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The Hitman Study: Violent Video Game Exposure Effects on Aggressive Behavior, Hostile Feelings, and Depression
Abstract
This article explores commonly discussed theories of violent video game effects: the social learning, mood management, and catharsis hypotheses. An experimental study was carried out to examine violent video game effects. In this study, 103 young adults were given a frustration task and then randomized to play no game, a nonviolent game, a violent game with good versus evil theme (i.e., playing as a good character taking on evil), or a violent game in which they played as a “bad guy.” Results indicated that randomized video game play had no effect on aggressive behavior; real-life violent video game-playing history, however, was predictive of decreased hostile feelings and decreased depression following the frustration task. Results do not support a link between violent video games and aggressive behavior, but do suggest that violent games reduce depression and hostile feelings in players through mood management.
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“Ferguson and Rueda33 and Valadez and Ferguson34 suggested that players' depression decreased when playing offline violent games”
From Game-based digital interventions for depression therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2014) · cites this paper as [33]
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Self-citation
Metadata
- Authors
- Ferguson, C. J., & Rueda, S. M.
- Affiliations
- Texas A&M International University (US)
- Venue
- European Psychologist
- Publisher
- Hogrefe Publishing Group
- Published
- 2010-01-01
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 99-108
- ISSN
- 1016-9040 (ISSN-L)
- 1878-531X
- OpenAlex
- W2107352186
- Cited by
- 167
- References
- 63
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 19 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 19.24
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- European Psychologist (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Digital Games and Media
- Social Sciences › Communication › Media Influence and Health
- Keywords
- violent video games, aggression, social learning theory, mood management, frustration, depression
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