Przybylski, A., & Weinstein, N. (2019). Violent video game engagement is not associated with adolescents' aggressive behaviour: evidence from a registered report



Andrew Przybylski and Netta Weinsteins’ study shows that violent video games have a null effect on aggressive behavior in adolescents. The study was done in 2019 and was authorized by University of Oxford. Although Przyblski and Weinstein initially predicted that adolescents who played violent video games would be more aggressive. The data collected from the psychological form used showed that aggression increases were null.

“Despite the null findings identified in the present study, history gives us reason to suspect the idea that violent video games drives aggressive behaviour will remain an unsettled question for parents, pundits and policy-makers. Although our results do have implications for these stakeholders, the present work holds special significance for those studying technology effects, in general, and video games, in particular.” (Conclusion).

This study used 1000 adolescents (500 male and 500 female) as the study group. This group would then play video games that either the ESRB or PEGI would find to be violent. The adolescents would then, after a set amount of time, complete the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, a set of questions which determines increases or decreases in aggression for those aged 4-17. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire is widely used by British psychological professionals to analyze patients. The researches would then compile the results to see what, if any change in aggression has occurred.

I would use this study to try and prove that violent video games such as Doom and Mortal Kombat proved to be no threat to children in the 90’s, and still pose no threat today. It would also be interesting to compare this study to an earlier study that showed the opposite.

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