15.6.1 Effects of Computer Games

• Aggression refers to any behavior—either physical or verbal—that is intentional and aims to cause harm
• Physical aggression involves using physical force to harm or intimidate
• Hitting someone is an example of physical aggression
• Verbal aggression employs words to hurt or denigrate
• Insults are a form of verbal aggression
• Media influence on behavior occurs through mechanisms such as observational learning, desensitization, and social scripts
• Desensitization to violence can reduce emotional responses
• Ordering the process of observational learning:

  1️⃣ Observation of behavior

  2️⃣ Imitation of behavior

  3️⃣ Reinforcement or reward
• Repeated exposure to violent content in computer games can lead to desensitization
• Observational learning in computer games can lead players to imitate aggressive behaviors
• Steps in the process of desensitization to violence:

  1️⃣ Exposure to violent content

  2️⃣ Reduced emotional response

  3️⃣ Increased tolerance for violence
• What are three mechanisms through which computer games can affect aggression?

  Desensitization, Observational Learning, Social Scripts
• Repeated exposure to violent content in computer games leads to desensitization
• Observational learning in computer games involves imitating aggressive behaviors observed in game characters.
• What are social scripts in the context of computer games?

  Patterns of behavior adopted
• Match the aggression mechanism with its effect:

  Desensitization ↔️ Reduced emotional response to violence

  Observational Learning ↔️ Increased aggressive behavior through imitation

  Social Scripts ↔️ Adoption of aggressive patterns of behavior
• What did a study find about players of violent video games compared to those who played non-violent games?

  Increased aggressive thoughts
• Aggression is defined as any behavior—either physical or verbal—that is intentional and aims to cause harm
• The formula for aggression includes intentional harm and a target.
• What are examples of physical aggression?

  Hitting, pushing, kicking
• Match the type of aggression with its medium:

  Physical Aggression ↔️ Physical force

  Verbal Aggression ↔️ Words
• Media influence on behavior can occur through observational learning, desensitization, and the adoption of social scripts
• How does desensitization affect emotional responses to violence?

  Reduces emotional responses
• Order the mechanisms of media influence on aggression from most to least immediate:

  1️⃣ Observational Learning

  2️⃣ Social Scripts

  3️⃣ Desensitization
• What did a study find about players of violent video games regarding their aggressive thoughts and behaviors?

  Increased aggressive thoughts
• Social Learning Theory suggests aggressive behaviors are learned by observing and imitating violence, especially when rewarded.
• Cognitive priming occurs when exposure to violent media activates aggressive thoughts and feelings
• What happens to emotional responses after repeated exposure to violence, according to desensitization?

  They are reduced
• Match the psychological theory with its key concept:

  Social Learning Theory ↔️ Observation, imitation, reward

  Cognitive Priming ↔️ Activation of aggressive thoughts

  Desensitization ↔️ Reduced emotional response
• What did Bandura's Bobo doll experiment demonstrate about aggression?

  Observational learning
• Longitudinal studies have found that higher exposure to media violence correlates with increased desensitization and cognitive priming.
• Match the study type with its advantage:

  Experimental Studies ↔️ Establish causal relationships

  Correlational Studies ↔️ Higher ecological validity
• Aggression is defined as behavior that is intentional and aims to cause harm
• The formula for aggression includes intentional harm and target.
• What is an example of physical aggression?

  Punching someone
• There are two main types of aggression: physical aggression and verbal
• Match the type of aggression with its medium:

  Physical Aggression ↔️ Physical force

  Verbal Aggression ↔️ Words
• Observational learning occurs when individuals learn by watching others, particularly when the behavior is rewarded
• Repeated exposure to violent content leads to desensitization.
• What is the role of role models in observational learning?

  To demonstrate behavior