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Cognitive tempo, violent video games, and aggressive behavior in young boys

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Abstract

In a factorial design, impulsive and reflective children played video games with aggressive or nonaggressive themes. Interpersonal aggression and aggression toward inanimate objects were assessed in a free-play setting and interpersonal aggression was assessed during a frustrating situation. Results indicated that subjects who played the video game with aggressive content exhibited significantly more object aggression during free-play and more interpersonal aggression during the frustrating situation than youngsters who played nonaggressive video games. Aggressive behavior was unaffected by cognitive tempo.

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Irwin, A.R., Gross, A.M. Cognitive tempo, violent video games, and aggressive behavior in young boys. J Fam Viol 10, 337–350 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02110997

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