Teens, Video Games and Civics

Part 2: Video Games’ Relationship to Civic and Political Engagement

Some civic gaming experiences are more common than others.

Between 30% and 76% of teens have these civic gaming experiences “at all.” Relatively few teens reported often having a specific civic gaming experience “often.”

Prevalence of Civic Gaming Experiences

Teens have varying levels of civic gaming experiences.

Individuals also report differing amounts of civic gaming experiences. Teens who have the least civic gaming experiences (those in the bottom 25% of the distribution of civic gaming experiences) report sometimes helping or guiding other players, but are unlikely to report having any other civic gaming experiences. Teens who have average civic gaming experiences (those in the middle 50% of the distribution of civic gaming experiences) typically have had several civic gaming experiences at least sometimes, with a small number of civic gaming experiences occurring often. Teens who have the most civic gaming experiences (those in the top 25% of the distribution of civic gaming experiences) typically have had all the civic gaming experiences at least sometimes, as well as some civic gaming experiences often.

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Copyright 2013 Pew Internet & American Life Project

The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project is one of seven projects that make up the Pew Research Center. The Center is supported by The Pew Charitable Trust.