This Article Full Text (OnlineFirst PDF) All Versions of this Article: 0146167209333045v1 35/6/752    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Gentile, D. A. Articles by Sakamoto, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gentile, D. A. Articles by Sakamoto, A. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

The Effects of Prosocial Video Games on Prosocial Behaviors: International Evidence From Correlational, Longitudinal, and Experimental Studies

¹ Iowa State University; National Institute on Media and the Family
² Iowa State University
³ University of Tsukuba, Japan
⁴ Ochanomizu University, Japan
⁵ Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
⁶ Keio University, Japan
⁷ HELP University College, Malaysia
⁸ University of Michigan–Ann Arbor; VU University, Amsterdam
⁹ University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: dgentile{at}iastate.edu.

	Abstract

Although dozens of studies have documented a relationship between violent video games and aggressive behaviors, very little attention has been paid to potential effects of prosocial games. Theoretically, games in which game characters help and support each other in nonviolent ways should increase both short-term and long-term prosocial behaviors. We report three studies conducted in three countries with three age groups to test this hypothesis. In the correlational study, Singaporean middle-school students who played more prosocial games behaved more prosocially. In the two longitudinal samples of Japanese children and adolescents, prosocial game play predicted later increases in prosocial behavior. In the experimental study, U.S. undergraduates randomly assigned to play prosocial games behaved more prosocially toward another student. These similar results across different methodologies, ages, and cultures provide robust evidence of a prosocial game content effect, and they provide support for the General Learning Model.

First published on March 25, 2009, doi:10.1177/0146167209333045

Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 2009;35:752.

A more recent version of this article appeared on June 1, 2009


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Council on Communications and Media Media Violence Pediatrics, November 1, 2009; 124(5): 1495 - 1503. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]