Study: Video Games Lead to Violent Behavior

Researchers on Friday said that evidence is mounting that prolonged exposure to violent video games does increase violent behavior in children and young adults, most commonly in males. The announcement culminates some 20 years of research on the topic.

The results of the research were unveiled at an annual meeting of the American Psychological Association. The study even caused the group to pass a resolution condemning violence in video games and asking for a reduction in the amount of violent content.

"The APA also encourages parents, educators and health care providers to help youth make more informed choices about which games to play," the group wrote in a statement.

According to those who viewed the final report, only a few studies showed no connection between video game and real-life violence. A similar conclusion was reached in studies that looked at violence in television.

One study showed that teachers reported video game players age 13 to 15 displayed increased tendencies for violence and disrespect of authority than students who did not play video games.

Another showed that even ten minutes in front of a violent video game was enough to cause children to be more aggressive.

Part of the problem may be the lack of consequences for video game violence. The study revealed that three fourths of all violence goes unpunished in video games, possibly leading the child to believe such actions are acceptable, according to psychologists.