Media Influences On Aggression: The Effects Of Computer Games

Question 1

Whichever form of media psychologists study, including computer games, they do so using 3 basic methodologies:

Answer 1

1- experimental studies (usually lab-based and look at the ST effects of computer games on aggression- they can demonstrate cause and effect8
2- correlational studies (investigate real life variables and usually short term)
3- longitudinal studies (correlational studies conducted over a period of time looking at LT effects)

• a fourth methodology= meta-analyses = brings together above 3 types to give an overall judgement of the size of effect of violent media on aggressive media)

Question 2

Several experimental studies of the effects of computer games have been carried out in labs for example

Answer 2

• Bartholow and Anderson got students to play either a violent game or a non-violent video game for 10 mins
• they then all carried out the Taylor Competitive Reaction Time Task (TCRTT)= a standard laboratory measure of aggression in which the students delivered blasts of white noise at chosen volumes to punish a non-existent opponent
• those who played the violent video game selected significantly higher noise levels compared with the non-violent players

Question 3

Explain the identified positive correlation between aggression and violent video games

Answer 3

• correlational studies measure the extent of the relationship between exposure to violent video games and aggression
• e.g. DeLisi et al studied over 200 juvenile offenders who all had a history of serious aggressive behaviours e.g. hitting a teacher or parent, or gang fighting
• they used structured interviews to gather data on several measures of aggression and computer-game playing
• the offenders’ aggressive behaviour was significantly positively correlated with how often they played violent computer games and how much they enjoyed them
• the researchers argued that this link is so well-established it should be considered a public health issue like HIV/AIDS and computer game violence a significant risk factor like condom non-use

Question 4

Explain how computer-game playing led to increased aggression across genders and cultures

Answer 4

• Anderson et at performed a meta-analysis of over 100 studies including experimental, correlational and longitudinal research
• exposure to violent video games was associated with increase in aggressive behaviours, thoughts and feelings which was true for both men and women across individualistic and collectivist cultures
• Anderson et al claimed that the effect of violent video-game playing on aggressive behaviours is greater than the effect is second-hand smoke on cancer

Question 5

What are the evaluation points?

Answer 5

❌ measures of aggression I.e. TCRTT which measures aggression in terms of how much loud noise is selected
❌ correlations
❌ confounding variables in longitudinal studies
❌ publication bias- file drawer effect
❌ issue with experimental studies is the non-equivalence problem e.g. complexity of video game is confounding variable between violent and non violent video games