Directory
Program
- Confidentiality
- Assessment
Services
- Advantages
- Library
Email
Phone: 437-4776
FastCounter
by bCentral
View best @
800x600 pixels
Internet Explorer
"Violent Video Games Can Increase Aggression"
There are so many elements within our lives that affect our being. This week the subject of game violence will be addressed for you to think about.
Playing violent video games can increase a person's aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviour both in laboratory settings and in actual life, according to two studies appearing in the American Psychological Association's Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Furthermore, violent video games may be more harmful than violent television and movies because they are interactive, very engrossing and require the player to identify with the aggressor.
One study reveals that young men who are habitually aggressive may be especially vulnerable to the aggression enhancing effects of repeated exposure to violent games. Another study reveals that even a brief exposure to violent video games can temporarily increase aggressive behaviour in all types of participants.
The first study involved 227 college students who completed a measure of trait aggressiveness and reported their actual aggressive behaviours (delinquency) in the recent past. They also reported their video game playing habits. It was found that students who reported playing more violent video games in junior and high school engaged in more aggressive behaviour. Also, the amount of time spent playing video games in the past was associated with lower academic grades in college.
In the second study, 210 college students played either a violent game or non-violent game. A short time later, the students who played the violent video game punished an opponent (received a noise blast with varying intensity) for a longer period of time than did students who had played the non-violent video game.
Violent video games provide a forum for learning and practicing aggressive solutions to conflict situations. In the short run, playing a violent video game appears to affect aggression by priming aggressive thoughts. Longer-term effects are likely to be longer lasting as well, as the player learns and practices new aggression-related scripts that can become more and more accessible for use when real-life conflict situations arise. One major concern is the active nature of the learning environment of the video game. This medium is potentially more dangerous than exposure to violent television and movies, which are known to have substantial effects on aggression and violence.
What video game controls your personality?
Unauthorized duplication strictly prohibited
Lower Mainland Assessment & Referral Service©