Playing violent shooting-based video games may not only perk up firing accuracy but at the same time influence players to aim for the head when using a real gun, a new study has revealed. <img alt="" src="/imagedata/2012/may/games123.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 366px; " /> Representational picture The authors Jodi L. Whitaker and Brad J. Bushman tested 151 college students by having them play different types of violent and non-violent video games, including games with human targets where players are rewarded for hitting the targets&#39;&#39; heads. Just after playing the game for only 20 minutes, participants shot 16 bullets from a realistic gun at a life-size, human-shaped mannequin. Participants who played a violent shooting game using a pistol-shaped controller hit the mannequin 33 percent more than did other participants and hit the mannequins&#39;&#39; head 99 percent more often. &quot;In the violent shooting game, participants were rewarded for accurately aiming and firing at humanoid enemies who were instantly killed if shot in the head,&quot; said the authors. &quot;Players were therefore more likely to repeat this behavior outside of the video game context,&quot; they said. The researcher&#39;&#39;s findings remained noteworthy even after controlling for firearm experience, attitudes about gun use, amount of exposure to violent shooting games, and overall level of aggressiveness of the player. &quot;Just as a person might train how to use a sword by first practicing with a wooden replica, the pistol-shaped controller served as a more realistic implement with which to hone skills that more easily transferred to aiming and firing a gun in the real world,&quot; the authors said. &quot;These results indicate the powerful potential of video games to teach or increase skills, including potentially lethal weapon use,&quot; they added. The study appears in Communication Research, published by SAGE.u00a0

Although shooting-based games improve your accuracy, their side effects are equally dangerous 

Violent video games have 'deadly' effect on players

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Violent video games have 'deadly' effect on players

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