Internet Fantasy Violence: A Test of Aggression in an Online Game

Research on violent video games suggests that play leads to aggressive behavior. A longitudinal study of an online violent video game with a control group tested for changes in aggressive cognitions and behaviors. The findings did not support the assertion that a violent game will cause substantial increases in real-world aggression. The findings are presented and discussed, along with their implications for research and policy. Keywords: Video GamesAggressive BehaviorInternetOnline Game Notes Dmitri Williams is Assistant Professor in the Department of Speech Communication at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign; Marko Skoric is a Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Michigan. This research was supported by a dissertation grant from the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Michigan. The authors wish to thank Brad Bushman, W. Russell Neuman, Susan Douglas, Nojin Kwak, and Nicholas Valentino for their comments on earlier drafts of this material, and the Communication Monographs referees for their helpful suggestions. Additional informationNotes on contributorsMarko Skoric Dmitri Williams is Assistant Professor in the Department of Speech Communication at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign; Marko Skoric is a Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Michigan. This research was supported by a dissertation grant from the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Michigan. The authors wish to thank Brad Bushman, W. Russell Neuman, Susan Douglas, Nojin Kwak, and Nicholas Valentino for their comments on earlier drafts of this material, and the Communication Monographs referees for their helpful suggestions.