Games Linked to Aggression
Researchers have long said violent video games are connected somehow to violent behavior. What wasn’t quite so clear was whether one actually caused the other: Did the games make kids more aggressive? Or were aggressive kids simply more prone to play violent video games?

Now some researchers say that, according to their studies in the United States and Japan, kids exposed to violent games for prolonged periods of time actually grow more violent—“pretty good evidence,” according to researcher Dr. Rowell Huesmann, that games can trigger aggressive behavior.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean that because a kid plays a violent video game they’re immediately going to go out and beat up somebody,” said Dr. David Walsh, president of the National Institute on Media and the Family.

“The real impact is in shaping norms, shaping attitude. As those gradually shift, the differences start to show up in behavior.” (CNN)

Study: Internet Good Influence on Kids
Sure, the World Wide Web has its share of dark corners and malevolent lurkers, but a recent study found most teens steer clear of troublesome sites on the Internet and spend their time chatting with folks they already know. Moreover, researchers say, the Internet is teaching them valuable lessons.

“One of the main things we found is that it is highly motivating for kids to learn from peers, whether it’s the everyday social stuff or learning about new technology or making videos or doing creative writing,” says Mizuko Ito of the University of California, Irvine. “They’re learning a lot of the basic social and technical skills they need to participate in contemporary society. If kids are excluded from participating, they’re not learning to engage with media and technology in the way their peers are.” (Los Angeles Times)

I Think; Therefore, I Play
“Judecca” is bringing a whole new meaning to the phrase “mind games.”

The video game, a prototype created by Square Unix, a Japanese game publisher, and NeuroSky, a U.S.-based technology company, is the first ever to be controlled via brain waves. It works like this: Players slap on a headset-like device that picks up electrical activity in the brain. If a player is, um, thoughtful enough, he’ll be able to see the Judecca’s zombies and walk through the game’s walls. It’s like “The Matrix,” only without all the leather.

While the game’s not going to be on shelves anytime soon, NeuroSky hopes to start marketing the headset next year for as little as $50. (Fox News)