REEVALUATING THE IMPACT OF VIDEO GAMES

The evolution of the video game phenomenon is reviewed and contemporary data are presented. A survey assessing frequency and location of play and game preference was completed by 357 seventh- and eighth-grade students. In this middle-class sample, about two thirds of girls played video games at least one to two hours per week at home, but only 20% played in arcades. About 90% of boys played in the home and about 50% in arcades. Approximately half of preferred games were from one of two categories of violent games, while 2% of preferred games were educational. Parent education about the influence of the media should include recommendations to monitor game playing and influence game selection.