title: The effects of prosocial video games on prosocial behaviors: international evidence from correlational, longitudinal, and experimental studies.
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.
authors.affiliation: Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA. dgentile@iastate.edu
authors.forename: Douglas A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.forename: Craig A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Shintaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yukawa
authors.forename: Nobuko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ihori
authors.forename: Muniba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saleem
authors.forename: Lim Kam
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Ming
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shibuya
authors.forename: Albert K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Liau
authors.forename: Angeline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khoo
authors.forename: Brad J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Bushman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rowell Huesmann
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sakamoto