Media Influences: Computer Games Evaluation Flashcards
1
Q
LIMITATION: Measures of aggression are artificial
A
- Taylor Competitive Time Task measures aggression as the volume of noise selected by participants as punishment - an unrealistic measure
- Aggression measures in lab situations are also unrealistic as they do not involve retaliation- pps can be safely aggressive
- casts doubt on the validity of experimental studies and in the link between media violence and aggression.
2
Q
LIMITATION: correlations cannot draw cause and effect conclusions
A
- No variables are manipulated or controlled and there is random allocation of participants to violent or non violent media conditions
- A positive correlation between violent computer games and aggression can be explained by socialisation (violent games cause ppl to be aggressive) or selection (ppl who are already aggressive choose violent games)
- Direction of causality cannot be settled by correlational studies, leaving us the question of exactly how computer games influence aggression.
3
Q
LIMITATION: Longitudinal studies have cofounding variables
A
- Longitudinal studies are conducted over lengthy periods of time
- Many sources of aggression interact with media influences over this period. It is difficult to separate them and assess contributions to aggressive behaviour.
- Therefore it is impossible to conclude that it is violent media such as computer games that have affected aggression