aggression - video games

Question 1

Media influences of aggression: what are the 4 types of studies do they use for research into video games

Answer 1

-experimental
-correlational
-longitudinal
-meta-analyses

Question 2

what experimental study was done for effects of computer games on aggression, who did it?

Answer 2

lab-based study: bartholow + Anderson 2002

Question 3

procedure of Bartholow and Anderson lab study

Answer 3

-students played violent videos games (mortal combat) or non violent games (tournament golf) for 10mins.
-then carried out Taylor competitive reaction task game (TCRTT)
-standard lab measure of aggression which students delivered blasts go white noise at chosen volumes to punish (non-existent) opponent.

Question 4

findings of Bartholow and Anderson lab study

Answer 4

-violent games S selected significantly higher noise levels than non-violent Players
-5.97 and 4.60 decibels

Question 5

who did the correlational study for effects of computer games on aggression and sample

Answer 5

DeLisi et al 2013
-studied 227 juvenile offenders with history of serious aggressive behaviour.
e.g. hitting parent, teachers or gang fighting

Question 6

what was DeLisi et al procedure

Answer 6

-used structured interviews gathered data on several measures of aggression + violent computer games

Question 7

what did DeLisi et al find

Answer 7

found: offenders with aggressive beh correlated with how often they play violent computer games + how much they enjoyed them.
-Researchers argued: link so well established that aggression should be considered public health issue + computer game violence a significant risk factor.

Question 8

who did a longitudinal study was done for effect of video games on aggression and his aim

Answer 8

Roberson et al 2013
-aim: find link between ‘excessive’ tv viewing in childhood + aggressive beh in adulthood.

Question 9

what was Roberson et al’s sample

Answer 9

studied 1037 people born in New Zealand 1972 + 73

Question 10

what did Roberson et al measure

Answer 10

measured their TV viewing hours at regular intervals up to age of 26

Question 11

what did Roberson et al findings

Answer 11

found: time spent watching TV was reliable predictor of aggressive beh in adulthood - measured by convictions for violent crimes.
-watched more tv more likely to be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder.

Question 12

what did Roberson et al study show for aggression

Answer 12

shows: most important media related factor in aggression may be amount of TV watched rather than whether it has violent content or not.

Question 13

who did the meta-analysis for effect of computer games on aggression

Answer 13

Anderson et al 2010

Question 14

how many studies did Anderson et al use and how many types of methodology

Answer 14

136 studies 3 types of methodology

Question 15

what was Anderson et al’s findings

Answer 15

found association with aggressive beh and exposure to violent video games.
-findings true in both male + females across collectivist + individualist cultures.
-higher quality studies in analysis showed even greater significant effect.

Question 16

what did Anderson et al claim for aggression from his meta-anaylsis

Answer 16

claim the effect of violent game playing on aggressive behaviour is greater effect of 2nd hand smoke on cancer.
-analysis also showed no indication that publication bias influenced the results.

Question 17

Evaluation of the effects of computer games on aggression

Answer 17

Experimental Studies:
+ allow us to establish casual link between media aggression + aggressive beh.
-lab studies = artificial + unrealistic situations
Taylor competitive reaction time task: unrealistic.
also don’t involve any fear if retaliation unlike the real world.
Correlational studies:
-limitation inability to draw cause-and-effect conclusions. no variables are manipulated or controlled + no random allocation.
Longitudinal studies:
-can study long term changes in aggressive behaviour over time and media influences.
-also views people as active consumers rather than passive which is more realistic of how people interact with media.
-however longitudinal vulnerable to confounding variables.
-many other sources interact with media influences e.g. role models.
-becomes difficult to separate them all