Study: Violent Games Reinforce, Not Create, Violent Tendencies

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A recent study indicates that while violent video games can indeed result in more aggressive real-life behavior, they only do so in those with a pre-existing conditions towards such behavior, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Performed by Australia's Swinburne University of Technology across schools in Melbourne, the project analyzed behavior of 120 children aged 11 to 15 before and after a 20 minute session of id Software's Quake II. Following their time with the violent first person shooter, a majority of the test subjects displayed no evidence of the game affecting their mood or behavior. However, those with a tendency for worry, neurotic behavior and or violence did show an increase in aggressive behavior.

The children that experienced a shift in behavior "were a little bit more aggressive anyway in their interaction with life," noted Swinburne professor Grant Devilly. "For the rest of kids, the vast majority, it [violent game play] makes no difference at all in their general aggression rate."

Devilly's statements and findings challenge a 2006 study from the Radiological Society of North America, which found that violent video games cause more "emotional arousal" than nonviolent interactive experiences.

Chris Faylor was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

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From The Chatty
  • reply
    April 2, 2007 8:07 AM

    Is this really that surprising to anyone?

    • spl legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
      reply
      April 2, 2007 9:11 AM

      In other news, the sky is often blue. News at 11.

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