Violent Video Games in AP Psychology

Definition

Violent video games are interactive digital games that involve virtual characters engaging in aggressive or violent behavior, often with the goal of achieving a specific objective. These games typically include explicit depictions of violence and can range from first-person shooter games to action-adventure titles.

Related terms

Aggression:

Aggression refers to any behavior intended to cause harm or injury to another individual. It can be physical, verbal, or relational.

Experimental Design:

Experimental design is the process of planning and conducting an experiment in order to test specific hypotheses and draw conclusions about cause and effect relationships.

Independent Variable:

The independent variable is the factor manipulated by the researcher in an experiment. In this case, it would be the exposure to violent video games.