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Violent Video Games and Violent Crime

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  • Scott Cunningham
  • Benjamin Engelstätter
  • Michael R. Ward

Abstract

Video games are an increasingly popular leisure activity. As many best‐selling games contain hyper‐realistic violence, many researchers and policymakers have hypothesized that violent games cause violent behaviors. Laboratory experiments have found evidence suggesting that violent video games increase aggression. Before drawing policy conclusions about the effect of violent games on actual behavior, these experimental studies should be subjected to tests of external validity. Our study uses a quasi‐experimental methodology to identify the short‐run and medium‐run effects of violent game sales on violent crime using time variation in retail unit sales data of the top 30 selling video games and violent criminal offenses from both the Uniform Crime Report and the National Incident‐Based Reporting System from 2005 to 2011. We find no evidence of an increase in crime associated with video games and perhaps a decrease.

Suggested Citation

  • Scott Cunningham & Benjamin Engelstätter & Michael R. Ward, 2016. "Violent Video Games and Violent Crime," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 82(4), pages 1247-1265, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:soecon:v:82:y:2016:i:4:p:1247-1265
    DOI: 10.1002/soej.12139
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Lindo, Jason M. & Swensen, Isaac D. & Waddell, Glen R., 2022. "Effects of violent media content: Evidence from the rise of the UFC," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    3. Andy Chung & Daniel S. Hamermesh & Carl Singleton & Zhengxin Wang & Junsen Zhang, 2024. "Looks and Gaming: Who and Why?," NBER Working Papers 32809, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Hamida Mubasshera, 2024. "Pornography usage during adolescence: Does it lead to risky sexual behavior?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(8), pages 1682-1704, August.
    5. Jetter, Michael & Walker, Jay K., 2022. "News coverage and mass shootings in the US," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    6. Hiroyuki Egami & Md. Shafiur Rahman & Tsuyoshi Yamamoto & Chihiro Egami & Takahisa Wakabayashi, 2024. "Causal effect of video gaming on mental well-being in Japan 2020–2022," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 8(10), pages 1943-1956, October.
    7. Ana Ruiz-Fernández & Miriam Junco-Guerrero & David Cantón-Cortés, 2021. "Exploring the Mediating Effect of Psychological Engagement on the Relationship between Child-to-Parent Violence and Violent Video Games," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-15, March.

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