Violence Associated with Violence or What a Meta-Study Cannot Tell Us

A recent meta-study from Dartmouth College shows a association between real world violent behavior and violent videogames when played by people between the ages of 9 and 19, based on information drawn from more than 17,000 adolescents from all over the world.

The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and USA Today has a good summary and some statements from those involved in the process. And, although they state that even such a major study can only show a correlation and not a causation, I believe that they are pushing their findings a little too far.

When boiled down to its essence the meta-study (based on 24 previously pushed investigations) shows that exposure to violence leads to more violent behavior, which is surely a non-controversial statements regardless of whether it is linked to videogames, movies, music, the behavior of others or philosophy.

The authors state that the effect is relatively small and that there’s a doubling of the risk of a kid who plays violent games to be sent to the principal’s office during a eight month period. They state that they have controlled for other factors.

But the study has not done the most important work: a comparison between the effects of violent video games (which are relatively poorly defined) with other video game types, other kinds of media and maybe even exposure to violent speech or violent behavior by other people. If the risk associated with the video games remains higher then we need to have a conversation about the way we can limit exposure or the way sale can be curbed to make sure that the most vulnerable people are not affected by violence.

If the link between violent videogames and violent behavior is similar to that between violent movies and violent behavior then we need to have an even wider analysis of how violence permeates society and what are the ways to eliminate it when it comes to those that can be influenced (what ages? what backgrounds? which kinds of exposures?).