Christopher J. Ferguson
Behavioral, Applied Sciences and Criminal Justice
Texas A&M International University
5201 University Boulevard
Laredo, Texas 78041
U.S.A.

My research has been on violent behavior. I am interested in examining violent behavior from a multivariate format, examining the combined impact of genetics, family environment, personality, mental health, and media violence. Much of my research lately has focused on positive and negative effects of playing violent video games.
Recent research I've been involved in has questioned the common belief in psychology that media violence contributes to aggression. I've been very interested in the sociology of media violence research itself...how the research field has become influenced by ideology and dogma, and how this relates to other research fields in psychology.
 Books:
Ferguson, C. J. (Ed.). (2009). Violent crime: Clinical and social implications. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Journal Articles:
Ferguson, C. J. (in press). Media violence effects: Confirmed truth, or just another x-file? Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice, 9(2).
Ferguson, C. J. (in press). The school shooting/violent video game link: Causal link or moral panic? Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling.
Ferguson, C. J. (2007). Evidence for publication bias in video game violence effects literature: A meta-analytic review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 12, 470-482.
Ferguson, C. J. (2007). The good, the bad and the ugly: A meta-analytic review of positive and negative effects of violent video games. Psychiatric Quarterly, 78, 309-316.
Ferguson, C. J. (2002). Media violence: Miscast causality. American Psychologist, 57(6-7), 446-447.
Ferguson, C. J., Cruz, A. M., Martinez, D., Rueda, S. M., Ferguson, D. E., & Negy, C. (in press). Personality, parental, and media influences on aggressive personality and violent crime in young adults. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma.
Ferguson, C. J., Cruz, A., & Rueda, S. (2008). Gender, video game playing habits and visual memory tasks. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 58, 279-286.
Ferguson, C. J. (in press). Genetic contributions to antisocial personality and behavior (APB): A meta-analytic review (1996-2006) from an evolutionary perspective. Journal of Social Psychology.
Ferguson, C. J., Rueda, S., Cruz, A., Ferguson, D., Fritz, S., & Smith, S. (2008). Violent video games and aggression: Causal relationship or byproduct of family violence and intrinsic violence motivation? Criminal Justice and Behavior, 35, 311-332.
Ferguson, C. J., & Rueda, S. M. (in press). Examining the validity of the Modified Taylor Competitive Reaction Time Test of aggression. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 5(2).
Ferguson, C. J., San Miguel, C., Kilburn, J., & Sanchez, P. (2007). The effectiveness of school-based anti-bullying programs: A meta-analytic review. Criminal Justice Review, 32. 401-414.
Ferguson, C. J., Smith, S., Miller-Stratton, S., Fritz, S., & Heinrich, E. (2008). Aggression in the laboratory: Problems with the validity of the modified Taylor Competitive Reaction Time Test as a measure of aggression in media violence studies. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, and Trauma, 17, 118-132.
Other Publications:
Ferguson, C. J. (2008). Youth bashing gets old. Chronicle of Higher Education, 54(48), B5.
Ferguson, C. J. (2007). Video games: The latest scapegoat for violence. Chronicle of Higher Education: Chronicle Review, 53(42), p. B20.
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