Work

The contagious impact of playing violent video games on aggression: Longitudinal evidence

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: Meta-analyses have shown that violent video game play increases aggression in the player. The present research suggests that violent video game play also affects individuals with whom the player is connected. A longitudinal study (N = 980) asked participants to report on their amount of violent video game play and level of aggression as well as how they perceive their friends and examined the association between the participant's aggression and their friends' amount of violent video game play. As hypothesized, friends' amount of violent video game play at Time 1 was associated with the participant's aggression at Time 2 even when controlling for the impact of the participant's aggression at Time 1. Mediation analyses showed that friends' aggression at Time 1 accounted for the impact of friends' amount of violent video game play at Time 1 on the participant's aggression at Time 2. These findings suggest that increased aggression in video game players has an impact on the player's social network.

Source: Aggressive Behavior

DOI: 10.1002/ab.21857

Author: Tobias Greitemeyer

Institution: Universität Innsbruck

Language: English

Topic: Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $1,974