The Link between Video Games and Aggression:
Explained by the Psychodynamic Perspective
Alyssa Foringer
Liberty University
THE LINK BETWEEN VIDEO GAMES AND AGGRESSION
With the rate of aggression among younger people on the rise, and the possible link between
video games and aggression continuously being discussed, it calls into question why this link
could have been found. The Psychodynamic Perspective appears to fit meticulously. Influenced
by Sigmund Freud and the school of Psychoanalysis, The Psychodynamic Perspectives defined
as, “The view that behavior is influenced by the struggle between unconscious sexual or
aggressive impulses and opposing forces that try to keep this threatening material out of
consciousness” (Nevid, 2015, p. 9). This perspective suggests psychological problems such as
aggression, a prone to violence, and unrelenting anger, is rooted in childhood (Nevid, 2015).
Violent Video Games and Aggression
The relationship between violent video games and adolescent aggression has become a hot issue
in psychological research (Wiegman and Schie, 1998; Anderson and Bushman, 2001; Anderson
et6al., 2010; Ferguson et6al., 2012; Greitemeyer, 2014; Yang et6al., 2014; Boxer et6al., 2015).
Based on the General Aggression Model (GAM), Anderson et6al. suggested that violent video
games constitute an antecedent variable of aggressive behavior, i.e., the degree of exposure to
violent video games directly leads to an increase of aggression (Anderson and Bushman, 2001;
Bushman and Anderson, 2002; Anderson, 2004; Anderson et6al., 2004). Related longitudinal
studies (Anderson et6al., 2008), meta-analyses (Anderson et6al., 2010; Greitemeyer and Mugge,
2014), event-related potential studies (Bailey et6al., 2011; Liu et6al., 2015), and trials about
juvenile delinquents (DeLisi et6al., 2013) showed that exposure to violent video games
significantly predicts adolescent aggression.
Although Anderson et6al. insisted on using the GAM to explain the effect of violent video games
on aggression, other researchers have proposed alternative points of view. For example, a meta-
analysis by Sherry (2001) suggested that violent video games have minor influence on
adolescent aggression. Meanwhile, Ferguson (2007) proposed that publication bias (or file
drawer effect) may have implications in the effect of violent video games on adolescent
aggression. Publication bias means that compared with articles with negative results, those
presenting positive results (such as statistical significance) are more likely to be6published
(Rosenthal and Rosnow, 1991). A meta-analysis by Ferguson (2007) found that after publication
bias adjustment, the related studies cannot support the hypothesis that violent video games are
highly correlated with aggression. Then, Ferguson et6al. proposed a Catalyst Model (CM), which
is opposite to the GAM. According to this model, genetic predisposition can lead to an
aggressive child temperament and aggressive adult personality. Individuals who have an
aggressive temperament or an aggressive personality are more likely to produce violent behavior
during times of environmental strain. Environmental factors act as catalysts for violent acts for
