Connections between computer game playing and aggression

The paper deals with the question whether there is any connection between computer game playing and aggression. Literature discusses two main theories addressing the potential connection between gaming and aggression – the social learning theory and the catharsis theory. The results of a quantitative survey conducted by us suggest there might indeed be a connection between computer gaming and aggression. Despite not being in conflict with the catharsis theory, the findings are in better agreement with the social learning theory. The survey also yielded relatively important findings regarding how the respondents spent their leisure time. computer gaming turned out to be the most frequent leisure time activity among the boys in the survey population.

keywords: aggression, aggressive behaviour, computer games, gamers, effect of representations of aggression, social learning theory, catharsis theory