Close X
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
ADVT 
Health & Fitness

Video games cause deviant behaviour in teens: Study

Darpan News Desk IANS, 05 Aug, 2014 07:37 AM
  • Video games cause deviant behaviour in teens: Study
Teenagers who play mature-rated, risk-glorifying video games are more likely to engage in alcohol use, smoking cigarettes, delinquency and risky sex, says a study.
 
Such games - especially character-based games with anti-social protagonists - appear to affect how adolescents think of themselves, with potential consequences for their alter ego in the real world, the findings showed.
 
"Up to now, studies of video games have focused primarily on their effects on aggression and violent behaviours," said James Sargent, professor at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth in the US.
 
"This study is important because it is the first to suggest that possible effects of violent video games go well beyond violence and apply to substance abuse, risky driving and risk-taking sexual behaviour," Sargent added.
 
In the new study, researchers conducted a longitudinal nationwide study involving more than 5,000 randomly sampled US teenagers who answered a series of questions over four years in telephone interviews.
 
They looked at a number of factors, including the playing of three violent risk-glorifying video games (Grand Theft Auto, Manhunt, Spiderman) and other mature-rated video games.
 
They found that such games are associated with subsequent changes in a wide range of high-risk behaviours and suggest this is due, in part, to changes in the users' personality, attitudes and values, specifically making them more rebellious and thrill seeking.
 
The study appeared in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

MORE Health & Fitness ARTICLES

What’s The Hype About Hypertension?

What’s The Hype About Hypertension?
In two earlier DARPAN articles, I wrote about cardiovascular disease and diabetes prevention and control. In this article, the focus is on prevention and control of hypertension. If you are puzzled about the word hypertension, you are not alone!

What’s The Hype About Hypertension?

Baby ‘Functionally’ Cured of HIV Sets Milestone for Scientists

Baby ‘Functionally’ Cured of HIV Sets Milestone for Scientists
Making headlines around the world today is the news that a baby born with the HIV virus that causes AIDS has apparently been cured, scientists announced Sunday

Baby ‘Functionally’ Cured of HIV Sets Milestone for Scientists

New Year, New Health

New Year, New Health
The New Year has arrived and along with a new year comes new expectations. Not only are we bombarded with expectations from external sources but often at times something deep within us also reminds us we may not be living up to our own standards

New Year, New Health

How a good ha ha can make you happy & healthy

How a good ha ha can make you happy & healthy
Did you hear the one about the free medical treatment that is not only fun but also highly contagious? It’s about laughter and it’s no joke how good it is for your mind, body and soul. The list of health benefits related to laughter is long.

How a good ha ha can make you happy & healthy

Stem Cells: Microscopic Miracles

Stem Cells: Microscopic Miracles
Nearing the end of 2012, it is safe to say that we live in remarkable times where the advancement of science and technology has made many extraordinary achievements possible. 

Stem Cells: Microscopic Miracles

Essential Herbs for Health

Essential Herbs for Health
In the last issue of Darpan Magazine, we discussed treatment and nutrients vitamin D, omega-3 fish oils and magnesium. In this issue we will discuss two of my favourite herbs – garlic and green tea.

Essential Herbs for Health