Gaming is a phenomenon that won’t go away. It’s an integral part of life for little kids and big kids alike. Adult themed video games are causing concern and sparking important questions relating to the impact such games have on players. Researchers have begun asking deep questions and have engaged in probing investigations into this matter. They have found that exposure to violent games can cause increased physical and mental aggression, desensitization to otherwise traumatic scenes and themes, and decreased pro-social behavior. The study reported in the Psychological Bulletin offers poignant cross cultural evidence of the debilitating psychological and social impact video games are having. Violent video games have given fun a macabre twist that is robbing fun of its innocence.
Anderson CA, Shibuya A, Ihori N, Swing EL, Bushman BJ, Sakamoto A, Rothstein HR, Saleem M. Violent video game effects on aggression, empathy, and prosocial behavior in eastern and western countries: a meta-analytic review. Psychol Bull. 2010 Mar;136(2):151-73. doi: 10.1037/a0018251. Review. PubMed PMID: 20192553. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20192553
