Spending hours playing violent video games prevents teenagers from their moral growth, a study has found.It is thought that regular touch to violence and lack of contact with the outside world makes it harder for them to tell right from wrong.They also struggle to trust other people,and see the world from their viewpoints.     Researchers from Brock University in Ontario found that those who spend more than three hours each day in front of the screen are particularly unlikely to have developed the ability to empathise .     The Canadian researchers surveyed 109 boys and girls,aged 13 and 14,about whether they played video games,which games they liked,and how long they spent playing them.Their findings found that 88 percent of teens said they played games,and more than half admitted to playing games everyday.Violent games were among the most popular.     The teenagers also filled in a questionnaire designed to measure their moral development.For example,they were asked how important it is to save the life of a friend.     Previous studies have suggested that a person's moral judgement goes through four phases as they grow from children and enter adulthood.By the age of 13 or 14,scientists claim young people should be entering the third stage,and be able to empathise with others and take their viewpoints into account.The research found that this stage appeared to be delayed in teenagers who regularly played violent video games.     It is also thought that teenagers who play games regularly did not spend enough time in the real world to learn to take other's thoughts into consideration.Researcher Mirjana Bajovic said:"The present results indicate that some teenagers;who spent three or more hours a day playing violent video games,are deprived of such opportnnities."Writing in the journal Educational Media International.the researchers added:"Touch to violence in video games may influence the development of moral reasoning because violence is not only presented as acceptable but is also justified and rewarded."     They concluded that rather than trying to enforce an'unrealistic'ban on the games, parents and teachers should encourage teenagers to do charity work and take up after-school activities. Why did the Canadian researchers carry out the studies?
To discuss how to save the life of a friend. To measure teenagers'moral development. To enrich teenagers'awareness of social life. To develop teenagers'ability to communicate.