Q: Can you please offer guidance on Fortnite? It seems to be all that kids 11-14 are doing these days. I do not allow my children to play, but saw my godson play and was horrified – the guns all look real, but the deaths show no blood. As a person who grew up in… Read more »
Posts Tagged: Desensitization
I’m 14-years old and don’t like playing first-person shooter games like my friends – what should I do?
Q: I am 14 years old, and currently debating my choice of friends. They all play first-person shooter (FPS) games, while I choose other kinds of games. They often tell me how great their games are but criticize mine. When they clamor for the new Call of Duty, I freak out over the new Sonic… Read more »
Should I let my 13-year-old stream his Call of Duty gameplay?
Q: My 13-year-old son began playing Call of Duty at home beginning in January of this year. We monitor his gaming and have him turn it off after a certain amount of time. He is now asking to “stream” with one of his favorite online players who does this on YouTube regularly. I am concerned… Read more »
How can I help children cope when their losses are being broadcast in the news?
Q: My youngest daughter is friends with two girls whose mother has been reported missing. The circumstances don’t look very hopeful. I have a background in helping children cope with grief and loss (and teaching others who are helping children cope), but other than advising them to stay away from social media, newspapers, and internet (which… Read more »
Media and Aggression: New Studies in the Database of Research
Violent media and aggression in youth is a prominent topic that draws a lot of attention and occasionally skepticism; however, scientific research has created a body of evidence that supports the link between violent media and aggression, desensitization, and anxiety. Recently, our own Dr. Michael Rich weighed in on how children learn from all aspects… Read more »
How can I keep my kids from being frightened by scary media this Halloween?
Q: My kids (10 and 7) have been invited to a number of Halloween-themed parties this year that are being held at their schools and at the homes of a few of their friends. Several of these parties will have scary movies, scary music, and in one case (the school’s) a dramatic reading of a… Read more »
The Mediatrician’s response to a recent New York Times article on Media Violence
After reading a recent article in the New York Times about the connection between media violence and aggression in real life, Dr. Michael Rich felt compelled to respond, writing the following letter to the editor: Asking whether video games “cause” violent behavior is asking the wrong question. As a parent, I constantly make risk-benefit analyses… Read more »
Will playing hunting video games cause my son to be more aggressive and desensitize him to violence?
Q: Hello, I am the mother of a 10-year-old boy. We don’t allow violent video games in the house, but we do allow him to play first-person shooter hunting games (Duck Hunter, Cabela’s, Big Buck Hunter, etc.), which he loves, especially as he takes a hunting trip with his father every year. My fear is… Read more »
How can I tell if I am being too strict with my kids’ media?
Q: I have 4 boys (ages 11, 9, 9, and 7), and I am rather strict about limiting their screen time: We don’t allow any during the school week, and on the weekend, we allow the boys 1 hour per day. I have also told my oldest son that when he is at someone else’s house,… Read more »
Research Wrap-Up: Recently Published Studies- March 5
Check out these recently published studies on children, media, and health which explore a range of topics: Anderson, C.A., et al.(2010). Violent video game effects on aggression, empathy, and prosocial behavior in Eastern and Western countries. Psychological Bulletin, 136(2), 151-73. The authors used meta-analytic procedures to test the effects of violent video games on… Read more »