Cooper And Mackie Study Flashcards
Aim of the study was…
To understand if playing or watching violent video games led to aggression
Sample was…
84 children aged 9-11 from schools in New Jersey, USA
Method was…
Lab experiment → independent measures design
Step 1:
Children randomly assigned into pairs to either play or watch a game for 8 minutes
These games were either…
Missile command (violent) - pacman ( non - violent) or a paper maze (control)
Step 2: after the 8 minutes…
Chiller went to the playroom and the type of toy they chose was observed
Children could choose between 4 toy types. These were…
Aggressive, active, quiet, or skill
Step 3: children were then…
Asked questions about how long they would reward/punish someone using a buzzer
What did the results show?
Participants who played or watched aggressive game spent longer with aggressive toys
→ only because of girls. No difference for boys
Boys played with aggressive toys more, regardless of game
Type of game had no impact on interpersonal aggression (buzzer activity)
Conclusion was…
Playing or watching violent games impacted violent behaviour in girls, not boys
