From brain damage and violence to antisocial behaviour and addiction, young people are constantly being warned about the harmful effects of video games.
Now researchers from Oxford University have found that the above attitudes are more likely to by people who have never played video games.
The Oxford Internet Institute study of 2,000 people from the US asked how often they play video games and to rate how much they agree with the statement: "Violent computer games cause real-life aggression."
The research found that men who never or almost never play electronic games were three and a half times more likely to believe that the link with violence in the real world exists than those who play most days.
Dr Andrew Przybylski at the Oxford Internet Institute, who wrote the report, said: "Older men without gaming experience were the most concerned about online games being linked to aggressive behaviour. The debate swings the other way when younger men with gaming experience are asked the same question."
The study also revealed that women were found to be almost twice as likely as men of all ages to believe video games contributed to real world violence.
"Overall women were less likely to believe there was a gaming-aggressive link than older men," added Przybylski.
"This study is the first step towards understanding a wider aspect of that conversation. As the average age of online gamers continues to rise, this study suggests that the public debate around electronic games may become less polarised."
Researchers added that no conclusive proof that violent games make people more aggressive has not yet been found.
