Experimental studies

• lab based experiments have shown that the effects of violent video games is that they increase aggression
• Bartholow and Anderson- students played either a violent computer game (Mortal Kombat) or a nonviolent game (PGA Tournament Golf) for 10 minutes
• Then they carried out the Taylor Competitive Reaction Time Task, A standard laboratory measure of aggression in which the students delivered blasts of white noise that chosen volumes to punish a non-existent opponent
• Violent game players selected a higher noise level 5.97, compared to nonviolent gameplayers 4.6

  shows exposure to violent video games makes people more likely to display simulated aggression
• This can be explained by cognitive priming exposure to violent video game 'script' of how aggression plays out stored in memory made participants primed to be aggressive aggressive ,

  cue in the environment triggered the script non consciously→ led to increased levels of aggression