effect of computer games on aggression
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Cards (16)
- examples of media influence on aggression?
- tv
- films
- magazines
- computer games
- argument about effect of video games?
- some believe it causes aggression
- others argue it decreases aggression
- carnegey 2007?
- found that when p who had played on violent video game for 20 mins watched film of real life violence had lower heart rates & galvanic skin responses compared to those who played non violent video game
- shows playing video games do affect aggression
- playing them desensitised people to real life violence - no longer perceive it to be big deal
- more likely to be aggressive themselves in real life as they dont perceive it to be a bad thing
- matthews 2006?
- found when p played violent computer games they had decreased activity in prefrontal lobe & more activity in amygdala
- shows video games do influence aggression
- as amygdala is responsible for aggression & there was increased activity due to video games it shows video games cause aggression
- kestenbaum & weinstein 1985?
- found that in sample of adolscent males that use of computer games actually helped to release aggression & feel calmer
- AKA carthatic releasing aggression
- shows that video games arent always negative form of aggression & can actually be a way to relieve aggression
- this would suggest that playing video games is a positive activity
- 5 X of research into effect of computer games?
- deterministic
- use of lab experiments
- correlational
- increase in short term aggression
- problem operationalising what is aggressive
- X deterministic?
- suggests aggression is pre-determined by playing violent computer games
- pro - can intervene & stop people from playing computer games that are violent - putting age restrictions on them & stopping people from playing them
- con - ignored role of free will
- some people will continue to play regardless of age ratings
- everyone may react differently in real life to playing video games
- cannot pre-detemine peoples behaviour as everyone responds differently & choose how to behave
- many people choose not to be aggressive in real life
- X use of lab experiments?
- pro - control evs such as environment/control any distractions so that only computer games have influence on aggression
- can establish cause & effect between computer games & aggression
- con - artificial tasks are created in order to test effects of computer games
- eg its not realisitic to play game with electrodes on head without any distractions so behaviour thats being measured is unnatural & not reflecting real life.
- doesnt truly reflect real life aggression
- findings cannot be generalised to real life aggression
- X correlational?
- although we can establish cause & effect relationship between computer games & aggression its unclear about causal relationship between them
- cannot be concluded that it is computer games causing aggression/aggression causes use of computer games/other factors influencing both of these variables.
- cause & effect cant be established between computer games & aggression directly
- may be other methods that provide more findings about cause of aggression
- X increase in short term aggression?
- increase in heart rate is only short term effect of aggression from computer games
- means that aggression after computer game my be short lived
- suggests that by playing computer games does not cause long term aggressive behaviour as cannot be sure this continues once game has stopped being played
- computer games may not cause people to be aggressive in real life for long periods of time
- could be situation causing them to be aggressive rather than playing game
- X problems operationalising what is aggressive?
- aggression is interpreted differently by different people & in different pieces of research
- eg some people consider mario kart to be aggressive but its not been intended to be an aggressive game
- its difficult to operationalise what aggression is to research it