Monday, June 29, 2009

More on Gaming and Violence

Please take the time to educate yourself as a parent by reading this article.

I will copy and paste the article here from the University of Indiana School of Medicine.

December 2, 2002
Aggressive Youths, Violent Video Games Trigger Unusual Brain Activity

INDIANAPOLIS - Exposure to violent media may affect the brains of youths with aggressive tendencies differently than the brains of non-aggressive youths, according to research at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

The results of the study conducted by the Departments of Radiology and Psychiatry were released Monday, Dec. 2, at the 88th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago.

The brain activity of aggressive adolescents diagnosed with disruptive behavior disorders (DBD) is different from that of other adolescents when both groups viewed violent video games, as demonstrated by the study. Brain function was measured by functional MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans.

"Initial evidence from the study demonstrates that adolescents with disruptive behavior disorders have different frontal lobe activation patterns than teens without the disorder," said principal investigator Vincent P. Mathews, M.D., professor of radiology and chief of neuroradiology at the IU School of Medicine. "In other words, fMRI scans show less brain activity in the frontal lobe while the youths with DBD watch violent video games. The frontal lobe is the area of the brain responsible for decision-making and behavior control, as well as attention and a variety of other cognitive functions."

"This is the first evidence that adolescents with aggressive, disruptive behavior disorders have brain activation patterns that are different from non-aggressive adolescents while watching video games," said William G. Kronenberger, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and a co-investigator on the study.

Disruptive behavior disorders are separated into two behavioral disorders, one characterized by persistent rule breaking and resistance to the limits of authority. The other consists of significant violations of the basic rights of others and includes such actions as destruction of property, theft, truancy, human or animal cruelty and fire-setting. This study does not differentiate between the two.

The research, conducted over a 24-month period, had teens with DBD and teens without DBD watch a car racing video game that had excitement without violent content and a James Bond video game that had excitement and violent content. While watching the video games, the youths were scanned with fMRI to determine changes in brain activity.

The researchers also found that among subgroups of the non-aggressive adolescents there were differences in brain function dependent upon the amount of violent media exposure that they reported experiencing on television and in video games during the past year.

"There appears to be a difference in the way the brain responds depending on the amount of past violent media exposure through video games, movies and television," Dr. Mathews explained. "These early findings confirm there is a difference in the brain activation patterns of youths with DBD and those without when exposed to a specific stimulus. There also may be a relationship between violent media exposure and brain activity in normal subjects."

"These results indicate what part of the brain should be studied in future, more controlled research studies," said Dr. Kronenberger.

Other IU researchers involved with the study are Mark Lowe, Ph.D., Tie-Qiang Li, Ph.D., Yang Wang, M.D., and David Dunn, M.D.

Funding for this study was provided by the Center for Successful Parenting.

###

Media Contact: Mary Hardin
IU School of Medicine
317-274-7722
mhardin@iupui.edu

How to know what Games your kids play.

I must admit, growing up in the age of Atari..I loved video games. But things have far moved past the days of "Pong".

I recently bought a game that was rated "T" For teens. I was very excited at the prospect of playing a wonderful action adventure when suddenly out of nowhere there was profanity in the game.

Granted another problem was searching for Thor's hammer. We as Christains are to put no other god before Our God.

This game was the newest relase of Laura Croft.. scantily dressed, and ready for action.

Yet, many parents that do not play games may buy a game like this or another one rated for teens and not at all know what is in the game.

Out of the many games I have tried for my children in the past year, most of them contained alcohol use. 3/4 of them used profanity.. and almost all, left little to the imagination where clothing was concerned.

So to all parents, I recommend using this site.

http://guide2games.org/

If they do not have the game listed, play it yourself. Do not in any way trust the ratings of the game on the label. As you can see from my other post, "T" Does have content not suitable for Children.

Another game I must caution you all about is
The Sims 3 Here you can see the review on it.

Remember when God lives in us.. he us subject to what we put in front of Him. That alone should be enough to convict us what is right and wrong for our children and for us as well.

How violent Media Affects the Brain from Focus on the Family.

media influence
How Violent Media Affects the Brain
by Steve Jordahl
The blank look on a teen's face when watching a game like "WWF Smackdown" might be a reflection of what's going on in his brain — and a warning sign of things to come.

Indeed, for several years child psychologists have been warning parents about the dangers of repeated exposure to violent video games. Now, there may be medical evidence to back their claims.

Researchers in Indiana have measured the effects on a brain scan. The study's principal investigator, Dr. Vincent Mathews, said prolonged exposure to violence actually affects brain function and behavior.

"The parts of the brain we looked at are the frontal lobes — the areas of the brain that are involved in emotional control, inhibition of behavior and that sort of thing," Mathews said. "The idea is that those parts of the brain don't work as well (after prolonged exposure to violence), and because of that they don't control their behavior as well."

