What does the body of evidence say on whether violent video games cause violence in real life? Plus: a Slate article argues that long COVID just isn’t that bad, and can you biopsy the prostate without going up the bum?

Block 1:

(2:18) Violent video games: what the AAP and APA say about violent video games; court case; the review at the heart of the debate; what is violence; the evolution of video games

Block 2:

(8:25) Violent video games: the Bobo doll experiments; measuring aggressive behaviour and attitudes; little data on children; what we don’t know; what Chris would do

Block 3:

(24:20) Long COVID Comes Into the Light

Block 4:

(43:53) A new way of getting a prostate biopsy / The Last of Us’ bad science

 

* Jingle by Jillian Correia of Roctavio Canada

* Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Nicholas Koziris

 

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References:

 

1) The American Academy of Paediatrics statement on video games: https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/108/5/1222/63763/Media-Violence?redirectedFrom=fulltext?autologincheck=redirected

2) The American Psychological Association’s 2015 Task Force report: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-07146-003

3) Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_v._Entertainment_Merchants_Association#cite_note-49 & http://mediacoalition.org/mediaimages/Schwarzenegger%20v.%20EMA_Social%20Science%20Brief_09.17.10.pdf

4) The Bobo doll experiments: https://simplypsychology.org/bobo-doll.html

5) Long COVID Comes Into the Light: https://slate.com/technology/2023/03/long-covid-symptoms-studies-research-variant.html

6) Reaction to Jeff Wise’s previous article on long COVID: https://www.meaction.net/2022/11/10/elementor-59066/

7) Request for the retraction of the Slate article: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QqVjAIvklDhp7BgCKsaz3ftiful9utUKNBDeBGxwxg4/edit

8) Transperineal prostate biopsies: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/989696?ecd=WNL_confwrap_230322_MSCPEDIT&uac=207389HY&impID=5267564#vp_2

 

It’s Not Twitter, But It’ll Do:

 

1) Jonathan interviewed for The Skeptic Zone: https://youtu.be/iHZ8z9eigK8

2) Jonathan’s article on 911 call analysis: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking/caller-killer-911-call-analysis-cant-give-you-right-answer

3) Chris on CBC’s morning show about Candida auris: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2187559491808