is often perceived (incorrectly) by parents and public policy makers as safe even for children. However, experimental studies with college students have consistently found increased aggression after exposure to clearly unrealistic and fantasy violent video games. Indeed, at least one recent study found significant increases in aggression by college students after playing E-rated (suitable for everyone) violent video games.

Myth number 8 is kinda of stupid pardon my extremely unintelligent use of a word, but I mean, come on! Have you ever heard people tlaking about watching what you say in from of their children because they pick up EVERYTHING? I would assume that the same goes for video games. "Kids say the darndest things", right? So I'd say that it is safe to say that "kids do the darndest things" too! Kids pick up on everything. For example, if i kid is watching a show where the character bop each other on the head with something, kids are going to try and emulate that! Is there anything wrong with kids watching a show where people bop each other over the head? No, but it is safe to say that kids will definitely try and act like that. So I would say, that the same is true for kids and video games, what they see even if it is mild and a gaame rate for everyone, they still might try and act like that!

Myth 9. The effects of violent video games are trivially small.
Facts: Meta-analyses reveal that violent video game effect sizes are larger than the effect of second hand tobacco smoke on lung cancer, the effect of lead exposure to I.Q. scores in children, and calcium intake on bone mass. Furthermore, the fact that so many youths are exposed to such high levels of video game violence further increases the societal costs of this risk factor (Rosenthal, 1986).

I would personally agree with this myth. I don't really see how people who play video games can get a fake video game mixed up with reality? I personally know the different between fiction and reality, so i guess its hard to imagine that people would be that confused! So the above fact states that "violent video game effect sizes are larger than the effect of second hand tobacco smoke on lung cancer". This is pretty intense! I would have never guessed that second hand smoke has less of an effect on lung cancer than video games and violence! Shoo, i guess since i was never affected i didnt realize!