For frustrated bad boys, violent video games become more alluring

Los Angeles Times:

Are people playing violent video games blowing off steam, or are they developing habits of violence that may play themselves out off-screen? In the wake of a wave of school shootings that have touched off debate about the roots of violence, those are more than academic questions.

The second of those questions — do video games promote violent behavior — remains a matter of fierce debate. But a new study does offer some evidence to answer the first — whether violent video games provide an outlet for negative feelings such as anger or frustration. For a large group of young adult males (average age 20), it found, frustration does make video game violence a more appealing prospect.

The study was published this week “Online First” in the journal Psychological Science.

Read the whole story: Los Angeles Times

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