Does Playing Video Games Make Players More Violent?

by Barrie Gunter

Overview

This book is an academic work which reviews and critiques the research literature concerning violent games and their alleged effects on players. It examines the debates about the potential effects of these games and the divisions between scholars working in the field. It places the research on violent video games in the longer historical context of scholarly work on media violence. It examines research from around the world on the nature of video games and their effects. It provides a critique of relevant theories of media violence effects and in particular theories developed within the older media violence literature and then considers how useful this and newer scholarly work might be for policy-makers and regulators. The book identifies where gaps exist in the extent literature and where future research attention might be directed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781137579843
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan UK
Publication date:	07/23/2016
Edition description:	1st ed. 2016
Pages:	296
Product dimensions:	5.83(w) x 8.27(h) x (d)

About the Author

Barrie Gunter is Emeritus Professor at the Department of Media and Communication, University of Leicester. He is a psychologist by training who worked initially in the broadcasting sector as an audience researcher before switching to the academic world. Media violence has been one of his key areas of interest.

Table of Contents

1.What Are the Concerns about Mediated Violence?.- 2.How Much Exposure to Violence Do Children Have in Video Games?.- 3.What Are the Effects that Cause Concern?.- 4.Is There a Link Between Playing Video Games and Social Violence?.- 5.Can Playing Video Games Really Trigger Aggression?.- 6.Can Video Games Influence Levels of Real Violence?.- 7.Can Video Games Promote Good Behaviour?.- 8.Are Some Players More Susceptible Than Others to Video Game Effects?.- 9.Do Players Respond Similarly to All Video Violence?.- 10.What Is the Overall State of Evidence Concerning the Effects of Violent Video Game?.- 11.Do Video Games Need To Be Better Regulated?

Editorial Reviews

In Does Playing Video Games Make Players More Violent? Gunter presents a broad review of research on video game effects, including some very early studies on general media effects up to and including relatively recent meta-analyses of violent video game effects. … This book might be useful as one of several texts in an undergraduate course on the history of research on media effects.” (Jeanne Funk Brockmyer, PsycCRITIQUES, Vol. 61 (45), November, 2016)

From the Publisher