The recent research found out that playing violent video games not only increases aggression but also makes people cheat and eat more chocolate. These effects were strongest in young players who scored high on a scale for “moral disengagement” (ability to convince himself or herself that ethics don’t apply in a certain situation).

The research took place in Italy, with 170 teenagers playing a violent video game like Grand Theft Auto III, or a non-violent game like MiniGolf 3D, for 45 minutes. A bowl with chocolate was placed next to the gaming console, and the players were allowed to eat sweets, but warned that eating too much so fast was unhealthy. Surprisingly enough, the teens playing the violent games ate over 3 times as much chocolate as the other players. Perhaps, a more active game may result in a bigger appetite.

The next thing is about cheating. After the gaming session, the participants were given a 10-item logic test where they would get one ticket for a prize raffle for each correct answer. After finding out which answers were correct, the players were told to take their tickets while not being watched. Knowing exactly how many tickets were there, it could later be figured out whether a player had taken more than they had actually earned. So, violent game players cheated 8 times more often than nonviolent gamers.

Finally, the teens’ level of aggression was measured by having them play a game with an unseen fictional “partner” for the chance to blast the loser with a loud noise via headphones. Violent game players chose to blast their partners with louder and longer noises than nonviolent gamers. Although few teens remained unaffected by violent video games, the research in question could address the question of who was most likely to be affected.

According to the research, the effects were seen among both male and female participants. The surprising part was that the girls were more likely to eat extra chocolate, to cheat, and to act aggressively when they played Grand Theft Auto vs. the harmless mini golf or pinball game.