Help with game-related school project!

[Necromancist]

So I'm supposed to do a 60 minute radio show about the positive and negative effects of video games on children.

Problem is, I've found that finding unbiased info about this is exceedingly difficult. Therefore I humbly ask you, my fellow Escapists, to point me towards some unbiased research and/or information about both negative and positive effects of video games on children. I'm not asking for anything specific, every piece of valid info is good.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Layz92]

Simply put the chances are, you arn't going to find it. There might be a site or 2 but really you are going to have to compare the 2 and find some middle ground for yourself. You might have luck with a site like Electronic Frontiers Australia, or similar for a little less unbiased info. Specifically the 18+ game section, since the sight is about censorship rather than only 18+ games.

 

[Necromancist]

I'll check, thanks.

 

[rokudan]

I would talk about your personal experiences, and/or experiences of people close to you. Research that is based on observation is inherently flawed in that anything that anything we observe gets filtered through our own personal perspective.

Think of food, for example. Get 10 people together from at least 3 different areas at least 100 miles apart and you couldn't get an answer on the best combination of toppings on a pizza. Hell, put 3 Chicago guys and 3 New York guys in a room and a fist fight will start out over pizza.

Seriously though, keep it personal, or even do your own research.

 

[Kermi]

Most studies tend to be conducted by groups with vested interests in proving a hypothesis. It's all very unscientific.

Anti-gamer groups would tell you they've conclusively proven playing violent games makes you into a violent person.

Pro-gamer groups will tell you games are no more harmful than watching a movie.

Being a gamer (who has not committed any violent or destructive acts against my fellow man) I side with the latter point, but I'm certainly not deluded enough to believe any of the studies have proven anything.

 

[Inco]

Will not be possible to find a website or person who will be unbiased.
As they will be swayed one way or the other.

Try just doing it from your own perspective and prove you argument with these sites that hold a similar view (and avoid FOX news at all costs, unless you are going to strip it to the bone and prove it all wrong personally, like i did)

 

[KDBTV]

You should listen to the new podcast Nation of Gamers
Its by The Dead Workers Party Network
The last show was called 'Can I be a Gamer Daddy'
Hope you found this interesting

 

[Cherry Cola]

I think the closest thing to unbiased is the people who actually play videogames.

See, Video Games are still too recent to have played a part in every current generation, and so parents and old-timers are completely perplexed at this phenomenon. They are afraid of it, and they link it to aggressive behavior. Therefore, do not listen to old people when it comes to video games. Only listen to old people when they want to talk about Vietnam, otherwise they will yell at you and hit you with an umbrella.

 

[number2301]

Please don't take the advice that's been posted in this thread if you're halfway serious about wanting to give an unbiased view. All you'll get is heavily pro-gaming biased stuff.

See what's out there, analyse how trust worthy it is, see what general principles can be applied and do not dismiss things because they're anti-gaming. You will most likely find that there are many reasons why young children shouldn't play violent games, perhaps compare that to other media like tv which regularly comes in for a slating.

 

[SomeBoredGuy]

I recommend that you watch this to give you some ideas: http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/527091

Other than that, just remember that being a gamer gives you the least biased opinion.

 

[Nomz]

There's a video by Ian Livingstone (cofounder of Eidos) about Game Based Learning. This might help you;

http://www.gamebasedlearning2010.com/video/905-video/210-ian-livingstone-co-founder-eidos

It mainly focuses on postives but it does show other sides of the story.

Good luck in your project

 

[Ironic Pirate]

Survey actual gamers, find out how violent they are or aren't. Talk to your friends, they'll be more likely to tell the truth to you rather than some dork reporter from CNN.

 

[Chipperz]

I had to do something similar last year in college. I eventually gave up looking for unbiased sources, and instead went the other way - I went out to find the most biased, slanted and outright psychotic sources on both sides, and then compared the two, while talking about why they were so biased and what they had to gain.

If you even consider this, for the love of God talk to your teachers first. Depending on what stage of education you're at, this may not be what they're looking for. Still, it does help if you can't find the two unbiased sources on the internet

 

[Nutcase]

A zillion underage Escapists whining about how scientific research is "biased", LOL.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_behavioral_effects

The references section leads to more articles, which reference more articles, etc. Those articles which aren't on the web you can get from the library of any university that has a psychology department.