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Video Game Research

Numerous independent studies show that game play has positive impacts on physical and mental health, social awareness, creative thinking, and classroom and workplace learning. Studies also refute the claim that there is a link between video games and real-life violence. Below is a summary of scientific research from the past decade that demonstrates the many benefits computer and video games provide to players of every age.

• June 2012
  • "Role of Video Games in Improving Health-Related Outcomes: A Systematic Review"
• May 2012
  • "Teacher Attitudes about Digital Games in the Classroom"
• March 2012
  • "Information Technology Use and Creativity: Findings from the Children and Technology Project"
• February 2012
  • "A Longitudinal Test of Video Game Violence Influences on Dating and Aggression: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study of Adolescents"
• January 2012
  • "Exergaming and Older Adult Cognition: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial"
• October 2011
  • "The Effect of Video Game Competition and Violence on Aggressive Behavior: Which Characteristic Has the Greatest Influence?"
• August 2011
  • "PopCap Study in Partnership with Goldsmiths University"
• March 2011
  • "Short- and Long-Term Benefits of Cognitive Training"
  • "Energy Cost of Exergaming: A Comparison of the Energy Cost of 6 Forms of Exergaming"
• February 2011
  • "Chronic Exposure to Violent Video Games is not Associated with Alterations of Emotional Memory"
  • "The Efficacy of Prescribed Casual Video Games in Reducing Clinical Depression and Anxiety"
  • "Game On…Girl: Associations Between Co-playing Video Games and Adolescent Behavioral and Family Outcomes"
  • "Deepening Connections: Teachers Increasingly Rely on Media and Technology"
• December 2010
  • "Call of (Civic) Duty: Action Games and Civic Behavior in a Large Sample of Youth"
• September 2010
  • "Improved Probabilistic Inference as a General Learning Mechanism with Action Video Games"
• July 2010
  • "The Hitman Study: Violent Video Game Exposure Effects on Aggressive Behavior, Hostile Feelings and Depression"
• January 2010
  • "Extensive Video-Game Experience Alters Cortical Networks for Complex Visuomotor Transformations"
  • "A Meta-Analytic Examination of the Instructional Effectiveness of Computer-Based Simulation Games"
• December 2009
  • "Constitutional Kombat: Psychological Evidence Used to Restrict Video-Game Violence"
  June 2009
  • "EEG, HRV, and Psychological Correlates while Playing Bejeweled II: A Randomized Controlled Study"
• May 2009
  • "The Public Health Risks of Media Violence: A Meta-Analytic Review"
• October 2008
  • "Violent Video Games and Aggression: Causal Relationship or Byproduct of Family Violence and Intrinsic Violence Motivation?"
• September 2008
  • "Teens, Video Games and Civics"
• April 2008
  • "Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth about Video Games and What Parents Can Do"
• September 2007
  • "Media Violence and Aggression: Science and Ideology"
• July 2007
  • "Evidence for Publication Bias in Video Game Violence Effects Literature: A Meta-Analytic Review"
• February 2007
  • "Do Video Games Kill?  When White, Middle-Class Teens Kill, The Media and Politicians are Quick to Blame Video Games. Are They Right?"
• September 2005
  • "The Next Level of Research on Electronic Play: Potential Benefits and Contextual Influences for Children and Adolescents"
• June 2004
  • "Media Violence Research and Youth Violence Data: Why Do They Conflict?"

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