Violent Video Games Don’t Increase Hostility in Teens, but They Do Stress Girls Out

Ferguson, Christopher J.; Trigani, Benjamin; Pilato, Steven; Miller, Stephanie; Foley, Kimberly P.; Barr, Hayley

doi:10.1007/s11126-015-9361-7

Cited by 37 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 16 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Anderson et al, ) and some arguing against such effects (Ferguson, ; Sherry, ). Further, more recent studies that are preregistered have suggested minimal video game influences on negative outcomes (Ferguson et al, ; McCarthy, Coley, Wagner, Zengel, & Basham, ; Przybylski, Weinstein, & Murayama, in press). Thus, it can be difficult to make clear statements about video game influences on aggression.…”

Section: A Brief History Of Video Game Debatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding Why Scholars Hold Different Views on the Influences of Video Games on Public Health

Ferguson

Colwell

2017

J Commun

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Despite decades of research, no scholarly consensus has been achieved regarding the potential impact of video games on youth aggression or other public health concerns. In recent years, hypotheses have been raised that scholarly opinions on video games may resemble past moral panics, with attitudes reflective of generational conflicts. These hypotheses are tested in a sample of 175 criminologists, psychologists, and media scholars, examining both overall negative attitudes about video games and perceived linkages with youth assaults specifically. Results reflected continued lack of scholarly consensus on the issue of video game influences with only 15.3% of scholars endorsing the view that violent video games contribute to youth assaults. As hypothesized, older scholars endorsed more negative views of video games generally, although this appeared to be related to experience with games rather than age per se. Scholars with more negative attitudes toward youth themselves were also more negative about games. Criminologists and media scholars were more skeptical of violent video games contributing to youth assaults than were psychologists. These results are discussed in relation to Moral Panic Theory.

show abstract

Section: A Brief History Of Video Game Debatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding Why Scholars Hold Different Views on the Influences of Video Games on Public Health

Ferguson

Colwell

2017

J Commun

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…For example, whether increased guilt would lead players to stop killing innocent characters in the game cannot be assessed here, as this behavior was not measured. There was also a female sex bias in the sample (71% female); this could have been reflected in the results especially the sex difference in game play (American Psychological Association [APA], 2015; Ferguson et al, 2015). Plus participants’ previous video game play and experience was unclear and this has been suggested to influence results (Hartmann and Vorderer, 2010; Gollwitzer and Melzer, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

It’s Double Edged: The Positive and Negative Relationships Between the Development of Moral Reasoning and Video Game Play Among Adolescents

2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Due to the concerns over the effects of video game play, this study investigated adolescents’ moral development and their video game play. 166 adolescents aged 11–18 years (M = 13.08, SD = 1.91) attending an English school completed an online survey, which included a measure of moral development and questions regarding video game play. In contrast to previous research, male participants were found to have significantly (p = 0.02) higher moral reasoning scores than females. The results also suggested a transition in moral development, which takes place between the ages of 12–14. The results of moral development and video game played suggested both positive and negative relationships. Regression analysis suggested that there was a significant positive relationship between the more types of game genres played and higher moral scores. Although not significant, the results suggested a trend for the following variables; years playing video games, mature content, engagement, moral narrative, Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty, and length of time playing video games which all had a negative relationship with moral scores. The implications of these results are discussed with regards to moral education and the variables involved in video game play, including the role of video game content.

show abstract

“…Thus far, only a single preregistered study (Ivory et al 2017) has correlated video game play with negative outcomes. All other preregistered studies (e.g., Ferguson et al 2015McCarthy et al 2016) have failed to find links between VVGs and aggression. Of course, preregistration is not necessarily going to fix all problems-it is entirely possible to preregister a poorly designed study.…”

Section: Preregistered Studiesmentioning

confidence: 98%

Violent Video Games, Sexist Video Games, and the Law: Why Can't We Find Effects?

Ferguson

2018

Annu. Rev. Law. Soc. Sci.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

During the early 2000s, several states and municipalities sought to regulate minors’ access to violent video games owing to perceived harms to minors. The resultant case law, culminating in the US Supreme Court case Brown v. EMA (2011), demonstrated court skepticism of the science linking violent games to harm in minors. Such skepticism was increasingly confirmed as numerous newer studies could not link violent games to socially relevant outcomes. In more recent years, there has been a newer focus on sexist games and the harm these might cause. This field appears at risk for repeating some of the problems of the violent game field, including exaggeration of mixed findings, lack of curiosity regarding null findings, and unreliable research designs. By persisting in advancing a narrative of public health crisis, despite evidence to the contrary, social science has risked damaging its reputation in the eyes of the courts.

show abstract

Violent Video Games Don’t Increase Hostility in Teens, but They Do Stress Girls Out

Cited by 37 publications

References 16 publications

Understanding Why Scholars Hold Different Views on the Influences of Video Games on Public Health

Understanding Why Scholars Hold Different Views on the Influences of Video Games on Public Health

It’s Double Edged: The Positive and Negative Relationships Between the Development of Moral Reasoning and Video Game Play Among Adolescents

Violent Video Games, Sexist Video Games, and the Law: Why Can't We Find Effects?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About