Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2021 Jan;24(1):24-31. doi: 10.1089/cyber.2019.0776.
Adolescents play video games as a social leisure activity, yet it is unclear whether peer influences play a role in spreading violent video game exposure (VVE) and aggression. It has been suggested that adolescents' aggression increases because of their friend's exposure to violent video games. This study tests this suggestion by using longitudinal social network analyses to investigate selection and socialization of aggression owing to VVE. A total of 796 adolescents from 34 different classrooms were followed from grade 7 to grade 8 ( = 12.60 years, 51 percent male adolescents). Exposure to violent video games, physical aggression, and within-classroom friendships were assessed at both time points. Data were analyzed by means of stochastic actor-based modeling in RSiena to estimate the effects of VVE and aggressive behavior on changes in friendships (selection), and the effects of friendships on changes in participants' VVE and aggressive behavior (socialization). Results showed homotypic selection effects, that is, adolescents became friends with peers who were similar in aggression and similar in violent video game exposure. Furthermore, there was a homotypic socialization effect, as friends became more similar in aggression over time. Friends did not become more similar in VVE over time. Violent games played by friends did not increase adolescents' own aggressive behavior. This suggests that concerns about peer influences on violent video games are unwarranted. Future studies on socialization processes of VVE should focus on influences from closest friends and investigate behavior during actual play.
青少年将玩电子游戏作为一种社交休闲活动，但尚不清楚同伴影响是否在传播暴力电子游戏暴露（VVE）和攻击性方面发挥作用。有人认为，由于朋友接触到暴力电子游戏，青少年的攻击性会增强。本研究通过使用纵向社会网络分析来检验这一假设，即由于 VVE，青少年的攻击性是由于选择和社会化而增加。共有 796 名来自 34 个不同教室的青少年从 7 年级到 8 年级（ = 12.60 岁，51%为男性青少年）进行了随访。在两个时间点评估了暴力电子游戏的暴露、身体攻击和课堂内友谊。通过 RSiena 中的随机演员基础模型分析来分析数据，以估计 VVE 和攻击行为对友谊变化（选择）的影响，以及友谊对参与者 VVE 和攻击行为变化（社会化）的影响。结果显示同型选择效应，即青少年与在攻击性和暴力电子游戏暴露方面相似的同伴成为朋友。此外，还存在同型社会化效应，即随着时间的推移，朋友在攻击性方面变得更加相似。随着时间的推移，朋友在 VVE 方面并没有变得更加相似。朋友玩的暴力游戏并没有增加青少年自身的攻击行为。这表明，对同伴对暴力电子游戏影响的担忧是没有根据的。未来关于 VVE 社会化过程的研究应关注最亲密朋友的影响，并研究实际游戏中的行为。
