Video games and real-life aggression: review of the literature.

Abstract

Concern about violent video games has been widely expressed [ 1 Sobieraj S. Study aims at marketing of violence. The Associated Press/Tacoma News Tribune, 2 June 1999, Tacoma, WA. Google Scholar , 2 Emes C.E Is Mr. Pac Man eating our children? A review of the effect of video games on children. Can J Psychiatry. 1997; 42: 409-414 PubMed Google Scholar , 3 Satcher D Unlearning violence. Public Health Rep. 1999; 114: 478-479 Crossref PubMed Google Scholar ]. A professor of military science has asserted that some games are “very definitely enabling violence” in a way analogous to training programs used by the military and police agencies [ 4 Grossman D On Killing. Little, Brown, New York1995 Google Scholar , p. 315]. Also, violent video games have been suggested as a contributing factor in recent school shootings by adolescent males who played violent games [ 5 Anderson C.A Dill K.E Video games and aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behavior in the laboratory and in life. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2000; 78: 772-790 Crossref PubMed Scopus (984) Google Scholar ].