A 10-year study found no link between violent video game play in early adolescence and violent behavior later in life
The journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking published the results of a ten year longitudinal study. It explored how violent video game play in early adolescence (10 years old) affects the behavior of adults (23 years old). This study found no correlation between childhood abuse of video games and increased levels of aggression after ten years.
The study used a fairly modern way of analyzing data known as the “human-centered approach”. Traditional research uses a variable-driven approach in which scientists view each variable, or characteristic, as being related to another variable. An example of this approach can be the conclusion that exercise is associated with a decrease in the incidence of diseases of the cardiovascular system. Such conclusions are especially valuable when comparing groups of people. And in a human-centered approach, researchers use different algorithms to study metrics, trying to figure out how the values of those metrics, obtained for specific people, compare. This approach provides a more accurate description of howhow different indicators relate to an individual.
In fact, this study "accounts for heterogeneity by grouping like-minded people who share common sets of characteristics that change in a similar way over time." The families in the study have been recruiting “in the big northwestern city” since 2007 (first wave) using telephone directories. They had to fill out questionnaires. 65% of families were white, 12% black, 19% multi-ethnic, 4% other. Families with low socioeconomic status were underrepresented in the original sample. Therefore, it was necessary to search for them with the help of other program participants and announcements. This was necessary in order to diversify and supplement the original sample.
Violent ratings for video games were determined using data from Common Sense Media. This organization is known for reliable ratings of films, books and computer programs, including games. The study participants were assessed according to various behavioral characteristics, such as aggression, symptoms of depression and anxiety, taking into account the interests of society in their actions.
The results showed that boys play violent games more than girls. The study identified three groups that differ in how much they played violent video games during childhood. Namely, 4% of the respondents belonged to a group whose members played a lot of such games. 23% represented a group that included those who played such games in moderation. 73% of the subjects played little violent games.
As a result, the researchers concluded that the level of aggressive behavior of the representatives of the group, which included the subjects who played little violent games in childhood, "is not higher than the level of aggressive behavior of those who played such games a lot." That is, it was found that adolescents who played a lot of cruel games at the age of about 10 years do not demonstrate more aggressive behavior in their later life than those who played little or did not play such games at all.
Do you think it is true that the violence from computer games does not carry over to the real world?
