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.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: ZEW Discussion Papers ; No. 11-042

Classification and Topics

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

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Cunningham, A. Scott ; Engelstätter, Benjamin ; Ward, Michael R.
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung (ZEW)
• (where): Mannheim
• (when): 2011

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/48154
• URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:180-madoc-31936
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:45 AM CET