Barlett, C. P. , Anderson C. A. , Swing, E. L. (2009). Video game effects confirmed, suspected, and speculative: A review of the evidence. Stimulation

Barlett, C. P. , Anderson C. A. , Swing, E. L. (2009). Video game effects confirmed, suspected, and speculative: A review of the evidence. Stimulation & Gaming, 40, 337-403.

Barlett et al. present a detailed review of scholarship pertaining to the effects of video game violence on children. The article summarizes several opposing views within the debate on media violence. Barlett et al. categorize the views into two distinct sections that either suggest video games have positive or negative effects on children. Likewise, Barlett et al. do a wonderful job of defining the various theories pertinent to the study of media violence and video games studies. The article briefly covers everything from the video game’s ability to aid a student’s hand-eye coordination to the promotion of narcissistic thoughts in children while playing games.

The review does an excellent job of juggling the many opposing views concerning media violence and presents much of the conflicting evidence that supports the claims of many scholars in a single coherent essay. Thus, the article is essentially an annotated bibliography that can lead scholars of video game studies to an immense amount of information; much of which is the best in the field. Therefore, I would argue that the article is worth reading simply for its extensive bibliography and the authors’ ability to compress an immense amount of information into a well-written concise article.