A new study indicates that violent video game use isn't associated with antisocial attitudes or bullying behavior.
Astoundingly, the study found violent video game use was actually associated with increased civic behaviors, but the relationship was very small and correlational in nature. Taken together, these results suggest that violent video game use is not associated with problem behaviors in youth related to aggression or civic behaviors.
The study by Christopher J. Ferguson and John Colwell and published in Psychology of Popular Media Culture investigated this issue in a sample of 304 children in the United Kingdom.
Using a survey approach, the study examined youths' exposure to violent content in video games and parental involvement in their game play. Outcomes included antisocial attitudes, bullying behaviors and involvement in civic activities, such as volunteering in their communities.
The study also assessed children's motives for playing video games, surprisingly, one of very few studies to do so.
It found that parental involvement was not associated with reduced violent video game exposure. This may be because parents become comfortable with the content of games once they themselves play them.
Regarding motivations for violent game play, it wasn't surprising to find boys played more violent games than girls. Among youth who played video games, however, interest in games as a fun activity but also as a release from stress were predictors of violent game use.
These results are consistent with evidence from other studies indicating young people often turn to action oriented games to reduce stress and improve mood.
All told, results from this study suggest that violent video games are not the object for concern they were once perceived as being. As with other forms of art, ranging from rock music to comic books, perceptions of harm caused by video games to society may increasingly be a thing of the past.
In 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court declared research evidence could not support claims of "harm" caused to minors by violent video games in a decision examining the constitutionality of regulating the sale of violent games to minors.