computer games

• experimental research

  Bartholow and Anderson - laboratory experiment students either played violent computer game (Mortal Kombat) or non violent game (PGA tournament golf) before asked to deliver blasts of white noise at chosen volumes to punish a non existent opponent - found those that played violent video game selected significantly higher noise levels - concluded violent computer games can cause immediate increase in aggressive behaviour
• correlation study

  Delisi - conducted correlation analysis of data acquired from interviews with 227 juvenile offenders with histories of serious aggression - found offenders aggressive behaviour significantly correlated with how often they played violent computer games in past - concluded computer game violence serious risk factor for aggression
• Meta-analysis

  Greitemeyer and Mugge - meta analysis of 98 studies - found violent video game use linked to increase in aggression whilst exposure to prosocial games linked to an increase in prosocial behaviour - concluded range of evidence supports link between violent computer games and aggression
• RESEARCH EVALUATION - high degree of control over variables

  research conducted in controlled setting of a laboratory allows extraneous variables to be controlled - e.g. Bartholow and Anderson controlled the temperature of room games were played in - high internal validity
• RESEARCH EVALUATION - not measured real life aggression

  ethical issues restricted researchers to alternative measures of aggression - e.g. administering noise blasts used in place of real aggression very different and doesn't involve fear of retaliation - can't be used to predict real life aggression and prevent it
• RESEARCH EVALUATION - overstated effects of media

  typically report only small medium effect sizes - when focusing on small number of studies measuring aggression towards another person influence of media aggression is close to zero - influence of media smaller than often thought
• CORRELATION EVALUATION - doesn't establish a cause and effect


  only establish relationship between two co variables but can't say one co variable caused change in the other - e.g. although might seem to show violent computer games cause people to become more aggressive might only show people already aggressive select aggressive media - limits extent researcher can draw firm conclusions
• EVALUATION - practical applications

  shows negative effects violent media can have but also positive influence prosocial media can have on people, can be used to ensure media has positive effect on society - e.g. encouraging people to play pro social games like the sims to encourage people to look after each other - can ensure media is a force for good in society as much as possible