EFFECTS OF COMPUTER GAMES

• what are the studies on computer games?

  experimental, correlational, longitudinal, meta-analysis
• what is the experiment study?

  Bartholow and Anderson - lab study where students played games for 10 minutes either a violent computer game (mortal kombat) or non violent (PGA tournament golf). Then carried out the TCRTT, those who played violent game selected significantly higher noise levels compared to non violent
• what is the TCRTT?

  taylor competitive reaction time test, standard laboratory measure of aggression in which students are told to deliver blasts of white noise at a chosen volumes to punish a non existent opponent
• what was the correlational study?

  DeLisi et al studied 227 juvenile offenders, all had histories of serious and aggressive behaviours. Used structured interviews, gathered data on several measures of aggression and violent computer games. Positive correlation between how often they played violent computer games and how much they enjoyed them. Link is so well established that aggression should be considered a public health risk
• what was the longitudinal study?

  Robertson et al - wanted to see if there was a link between excessive tv watching in childhood and aggressive behaviour in adulthood. Studied 1037 people born in New Zealand between 1972-1973, measured regular tv viewing hours up to 26 years. Those who spent the most time watching TV were more likely to be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder and have aggressive personality traits. TV watched was more important rather than the violent content
• what was the meta analysis study?

  Anderson et al - meta analysis of 136 studies with the 3 types of methodology, found an exposure to violent computer games was associated with increases in aggressive behaviour, thoughts and feelings, true for both collectivist and individualist cultures. Greater than the effect of secondhand smoke on cancer
• Strength of experimental study

  able to find a causal link between effect of computer games on aggression.

  Able to replicate

  controlled variables
• Weaknesses of experimental study

  TCRTT - very artificial, does not reflect real life aggression as people retaliate
• Strength of correlation study

  first hand quantitative data with lots of detail, allows greater validity
• Weakness of correlational study

  correlation not causation
• strength of longitudinal study?

  media changes and reflects this, temporal validity
• weaknesses of longitudinal study?

  vulnerable to confounding variables as family, role models and life situations change
• strength of meta analysis

  no indication of publication bias
• weaknesses of the meta analysis

  file drawer problem - non significant findings are ignored, paints an unfinished picture