Violent video games lead to aggressiveness

IOWA CITY, Iowa, April 6 (UPI) -- Iowa State University psychologists have found evidence of the adverse effects of violent video games on the behavior of children and adolescents.

Professor Craig Anderson, assistant professor Douglas Gentile and doctoral student Katherine Buckley detail three studies in their book, "Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents."

In one study, researchers discovered participants who played violent video games -- even children's games -- punished their opponents with more high-noise blasts than those who played the non-violent games.

In a second study, 189 high school students were surveyed. Exposure to violent video games was a better predictor of the students' own violent behavior than gender or their beliefs about violence.

A third study, assessed 430 third, fourth and fifth graders, their peers and their teachers. Children who played more violent video games early in the school year became more verbally and physically aggressive later in the school year.