The effects of exposure to violent video games on automatic associations with the self were investigated in a sample of 121 students. Playing the violent video game Doom led participants to associate themselves with aggressive traits and actions on the Implicit Association Test. In addition, self-reported prior exposure to violent video games predicted automatic aggressive self-concept, above and beyond self-reported aggression. Results suggest that playing violent video games can lead to the automatic learning of aggressive self-views. Read more...

Concern about the impact of media violence on children and adolescents is shared by the six signatories to the Joint Statement on the Impact of Entertainment Violence on Children: the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Psychiatric Association . Although a less well-researched medium at this point, violent video and computer games (referred to simply as video games) may have particular impact because of their actively engaging, content-generating nature . Recent content analyses suggested that up to 90% of all video games contain some sort of violent content, with at least half of these games including the potential for serious harm toward game characters . Such violent video games have become especially popular, even with relatively young children. In a recent survey of first through third graders, 53% of the children's favorite games had violent content, as rated by the children themselves (Jeanne Funk, PhD, Margaret Chan, unpublished data, 2004). In another recent survey of middle school volunteers, students listed and rated up to three favorite games using a list of six categories and descriptors developed with the help of children and adolescents and used in several previous studies. In that study, 99% of boys and 84% of girls categorized at least one of their current preferred video games as having violent content . The inescapable conclusion is that across childhood and adolescence and across gender, violent video games enjoy considerable popularity. Read more...

Relationships between short- and long-term exposure to violent video games and desensitization, as measured through components of moral evaluation, were examined. Sixty-six children aged 5-12 years old completed questionnaires assessing video game experience and preferences and empathy and attitudes toward violence. The children played a violent or nonviolent video game and then responded to vignettes about everyday occurrences. Vignette responses were coded for aggression and empathy. Preexisting empathy and attitudes towards violence were positively related to the corresponding vignette scores. Long-term exposure to violent video games contributed to lower empathy vignette scores. Playing a violent versus a nonviolent game did not affect vignette responses. Results suggest that long-term exposure to violent video games may be associated with desensitization as reflected in lower empathy, although the direction of causality remains unclear. Read more...

This study examined gender differences in perceptions of school computing by asking girls and boys at early and late stages in secondary education what they liked best and least about using computers at school. Overall age differences were very marked and reflected the different skill levels of the pupils and the increase in the sophistication of their computer use at the later stage of the curriculum. Gender differences were found in both age groups. These included a greater work orientation and liking for e-mail apparent in girls' responses. Boys showed a greater affinity with computer games and mentioned limitations upon their access to machines more. These gender differences are a further demonstration that girls approach computers as tools for accomplishing tasks, while boys approach them as technology for play and mastery. Such differences are important for understanding how computers are approached in educational settings. Read more...