Playing Prosocial Video Games Increases the Accessibility of Prosocial Thoughts

ABSTRACT ABSTRACT Past research has provided abundant evidence that playing violent video games increases aggressive tendencies. In contrast, evidence on possible positive effects of video game exposure on prosocial tendencies has been relatively sparse. The present research tested and found support for the hypothesis that exposure to prosocial video games increases the accessibility of prosocial thoughts. These results provide support to the predictive validity of the General Learning Model (Buckley & Anderson, 2006 Buckley, K. E. and Anderson, C. A. 2006. "A theoretical model of the effects and consequences of playing video games". In Playing video games: Motives, responses, and consequences, Edited by: Vorderer, P. and Bryant, J. 363–378. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. [Google Scholar]) for the effects of exposure to prosocial media on social tendencies. Thus, depending on the content of the video game, playing video games can harm but may also benefit social relations. Keywords: primingprosocial thoughtsvideo games Additional informationNotes on contributorsTobias GreitemeyerTobias Greitemeyer is a full Professor in social psychology at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. His research interests include media effects, pro- and antisocial behavior, information processing, and interpersonal attraction.Silvia OsswaldSilvia Osswald is a Post Doc at the University of Munich.