According to two different studies done by the American Psychological Association (APA), it has been proven that violent video games can increase an individual's aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviors in lab settings as well as in real-life situations. This specific article of the APA was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

According to APA researchers, violent video games are interactive, absorbing and force the player to connect with the aggressor. This makes them more dangerous than television and movies that portray violence.

One study revealed that young men who are naturally aggressive might be more prone to the aggression-enhancing effects of frequent exposure to violent games.

Another study shows that several participants' aggressive conduct can temporarily rise after even brief exposure to violent video games.

In the first study, 227 college students reported their recent history of delinquency, aggressive actions and their video game-playing patterns. They also had to complete a test of trait aggression. The APA’s lead author, Craig Anderson from Iowa State University said that his team discovered that students who reported playing more violent video games in junior high and high school engaged in more aggressive behavior. They also found that the amount of time playing video games in the past was correlated with the individuals in question having low grades throughout college.

In the second study conducted by the APA, 210 college students chose between playing Wolfenstein 3D, a violent video game, or Myst, a nonviolent/peaceful video game. After the study was conducted it was noted that the students who played the violent video game punished their opponents with a noise blast longer than the individuals who chose to play the nonviolent/peaceful game.

“One major concern is the active nature of the learning environment of the video game," the APA authors said. "This medium is potentially more dangerous than exposure to violent television and movies, which are known to have substantial effects on aggression and violence."

"Violent video games provide a forum for learning and practicing aggressive solutions to conflict situations," according to Dr. Anderson from the APA.

"In the short run, playing a violent video game appears to affect aggression by priming aggressive thoughts,” he said. “Longer-term effects are likely to be longer lasting as well, as the player learns and practices new aggression-related scripts that can become more and more accessible for use when real-life conflict situations arise."

More information can be found here: https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2000/04/video-games