Does Playing Video Games Make Players More Violent?

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-vi

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2. What Are the Concerns About Mediated Violence?

   • Barrie Gunter

   Pages 1-29

3. How Much Exposure Do Children Have to Violence in Video Games?

   • Barrie Gunter

   Pages 31-52

4. What Are the Effects That Cause Concern?

   • Barrie Gunter

   Pages 53-92

5. Is There a Link Between Playing Video Games and Social Violence?

   • Barrie Gunter

   Pages 93-114

6. Can Playing Video Games Really Trigger Aggression?

   • Barrie Gunter

   Pages 115-146

7. Can Video Games Influence Levels of Real Violence?

   • Barrie Gunter

   Pages 147-164

8. Can Video Games Promote Good Behaviour?

   • Barrie Gunter

   Pages 165-193

9. Are Some Players More Susceptible Than Others to Video Game Effects?

   • Barrie Gunter

   Pages 195-222

10. Do Players Respond Similarly to All Video Violence?

    • Barrie Gunter

    Pages 223-237

11. What Is the Overall State of Evidence Concerning the Effects of Violent Video Games

    • Barrie Gunter

    Pages 239-259

12. Do Video Games Need to Be Better Regulated?

    • Barrie Gunter

    Pages 261-281

13. Back Matter

    Pages 283-296

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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.  

• Video game violence
• Video games and children
• Video games and development
• Effects of video game playing
• media violence effects
• media violence literature
• development theory

“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)

• Media and Communication, University of Leicester, Loughton, United Kingdom

  Barrie Gunter

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.

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