Cutter wrote on Feb 28, 2013, 07:29:
The problem with stats is that they're easily weighted. By the questions, how they're asked - questioners can unknowingly coach people. If 9 out of 10 dentists don't recommend Dentyne then just ask another 10 until 9 of them do and ta-da!

But your initial comment of having to poll 300MM+ more is wrong.

Getting 2200 people that say what you want them to say is surprisingly difficult.
Asking them questions that get them what you want them to say isn't.

For instance, can a single person here say that there is no connection between violent behavior in teens and video games? I'd say it's common sense that there is. If you take 1000 kids that don't play video games and 1000 kids that do there's probably more violence in the kids that do.
Why?
For one, good luck finding kids that don't play video games. They're probably Amish.
For another, kids likely to be violent are also likely to be drawn to video games. Video games give them power, ways to be violent, fantasy worlds to control and dominate, etc. This doesn't mean the games make them violent, just that violent people like them. Violent people probably also like television. They probably also like driving cars. None of these things make them violent, but there's a connection.
Loose, tenuous... all depends on how the question defines "connection."

Regardless, that poll goes on to say the majority see no difference between violent games and violent movies, believe parents should be the ones regulating what their children do, and believe the industry should be regulating itself/ratings.
All what we want to hear.

Any activity that releases adrenaline will increase aggression. When I play a shooter, then sensation I get is exactly like what an aggressive racquetball game used to feel like, minus the exertion and sweat. Anyone concerned about increased aggression after playing video games should be just as concerned about competitive sports.

The problem with stats is that they're easily weighted. By the questions, how they're asked - questioners can unknowingly coach people. If 9 out of 10 dentists don't recommend Dentyne then just ask another 10 until 9 of them do and ta-da!

Cutter wrote on Feb 27, 2013, 21:30:

This Harris Poll was conducted online within the United Statesbetween January17 and 22, 2013 among 2,278 adults (aged 18 and over).

Well, only 300+ million more Americans to poll before that headline is actual fact.

It's already a fact with a +/- probability of 3%. A properly selected sample of 2000 people is more than enough to represent the 300M people of the USA. That's how statistics work.

But all this means is that 58% of people believe something. It says nothing of whether that belief is correct or factual. Obviously, the majority of Americans are ignorant on this topic. 46% of Americans believe the Earth, plants, animals, and man were created via Creationism. Just because people believe it doesn't make it so.

Connection between bad parenting/unstable home environment/bad mental health-care and violence 100%?

Cutter wrote on Feb 27, 2013, 21:30:

This Harris Poll was conducted online within the United Statesbetween January17 and 22, 2013 among 2,278 adults (aged 18 and over).

Well, only 300+ million more Americans to poll before that headline is actual fact.

I can't possibly agree more. Where do these ass-hats come up with this crap!? I don't know a single person who agrees with this poll.

Newsflash! Almost 50% of Americans have a below average IQ.
Newsflash! Anybody with a basic college statistic course under their belt knows that using a sample size that is not even 1/2 of 1% of the US population means that your numbers are FUCKED.

The majority of Americans also eat at McDonalds, thinking it's healthy food, and watch American Idol thinking it's high entertainment.

Creston

Media screams "violent video games behind it all..." low information voters believe it.

oligarch-ontrolled self fulfilling prophecy factory says predicted prophecy ringing true! what a stunning result.

This Harris Poll was conducted online within the United Statesbetween January17 and 22, 2013 among 2,278 adults (aged 18 and over).

Well, only 300+ million more Americans to poll before that headline is actual fact.

What a great set of stories.

But if the research is still being debated, with nothing definitive found, then why are so many scientists and pundits on both sides acting like we have a verdict?

Because if we keep looking and not finding anything after a decade or more of searching, then either it's not there or we're only finding it in specific cases because we're so focused and determined to find something that it's being created to say a result was there, however inconclusive...

..which, as the other story points out, may be because public opinion sways the argument by being so sure there must be something wrong; due in no small part to being repeatedly bombarded with the idea that there is a connection, despite there being no actual evidence.

It's like one side points at research to say there's not a major issue, then the other side makes them look again because gosh darn it, there must be a problem there, everyone already knows there is.

Americans are stupid.