Immediate and prolonged effects of videogame violence

Publication Type  Journal Article
Year of Publication  2003
Authors  Deselms, J L; Altman, J D
Journal Title  Journal of Applied Social Psychology
Volume  33
Pagination  1553-1563
ISBN Number  0021-9029
Key Words  children; Exposure; Women; Aggressive-Behavior; Play; Games; Personality; Desensitization; Judgments; Victims
Abstract  

This study examined the relationship between playing violent videogames and sensitivity to aggressive acts. In 2 experiments, college students were randomly assigned to play violent or less violent videogames. They then read a series of criminal vignettes and assigned prison sentences to violent criminals. In the second experiment, participants returned 1 hr later and completed a second series of vignettes. A significant interaction between gender and videogame was found in both experiments. Men who played the violent game gave more lenient sentences to criminals than did those who played the less violent game. In the second experiment, women, unlike men, assigned harsher sentences after playing the violent game. The effects were found to persist for at least I hr.


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