If you think more people in your life have picked up the habit of playing video games in any kind of form, you’re not wrong according to a recent survey regarding Americans and video games.
The Pew Research Center survey found that just under 49% of Americans say they at least occasionally play some form of video game on a computer, TV, tablet or cellphone. However, as for the label of gamer, only 10% of them identified as one.
Another interesting number from the survey is the gender issue, which was a hot topic this year, although not for good reasons. The study found that 50% of men and 48% of women have played a video game occasionally or more. However, 60% of Americans believe that most people who play video games are men, a view shared by 57% of the women who play video games. Men are more likely to call themselves gamers: 15% to 6%.
But while it seems more and more people are playing video games, the public’s view on this pass time, hobby or even profession, remains divided. There are 40% of Americans who believe that there is a relationship between video game violence and violent behavior, while 32% of those who play video games make the connection as well. Women (47%) tend to agree a lot more than men (31%) that playing violent video games is more likely to lead to real life violence.
For the full Pew Research Center report, which has a lot more interesting points, check out their website.