Exposure to Gun Violence in Video Games Increases Interest in Real Guns

NCT03259139 | Completed Results

• 1 other identifier: 2013B0542
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 250
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

More American children die by accidental gun use than children in other developed countries. One factor that can influence children's interest in guns is exposure to media containing guns. The objective of this study is to test whether children who play a video game containing guns will handle a real gun longer, will pull the trigger more times, and pull the trigger while pointing the gun at themselves or another than children who see the same movie without guns.

Conditions

Psychology, Social; Adolescent Behavior

Keywords

adolescent; gun; violence; media

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Time Spent Holding Gun

  Time (in seconds) participant spent holding the real firearm during the play session

  20 minute play session

• Number of Trigger Pulls

  Number of times participant pulled trigger of real firearm during the play session

  20 minute play session

• Number of Trigger Pulls Aimed at Self or Other

  Trigger pulls while the firearm is aimed at the child holding the firearm or the other participant.

  20 minute play session

Study Arms (3)

Experimental: Violence with guns

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this condition will play a video game with violent content which includes guns.

Behavioral: Video games and violence

Experimental: Violence without guns

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this condition will play a video game with violent content which does not include guns. Instead, the violence will include weapons such as swords.

Behavioral: Video games and violence

Control: No violence

OTHER

Participants in this condition will play a video game which contains no violent content or weapons.

Behavioral: Video games and violence

Interventions

Video games and violence BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be randomly assigned to play a video game which contains either (1) no violent content, (2) violent content with swords, or (3) violent content with guns. The game, rated E, is age appropriate and modded to include guns in the appropriate condition.

Control: No violence; Experimental: Violence with guns; Experimental: Violence without guns

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 8 Years - 12 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Age 8-12yrs, had not participated in study prior, was able to schedule participation with a known peer (8-12yo).

You may not qualify if:

• Younger than 8yo, older than 12yo, had participated in study prior, could not schedule participation with a known peer (8-12yo)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ohio State University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Ohio State University

Columbus, Ohio, 43210, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Chang JH, Bushman BJ. Effect of Exposure to Gun Violence in Video Games on Children's Dangerous Behavior With Real Guns: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2019 May 3;2(5):e194319. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.4319.

  PMID: 31150072 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Adolescent Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Limitations and Caveats

Study setting was in a lab, i.e. not a natural setting, which may have caused subjects to be more likely to not think the guns are real. The game used was not very violent due to ethical reasons, so the effects may be larger with more violent games.

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Dr. Brad Bushman
• Organization: The Ohio State University

bushman.20@osu.edu

614-688-8779

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: Yes

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Masking Details: Participants did not know which condition they were in. Participants' parents were aware of the deception (hidden guns) and what condition their children were in. Research personnel knew conditions as well. Research assistants who transcribed recorded laboratory sessions did not know what condition they were coding (eg. what type of game they played)
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: FACTORIAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor of Communication & Psychology

Model Details: Participants are randomly assigned to play a non-violent video game, a violent video game containing swords, or a violent video game containing guns.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 22, 2017
• First Posted: August 23, 2017
• Study Start: July 1, 2017
• Primary Completion: August 24, 2018
• Study Completion: August 24, 2018
• Last Updated: May 11, 2020
• Results First Posted: May 11, 2020

Record last verified: 2020-04

Locations

US (1)