Source 1 – The Royal Society Publishing

Over 1,000 children, ages 4 – 17, and their caretakers participated in this study,

performed by Andrew K. Przybylski and Dr. Netta Weinstein. The participants all completed a

survey before, during, and after the study was conducted. The surveys completed by the child

participants were questionnaires about their strengths and weaknesses, while the surveys the

caretakers completed were compiled of five different questions about their child’s aggressive

behaviors. After this study was completed, the results showed that while video games were

associated with a minor uptick in aggressive behavior, they were many other factors that affected

the behavior more prominently.

Source 2 – American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

This article discusses how children can be affected by long-term exposure to violent

video games. Stating that children exposed to violent games are at risk of becoming numb to

violence or imitating the violence they are exposed to. It is also found that some video games

will offer problem solving and motor skills development. Overall, violent video games in

moderation will not cause children to become more aggressive with rules about screen time and

physical activity being set in place.

Source 3 – American Psychological Association

This article discusses how, due to being more interactive and the player identifying with

the aggressor throughout the plotlines, violent video games can be more harmful than violent

T.V. and movies. “One study reveals that young men who are habitually aggressive may be

especially vulnerable to the aggression-enhancing effects…” (Psychologist Craig Anderson, PhD

and Karen Dill, PhD; 2000). Short-term effects are that violent video games seem to affect
aggressive behavior by “priming aggressive thoughts”. Long-term effects are that the player

learns new aggressive language that they can use in real life situations.

Source 4 – School of Public Health – University of Michigan

This article speaks on multiple opinions on how video games may affect children and

teens. One point of view, from Dr. Cheryl Olson, is that the “deliberately outrageous nature of

video games” is easy to differentiate from real world occurrences. One study discussed in this

article observed 515 participants, consisting of 9 – 12 year olds and college students, one half

played a violent video game while the other half played a nonviolent game. The results of this

study showed that the short term effects were that participants playing the violent game were

more aggressive than the nonviolent game players.

 Works Cited

AACAP. “Video Games and Children: Playing with Violence.” Aacap.org, June 2017,

www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Children-

and-Video-Games-Playing-with-Violence-091.aspx.

Anderson, Craig, and Karen Dill. “Violent Video Games Can Increase Aggression.” American

Psychological Association, 2000, www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2000/04/video-

games.

Cooper, Roanna, and Marc Zimmerman. “Do Video Games Influence Violent Behavior?”

Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center, 24 Aug. 2011, yvpc.sph.umich.edu/video-

games-influence-violent-behavior/.

Przybylski, Andrew K., and Netta Weinstein. “Violent Video Game Engagement Is Not

Associated with Adolescents’ Aggressive Behaviour: Evidence from a Registered

Report.” Royal Society Open Science, vol. 6, no. 2, 13 Feb. 2019, p. 171474,

royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.171474, https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.171474.