Violent Video Games Make Kids More Aggressive, Says Researcher

Iowa State University professor Douglas Gentile says it’s clear that violent video games make kids more aggressive but stops short of claiming that they create homicidal tendencies. In a talk with NPR, Gentile said that that video games featuring violent content “tap into a primal instinct” and release stress hormones in the body such as cortisol and testosterone, the same hormones released in real-life conflicts.

While Gentile says video games alone don’t create murderers, he does admit they’re likely one part of the equation. USA Today confirmed that of 2012’s top 10 best-selling video games, exactly half were rated M for Mature.