Madam, - Having recently attended the XVI World Meeting of the International Society for Research on Aggression, I find it difficult to accept the headline "'No proof' media violence harms young" (Oct 19th).
Internationally acclaimed researchers in the area of aggression at the conference, e.g., Rowell Huesmann, presented strong evidence to indicate that those who observe violence are more likely to behave more violently both in the short term and in the long term.
Furthermore, Craig A. Anderson of the Institute of Science and Society, Centre for the Study of Violence, Iowa State University, USA, presented recent findings on the effects of exposure to violent video games. He concluded that the exposure leads to increases in aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviour.
Moreover, there is an increase in physiological arousal and a decrease in pro-social behaviour. Indeed, the effect size of the well-controlled studies were greater than that found in medical causality studies, e.g., smoking and cancer. - Yours, etc.,
Prof MONA O'MOORE, Education Department, Trinity College, Dublin.