Mature Games = Forbidden Fruit
A recent study done in the Netherlands analyzing the effects of age ratings of videogames on children was released with some interesting results. The study sought to investigate if age rating on games has an effect in the desire for kids to play a game, and it looks that a forbidden fruit effect comes into play:
In the study, researchers tested 310 Dutch children ranging in age from 7 to 17. Participants read fictitious game descriptions and rated how much or how little they wanted to play each game. In every group, the more objectionable the content, the more kids clamored for the controller--"forbidden fruit," the researchers called the games. The findings are published in the March issue of Pediatrics.While research has found that ratings increase the attraction to raunchy TV shows and movies, the hypothesis had never been tested with video games... They suggest that youth should not be allowed to buy their own games, that parents and physicians be aware of risk factors (such as a drop in grades) and that policy-makers rethink the classifications (such as M, appropriate for those 17 and older), which will only make the games "unspeakably desirable."
So much like television and movies, when videogames are given a more mature rating, kids will desire to play that game all that much more, since it is perceived as a forbidden fruit. That does make some sense since kids always seem to want to understand and explore things that are considered adult to them. The problem is, how do you restrict games from minors that aren't suitable to them without this effect happening? More importantly, how can we make parents more willing to take an active interest in what their kids are playing, and helping them determine if it is appropriate for their child or not? Looks like the ESRB still has its hands full.
Video game violence warnings make kids more likely to want to play, study says [Chicago Tribune]
[via GamePolitics]
PixelPoet
Posted to Video Games on 2 March 2009
· Comments (1)
Other stuff like this: chicago tribune, forbidden fruit, mature content, ratings
There is a perpetuating belief that video games are Mario-like and therefor don't require supervision. It comes down to getting parents to understand they need to pay attention to ratings and such, which requires them to be active parents.