Do Video Games Lead to Antisocial Behavior?

I'm no fan of censorship in any form, and I have a hard time believing that a few hours of Grand Theft Auto could cause someone to really steal a car and murder a hooker, at least any more than playing Guitar Hero could make me a rock star or Viva Pinata could make me a better gardener.

And yet, more and more evidence points to the subtle effect that video games have on our psyche, and our real-life actions. This time, an interesting study confirming an effect I've experienced many a time: After playing a driving-based video game, 27 percent of drivers (ages 16 to 24) found that they were more likely to speed or take risks when behind the wheel. A roughly equal number said that they imagined that they were in a game while driving. That's a little scary.

Naturally, these results are hardly scientific (they're the result of a survey, not an experiment), so the conclusions are up for debate. Some drivers report that they feel gaming makes them better behind the wheel, for example. And critics note that real-life conditions in the present have a far greater impact on how you drive than a video game you might have played an hour earlier.

Still, it's hard not to imagine games having some effect on how you behave. I know I've been tempted to hop a curb at a red light on more than one occasion, or simply grab a new car when I'm running low on gas. But hey, this is the real world, and I doubt such behavior would be tolerated for long. I've never really done it...

The Brits can do a survey, so there's nothing stopping us from doing one too. What do you think about gaming and driving? Got any stories (good or bad) about how video games hurt (or helped) behind the wheel? Let everyone know in the comments below.