Florida

Experts ‘Not Able to Find Evidence' Linking Video Games to Violence

President Donald Trump suggested that there is a link between violent games and mass shootings like the one in Parkland, Florida, but experts say they can't find scientific proof to support that idea, NBC News reported.

A review of scientific literature by an American Psychological Association task force identified a link between violent games and short-term spikes in hostile or mildly aggressive behavior. But many academics have pushed back against that report; hundreds signed an open letter to criticize what they described as poor methodology and "bias."

Whitney DeCamp, a professor of sociology at Western Michigan University, says the relationship between video games and violent behavior is insignificant, and that there is no reason to believe playing violent games has any significant "long-term effects or that it translates into real-life violence down the road."

Christopher Ferguson, a psychology professor at Stetson University in Florida, also said "It's hard to attribute video games to any kind of violence in society."

Trump's comment comes after a report said 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, accused of gunning down 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, played video games for up to 15 hours a day.

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