Given an adolescent's natural hormonal mood swings, adding a steady diet of violence is like pouring gasoline on a fire, according to Dr. David Walsh, of the National Institute on Media and the Family.

"There are two things going on," Walsh said. "One is the anger is getting amplified by the ... repetitious acts of violence in the game; then at the same time the buffer to that is less active."

He said the content of most popular games today has no positive value and might shock most parents.

"What good could possibly come from having a 15-year-old spend hours and hours and hours decapitating people and organizing drug rings and murdering prostitutes?" Walsh asked.

More than two-thirds of all children live in a home with a video game system.

To find out more about the study, see the Web site for the Indiana University School of Medicine. http://www.medicine.indiana.edu/news_releases/archive_02/violent_games02.html

Copyright © 2002 Focus on the Family.

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Video Game Ratings Explained

I wanted to post this article on ratings for video games. Please be sure to visit the page of which I Have gotten these ratings from.
I will share more on video games in a follow up post.

media influence
Video Game Ratings Explained
by Dr. Bill Maier
The average American child spends 44.5 hours a week in front of a screen, and 83 percent have a video-game console.1 Many have several kinds of game systems, and this form of entertainment is growing steadily for both children and adults.

Because video games are so pervasive, parents need to be involved and informed. A useful parental tool is the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating system:

EC (early Childhood): Content is suitable for ages three and up.
E (everyone). Content is suitable for ages six and up.
T (teen). Content is suitable for ages 13 and up. May contain mild language, violence, and sexually suggestive themes. Parents should use discretion.
M (mature). Identification required for purchase. Games rated M are sold only to gamers over the age of 17. Material in this category may include sexual themes, violence, and strong language.
AO (adults only). Identification required for purchase. These games are restricted to persons over 18 and are often sold only in specific game stores. Material may include graphic sexual scenes, strong language, and intense violence.2 Seriously consider whether this material is appropriate even for you or your spouse.
Remember, as the parent you want to model good decision making to your children. In spite of the availability of ratings, 90 percent of teens say their parents "never" check the ratings before allowing them to buy or rent video games.3

Control is the key. The video-game phenomenon can add to your family's life if used in a controlled setting, or it can invade your home and take over the lives of vulnerable family members.

1 "MediaWise® Video and computer Game Report Card/A Ten Year Overview," The National Institute on Media and the Family. http://www.mediafamily.org/research/report_10yr_overview.shtml.
2 "ESRB Game Ratings," Game Rating and Descriptor Guide, http://www.esrb.com/esrbratings_guide.asp.
3 David Walsh, et al., National Institute on Media and the Family, "Interactive Violence and Children," Statement to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate, March 21, 2000.
Excerpted from Help! My Child is Hooked on Video Games, a Focus on the Family book published by Tyndale House Publishers. Copyright (c) 2006, Focus on the Family. All rights reserved. International copyright secured.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Heads up on the New Transformers movie.

Now I want to make it clear I have not seen this movie. I know the transformer toys are in the Burger King Kids meals, so I did take the time to read the revies before taking our son to see the movie. I want to post the link to the review for all to see here.
Please take the time to read this review before taking your kids to see it. Negative Content.
Drug Use by a Mother
Profanity
Sexual Content
God's Name in Vain

I hope this helps some parents in knowing this is one to be cautious of.

Coraline..Another one not for kids.

I watched this movie the other day and certainly it was one that got me thinking just how bad entertainment has gone. First read this movie review before you go any further.
The movie starts out of a girl hungry for attention, her mother and father are both too busy for her. The family had moved into a new house.
The opening of the movie, Coroline is using a divining rod to find water when she runs into a young boy in a skeletal mask. Turns out she has chosen poison ivy. As the movie progresses, you can see how hungry she is for her parents love when she finds a door that takes her to a "Alter Reality" of sorts. A new mom, and a new dad that not only gives her attention, but it is the world of her dreams.

Her new mother cooks, cleans and gives her all kinds of gifts as does her dad. But the dream comes with a high price...she must sew button eyes into her own to stay. Everyone from the other reality is there and she loves it. However when she finds she must sew on button eyes she finds there are other children there as ghosts and she must save them from their doom. Also her parents were kidnapped into a snow globe and she must save them as well.

A few times, God's name was used in vain.
The worse part to me, was when the eccentric older women were putting on a show and one comes out in a G-string and pasties. As she moves around her chest wiggles and jiggles..and yes she is quite busty at that. Coroline even looks to her friend and laughs saying, "She is nearly Naked" To me, as a childrens movie, I was quite shocked in the content, crude humor.. and vulgarties of this one.

On the above link, you can see where many parents did walk out of the theatre in this one quite shocked of the images on the screen.

So once again, this is one that people need to research before letting your children watch it.