A recent study done by Christopher Ferguson from Stetson University suggests that violent video games do not lead to violent behaviors in real-life, despite some people frequently making correlations between the two things.
Backing up the findings of a previously published study from researchers at Villanova University and Rutgers University, Ferguson actually discovered that the increase of violent video games relates to a decrease of violent behaviors in teens.
To come to this conclusion, Ferguson looked at Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) data from the years 1996 to 2011, while also examining federal youth crime data from that same time period. He noticed that the higher consumption of violent video games over the years actually seems to relate to a decrease in real-life violence. However, Ferguson did point out that this correlation is likely related to “chance” and should be taken lightly.
Do you agree with Ferguson’s research, or do you believe that violent video games can cause problems? Let us know in the comments.
[Source: EurekAlert! via GameSpot]
