Review of research on the impact of violent computer games on young people

Abstract

The issue of whether playing violent video games causes violent behaviour in young people is one increasingly addressed in media debates about violence in society. In 2001 the UK Home Office published a review of literature that examined academic research into violent video games between 1985-1994. This UK-funded review builds and extends on that work, examining academic literature relating to violent video games and violent behaviour up to 2004. The review has 4 key objectives: to revisit the Home Office review from 2001, ensuring that all key studies examining the relationship between playing violent computer games and real-world violence in young people, carried out between 1985-2004, are covered; to advise on the quality and reliability of research carried out to date in this area; to advise on the extent to which existing research does or does not provide evidence of a link between the playing of computer games and subsequent behaviour; and to make recommendations as to how current gaps in our knowledge of this area could be filled, together with a discussion of the practicalities of doing so. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]; Copyright of Conference Papers -- International Communication Association is the property of International Communication Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)