Violent videogames make you dumb, a study in Germany has found.
A study conducted by the Kriminologischen Forschungsinstituts Niedersachsen (KFN) has found that the consumption of violent media – including violent videogames – has a direct impact on a child’s school grades.
Using schoolboys as a sample group, the study found that the average grades for German, maths and general studies for children who regularly play games cleared for ages 16 and above were 0.1 to 0.5 below the national average. By contrast, boys who never play such games typically receive grades slightly above this.
In the case of games cleared for ages 18 and above, the effect was even more profound. According to the results, the average grades of children who regularly played such titles were 0.3 to 0.66 below the national average, while those that never played such titles were again marginally above.
German schools use a numerical grading system, where one is the highest grade attainable and six the lowest. All age ratings were based on those awarded by the Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontolle (USK) board.
Although the study goes on to say that the average intelligence of the parents as well as the ethnicity of the child are also important factors, it does go on to warn that “the more time schoolboys and schoolgirls spend consuming media and the more brutal its content is, the worse their grades are” and calls for politicians to address the situation.
If you ask us, however, it’s the parents that are to blame. After all, if certain games aren’t deemed suitable for kids, why are they playing them anyway?
To check out the full report, click here. Be warned though, it’s all “auf Deutsch”, as the locals would say.
