Video games and aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behavior in the laboratory and in life.

TLDR

The study examined how violent video games affect aggression‑related variables. Laboratory exposure to a graphically violent video game increased aggressive thoughts and behavior. Real‑life violent video game play was linked to higher aggression and delinquency, especially among aggressive individuals and men, and was associated with lower academic achievement, supporting the General Affective Aggression Model that predicts both short‑term laboratory aggression and long‑term delinquency.

Abstract

Two studies examined violent video game effects on aggression-related variables. Study 1 found that real-life violent video game play was positively related to aggressive behavior and delinquency. The relation was stronger for individuals who are characteristically aggressive and for men. Academic achievement was negatively related to overall amount of time spent playing video games. In Study 2, laboratory exposure to a graphically violent video game increased aggressive thoughts and behavior. In both studies, men had a more hostile view of the world than did women. The results from both studies are consistent with the General Affective Aggression Model, which predicts that exposure to violent video games will increase aggressive behavior in both the short term (e.g., laboratory aggression) and the long term (e.g., delinquency).