Citation

Verheijen GP, Burk WJ, Stoltz SEMJ, van den Berg YHM, Cillessen AHN. Aggressive Behav. 2018; 44(3): 257-267.

Affiliation

Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, International Society for Research on Aggression, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/ab.21748

PMID

29363767

Abstract

Research on gaming effects has focused on adolescence, a developmental period in which peer relationships become increasingly salient. However, the impact of peers on the effects of violent gaming on adolescents has been understudied. This study examined whether adolescents' exposure to violent video games predicted their own and their friend's aggression one year later. Among 705 gaming adolescents, 141 dyads were identified based on reciprocated best friend nominations (73.8% male, Mage  = 13.98). Actor-Partner Interdependence Models indicated that adolescent males' (but not females') exposure to violent games positively predicted the aggression of their best friend 1 year later. This effect appeared regardless of whether the friends played video games together or not. The study illustrates the importance of peers in the association between violent gaming and aggression.

© 2018 The Authors. Aggressive Behavior Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Language: en

Keywords

adolescence; aggressive behavior; peer influences; video games