New research finds no evidence that violence increases after the release of a new video game.
Violent video games like Call of Duty are often linked by the media and public to real-life violence, although there is limited evidence to support the link. Debate on the topic generally intensifies after mass public shootings, with some commentators linking these violent acts to the perpetrators’ interests in violent video games. But different factors have been pointed out as more likely explanations, such as mental health issues and/or easy access to guns.
Before governments introduce any policies restricting access to violent video games, it is important to establish whether violent video games do indeed increase players’ violence in the real world.
Taking data from the US, Dr Agne Suziedelyte at University of London, provides evidence of the effects of violent video game releases on the violent behaviour of children. Dr Suziedelyte examined the effects of violent video games on two types of violence: aggression against other people, and destruction of objects or property.
Appearing in the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, the study focused on boys aged 8 to 18 years: the group most likely to play violent video games.
By using econometric methods which identify plausibly causal effects of violent video games on violence, rather than only associations, Dr Suziedelyte found no evidence that violence against other people increases after the release of a new violent video game. Parents reported, however, that children were more likely to destroy things after playing violent video games.
Dr Suziedelyte said: “Taken together, these results suggest that violent video games may agitate children, but this agitation does not translate into violence against other people — which is the type of violence which we care about most.
“A likely explanation for my results is that video game playing usually takes place at home, where opportunities to engage in violence are lower. This ‘incapacitation’ effect is especially important for violence-prone boys who may be especially attracted to violent video games.
“Therefore, policies that place restrictions on video game sales to minors are unlikely to reduce violence.
Source: City University London
