- Teacher asks students to share their thinking about whether media affects behavior.

- Teacher points out the "critics" of media do not necessarily rely on evidence.

- Teacher distinguishes between the two studies described in the paragraph and reviews points about brain parts. Teacher urges students not to make assumptions beyond study's actual findings.

- Class concludes that, based on what is known, evidence is "inconclusive" that media violence is connected to actual behavior.

- Student offers benefit of games: hand-eye coordination.

- Student shares about the changes she sees in her brother's behavior after playing violent video games.

- Student shares that she feels calmer since stopping her frequent playing of a particular video game.

- Student expresses concern that video games provide negative role model for younger children.

[clip length—5:18]

TEACHER:  So what do you think? Does what you watch and play as far as games have an influence on your behavior? How many people think yes, it does? Raise your hands. There’s more violence, let’s say, because there’s more violence in TV, more violence in the games, so there’s more violence in the street. How many people think that there’s a connection? Okay. All right. Did this study find that to be true?

TEACHER:  Did this study find that to be true?

STUDENT:  Yes.

TEACHER:  Where in the— where here does in tell you? Where do you have the evidence for this being true?

STUDENT:  Critics are quick to claim that such things occur because of violence in the media.

TEACHER:  Critics. Okay. Does that mean— did that come from the study?

STUDENT:  No, it’s just...

TEACHER:  Yeah. These are people who are just making a connection, just like you are. Is the study telling us that? What did the In— the In— Indiana University tell us?

STUDENT:  That...

TEACHER:  The brain was more active and stimulated, the emotional part of the brain, after watching these kinda movies. The thinking part of the brain was not active. So what does that lead you to believe?

STUDENT:  That some teens that, like, buy [like rated R movie are, like, using most of their amigdala than their, um, responsible, self-control—

TEACHER:  So they may be getting all emotional about the violent parts and not really the rational part, the thinking part’s not working so well? Does that mean they’re gonna be violent?

STUDENT:  No.

TEACHER:  Not necessarily.

STUDENT:  There’s a chance.

STUDENT:  Most likely.

TEACHER:  So, uh—

STUDENT:  Responsible, self-control.

TEACHER:  So they may be getting all emotional about the violent parts and not really the rational part, the thinking part’s not working so well? Does that mean they’re gonna be violent?

STUDENT:  No.

TEACHER:  Not necessarily.

STUDENT:  Most likely.

TEACHER:  So uh, we can look at the news everyday and we can watch what we see on the TV and we can make a connection, ’cause it’s looks possible, but it looks like it’s pretty inconclusive so far. We don’t really have evidence that connects violence in the media with what’s actually happening on the streets. Okay. Anybody else have any final thoughts?

STUDENT:  Yes, it’s— it’s about videogames. When you play—

TEACHER:  Videogames, too. But I mean, you know, if you’re watching TV or there’s a violent movie or a videogame.

STUDENT:  But if you’re looking— I mean, PlayStation, when you’re playing, you’re right— and you look on the screen and you’re pushing buttons, it’s good hand-eye coordination.

TEACHER:  It’s good what?

STUDENT:  Hand-eye coordination.

TEACHER:  Oh, sure. It’s that, too. But they’re talking about not the physical playing of the game, but the— the context of the game. Violence. If you’re seeing too much violence, are you gonna be a violent person? That’s what they’re wondering. That’s what they’re thinking.

TEACHER:  Okay?

STUDENT:  That’s not always— always true.

TEACHER:  That’s not always true. Question, question, then we gotta end it and we have to get to—

STUDENT:  My mom used to buy games for my brother, ’cause my brother used to like, like the violentest game, like car racing and shooting a lot, and my mom stopped buying it for him because, like, now he— he acts, like, different. And he’s like, meaner.

TEACHER:  So he’s better because she’s not buying him those games?

STUDENT:  Yeah.

TEACHER:  Is that what you’re saying? Okay. So you’re making a little study there, right?

STUDENT:  Yeah.

STUDENT:  That happened to me.

TEACHER:  Uh, how would you describe your brother before?

STUDENT:  Aggressive

STUDENT:  Aggressive.

STUDENT:   Yeah.

STUDENT:  Pull you down, I mean—

TEACHER:  Aggressive? Aggressive? Good word.

STUDENT:  Pull you down.

TEACHER:  And now that the games, he doesn’t see these games anymore, you think he’s less aggressive?

STUDENT:  Yeah.

TEACHER:  Okay. What do you think? Rachel[? One person, please.

STUDENT:  Like, that happened to me, like, two years ago because I used to be, like, hooked on, like, and stuff. And then I’d be on that game for, like, ten hours.

STUDENT:  I know!

STUDENT:  I’d be thinking about violence—

TEACHER:  And is— is that a violent thing?

STUDENTS:  Yes.

TEACHER:  I don’t— I don’t know.

STUDENT:  And then, like, I’d be thinking so violent. Like, in my head, I’m like I’m saying, like mad evil things. And now, like, I stopped, I feel more— better and more pure.

TEACHER:  More calm?

STUDENT:  Yeah.

TEACHER:  That’s good. Uh, Rebecca. Okay, last— last— last, um. Last comment. Ssh.

STUDENT:  Like, when you’re his— our age and younger kids see, like, a video game—stop moving!—they think that living in a bad way, in a negative way, that the characters that are doing it— They’re adults. Whatever adults, so they can do it, too. So I think — Stop talking! They’re taking it as a negative role model.

TEACHER:  A negative role model, yeah. And so that’s the fear. That’s the fear that, um, in this country, we have the rights to do and say what we want, but up to a point. How— how much is that affecting kids and— and— and is society gonna pay for it? Okay. We need to stop right now because we have other things we need to do with this period. And— and we are gonna run out of time, and I need you to

A negative role model, yeah. And so that’s the fear. That’s the fear that, um, in this country, we have the rights to do and say what we want, but up to a point. How— how much is that affecting kids and— and— and is society gonna pay for it?

TEACHER:  Okay. We need to stop right now because we have other things we need to do with this period. And— and we are gonna run out of time, and I need you to started on that. So can you close up your—

 

 

 

Science Passage