Video games have been studied for links to addiction and aggression. Earlier meta-analyses (an analysis of several studies) were conflicting. A 2001 study found that exposure to violent video games causes at least a temporary increase in aggression and that this exposure correlates with aggression in the real world. A decrease in prosocial behaviour (caring about the welfare and rights of others) was also noted. Another 2001 meta-analyses using similar methods and a more recent 2009 study focusing specifically on serious aggressive behaviour concluded that video game violence is not related to serious aggressive behavior in real life. Many potential positive effects have even been proposed. Recent research has suggested that some even some violent video games may actually have a prosocial effect in some contexts for example, team play. It has been argued there is generally a lack of quality studies which can be relied upon and that the video game industry has become an easy target for the media to blame for many modern day problems. The most recent large scale meta-anlysis-- published in Pychological Bulletin in March of 2010, and examining 130 studies with over 130,000 subjects worldwide-- has concluded that exposure to violent video games causes both short term and long term aggression in players and decreases empathy and prosocial behavior.
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