A study of kids playing video games shows it's okay. The Pew Internet survey dispels common myths about video games and kids. Especially with games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero.
By: Kristin Wright
Published: Sep 17, 2008
Updated: Sep 2, 2010
The Pew Internet survey dispels some of the most common myths about kids and video games. The comprehensive study of kids and teens video gaming experiences suggests that today's games promote more social interaction. It also shows that almost as many girls are playing games as boys are.
The study was conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, and it found that almost all teens play video games. The study further showed that video games have become a substantial component of kids overall social experience, especially games such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band.
The 76-page report highlighted that about 97 percent of teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 play some kind of video game. Of those, 99 percent of boys and 94 percent of girls play some kind of video game. But only about 65 percent of boys surveyed say that they play games every day while 35 percent of girls played games daily.
The games that were most popular among teens were actually racing games, followed by puzzle games, and sports games in third place.
{slot15}Gaming has become more social as well, as 72 percent of those surveyed say that they play games with friends in a group. Online gaming as also become a tool of socialization as 47 percent of teens play online with those that they know in real life.
This is a bold contrast to the 2005 "60 Minutes" T.V. news magazine show that reported on the lawsuit against Take-Two Interactive, the maker of the Grand Theft Auto series. The show reported that the game promoted teenagers that played it to be more likely to commit violent crimes.
But the Pew survey showed that the most popular games by far were Guitar Hero and Rock Band that continue to promote group play and social interaction. Others mentioned included Halo 3, the Madden NFL series, and Dance Dance Revolution.
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