Harvard researchers: Violent video games OK for kids | Tech news blog - CNET News.com

Harvard researchers: Violent video games OK for kids

"There's no data to support the notion that violent video games cause the kids who play them to act out violence in real life, contrary to the vast majority of media outlets that would have the public thinking otherwise."

Actually, the research findings surprise me. The scientists found no correlation between violent video games and violent behavior, and I would have expected an inverse correlation. I'd expect that video game violence acts as a substitute for, or a sublimation of, real violence. You don't see a lot of ultra-violent people playing video games. They're too busy hurting real people. If the Harvard lads are right and the relationship between the variables is random, then we should see approximately as many violent thugs playing violent video games as namby-pamby nerds. That would surprise me.