Majority of Americans Believe Games Contribute to Violence

[kael013]

[quote/]Despite years of research finding zero correlation between the two, a survey of 2278 Americans found that 58 percent believe videogames contribute to real-life violent behavior in teenagers.[/quote]
First off, 2278 out of 300,000,000 isn't a good representation no matter how you extrapolate the data. I think the survey needed more people in order to get a good estimation. Also, can we get some info on these 2278 people surveyed? Like age, race, gender, state they live in, etc. because that data can show if the survey was rigged (in other words, was the survey random or did they target certain demographics). [quote/]Furthermore, a whopping 47 percent said they are not at all confident that ESRB ratings will "keep mature games out of the reach of kids," yet 38 percent claimed they knew nothing about videogame ratings and 33 percent said they just let their kids play whatever they want.[/quote]
First group: well since the ESRB rating system is the most stringently enforced media rating system in America that really says more about you doesn't it? Second group: Well now you know. So get educated on it. Third group: If you aren't gonna accept the responsibility of raising kids why'd you have them in the first place?

[quote/]Respondents also expressed greater confidence in the MPAA rating system to protect children from mature content than ESRB ratings, 49 percent to 32 percent, despite the FTC consistently finding that ESRB ratings are adhered to far more stringently than any other media rating system in North America.[/quote]
Of course they do. The MPAA system has been around longer, so it's obviously better right? ...right?

This whole thing just rubs me all wrong. On one hand I know my country is this stupid as a group. But on the other there have been so many biased studies about this I want to see the demographic info before I judge whether this survey is biased as well or if it's legit (though still a little inaccurate; again the 2278 out of 300,000,000 thing).

 

[Alcamonic]

I know battlefield convinced me that I needed an Rocket Propelled Grenade for personal safety. Thanks to the NRA though I was able to get one fairly cheap, now if anyone steps on my land and I don't like it I can blow up them and the piece of my land they tainted with their presence.

I'd of totally been on the fence about getting an RPG if it wasn't for Battlefield, it let me practice using one, and get a feel for it. So now I can feel confident about hitting something with it with out having to waste lots of ammo practicing with it.

RPG ammo is expensive but Battlefield saved me a lot of money by letting me trained in it's perfectly simulated virtual killing environment.

I laugh at your puny money savings on firecrackers.

Meanwhile, within a month of training, I now ace various combat helicopters, tanks and even jet planes. I will sign up with the military for air-support role in a near future. Showing them my K/D ratio sure will look good on the CV. For the low low cost of 49.99, you just can't go wrong. Thanks DICE and EA!

 

[axlryder]

The guy is from South Africa and accusing Americans of stupidity. It's the old "why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own?"

Still feels rather bizarre when you're dealing with generelisations of entire nations (Rhyme! Ten points for me!). It makes it so that you can't critisize any country for anything, because obviously your country (a country of millions) have done something bad in the past.

I'm just conveying his point. Though I do think that generalizing an entire nation's population as dumb because a majority of a relatively small, anonymous sample group happen to believe that a medium which simulates violence might perpetuate violence is silly. It has been shown that video games at least affect people psychologically, so the reality isn't even all that far off from such a conception. If you don't know much about video games or the studies surrounding them (and I'm guessing the sampled group didn't) then it's a pretty understandable conclusion to draw. It's hardly something that a normal person with bills to pay and a family to feed would bother concerning themselves with beyond what they see in the news. That doesn't make them idiots. What's more, the individuals who let kids play whatever they want are likely the ones who don't think video games perpetuate violence. Those who don't understand the rating system might not even have kids or are just answering questions off general impressions. so the supposed inconsistency some people are referencing in relation to the article may be fabricated.

I also think apartheid was stupid, but I don't think it would justify me saying "South Africans are dumb".

 

[axlryder]

double post, whoops. Ignore please.

 

[Hutzpah Chicken]

I've got an idea that we can think-tank in these comments.
Apparently, comic books and video games are completely interchangeable, because Big-Whigs made this same argument in the 50's with comics being the source. Thus, all we have to do is think of another big pop culture thing and plug it into this tiresome argument. People are foolish enough to believe it, too.

 

[Siege_TF]

Speaking as someone who just finished a game of scrabble with his two nephews less than an hour ago I'm going to have to disagree.

 

[CriticalMiss]

I've got an idea that we can think-tank in these comments.
Apparently, comic books and video games are completely interchangeable, because Big-Whigs made this same argument in the 50's with comics being the source. Thus, all we have to do is think of another big pop culture thing and plug it into this tiresome argument. People are foolish enough to believe it, too.

What about the media? I'd love to see a news presenter giving a report that claims the majority of the country blames the news for violence.

I also think the title of this article is kind of misleading, unless there was a mass exodus of Americans lately and the population now stands at less than 2300. I don't really think the poll is that significant at all, I wouldn't be at all suprised if the poll was taken by mostly (if not all) non-gamers. Plus 2300 out of the former 300 million population isn't exactly the greatest sample size.

 

[Al-Bundy-da-G]

Furthermore, a whopping 47 percent said they are not at all confident that ESRB ratings will "keep mature games out of the reach of kids," yet 38 percent claimed they knew nothing about videogame ratings and 33 percent said they just let their kids play whatever they want.

Translation: "I can't be arsed parenting my own children, make the government do it."

"And I want to give to government less money to pay for roads, police, etc., but I want more of those things."

We have such a firm grasp of politics and economics in this country.

 

[Baresark]

I would first like to point out that they did not poll all Americans, so of course anything that speaks of the majority of Americans is always bullshit. Second, the media treats it like it's a given, so many polled would believe that as they are force fed data with no actual scientific underpinnings. Third, anyone who believes that Politics in any given situation is not a popularity contest are the worst kind of morons. Politicians are inherently always fighting a really short clock. The only way to win against that clock is to listen to idiotic polls that are inherently slanted towards an agenda.

I said it before and I'll say it again. I love people! Haha.

 

[Neeckin]

You know, sometimes I'm not fond of America. This is one of those times.

 

[Piorn]

Since when does "believing" equal truth?
People believe all kinds of stuff.

 

[someonehairy-ish]

60% of Americans also think that global warming is a myth. I wonder if it's the same 60%?

Anyway, the American media's propaganda machine still seems to be working well, unfortunately.

 

[Gottesstrafe]

I understand that they've extrapolated the data to say this, however 2278 out of 3 hundred million (rounded to nearest hundred million) is not really a good test in my eyes. Really, all you've said is that 58% of the 2278 Americans are idiots.

I'd also like to see more supplementary data on the people that were surveyed to give more context to these results. For instance, what was the range of ages of the people they surveyed? What states did they survey in? Highest education level? Political background? Number of kids? Familiarity with technology? I'd like to believe they did more than just survey 1 or 2 cities and call it a day.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

So a country where the possession of a lethal weapon is a constitutionally protected right feels that games are the issue.

Ok. Totally makes sense.

 

[Judgement101]

Doesn't "majority" mean 51% or above? Not 49%?

 

[McMullen]

Not the first time the majority of Americans were wrong about something. In fact, I'm wondering if one could have a better than random chance at accuracy if one believed the opposite of what the majority of Americans believe.

 

[Strazdas]

Two years ago i remmeber reading a research where over 80% of americasn didnt kenw the continent they were on and over 60% didnt knew their state capital. as well as majority though things like NASA gets 30% of USA budget and whatnot.
where im going with this is:
majority of americans believe games contribute to violence
majority of americans are bat-shit retarded
see the correlation?

 

[Cid Silverwing]

When are we going to disrupt the media so we can put an end to the sensationalism and cultivation of ignorance?