Understanding the effects of violent video games on violent crime

Arbeitspapier

Psychological studies invariably find a positive relationship between violent video game play and aggression. However, these studies cannot account for either aggressive effects of alternative activities video game playing substitutes for or the possible selection of relatively violent people into playing violent video games. That is, they lack external validity. We investigate the relationship between the prevalence of violent video games and violent crimes. Our results are consistent with two opposing effects. First, they support the behavioral effects as in the psychological studies. Second, they suggest a larger voluntary incapacitation effect in which playing either violent or non-violent games decrease crimes. Overall, violent video games lead to decreases in violent crime.

Angaben zum Objekt

• Sprache: Englisch

Verweise und Beziehungen

• Erschienen in: Series: ZEW Discussion Papers ; No. 11-042

Klassifikation und Themen

• Klassifikation: Wirtschaft ; Criminal Law ; Information and Internet Services; Computer Software
• Thema: Video Games ; Violence ; Crime

Beteiligte, Orts- und Zeitangaben

• Ereignis: Geistige Schöpfung
• (wer): Cunningham, A. Scott ; Engelstätter, Benjamin ; Ward, Michael R.
• Ereignis: Veröffentlichung
• (wer): Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung (ZEW)
• (wo): Mannheim
• (wann): 2011

Weitere Informationen

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/48154
• URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:180-madoc-31936
• Letzte Aktualisierung: 10.03.2025, 11:45 MEZ