The effects of computer games

• Experimental studies, Bartholow + Anderson

  Method: Played a violent computer game or nonviolent game for 10 minutes

  • Then carried out the Taylor competitive reaction time task (TCRTT) - Lab measure of aggression
  • Students delivered blasts of white noise to punish an appointment

  Findings:

  • Violent game - Significantly higher noise levels
• Correlational studies, DeLisi et al

  Method: Studies 230 juvenile offenders with histories of serious aggressive behaviours

  • Unstructured interviews - Data on measures of aggression and violent computer games

  Findings:

  • Aggressive behaviour - Significantly correlated with how often they played violent computer games + How much they enjoyed them

  Conclusion - High link aggression should be considered a public health issues with computer game violence a significant risk factor
• Longitudinal studies, Robertson et al

  Methods: Studied 100 ppl and measured TV viewing hours

  Findings: Time spent watching Tv - Predictor for aggressive behaviour

  • More TV - More likely to by diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder

  Conclusion: How long not what is watched
• Meta-analysis, Anderson

  • 140 studies with the methodology outlines above

  Findings:

  • Exposure to violent games - Increase in aggressive behaviour, thoughts and feelings
  • In collectivist and individualist cultures
• Evaluation of effects of computer games on aggression - Experimental studies

  Pro:

  Establish casual link with media aggression and aggressive behaviour

  Con:

  Measure of aggression within lab studies - Artificial and unrealistic

  No fear of retaliation unlike the real world
• Evaluation of effects of computer games on aggression - Correlational studies

  Pro:

  • Investigate realistic forms of aggression

  Cons:

  • Inability to draw cause-and-effect conclusions
  • No variables manipulated or controlled
  • No random allocation of ppts
• Evaluation of effects of computer games on aggressions - Longitudinal studies

  Pros:

  • Dynamic nature for long term can be studies
  • Ppl are seen as consumers than recipients - More realistic of media interactions

  Cons:

  • Confounding variables - Other factors would influence aggression
  • Hard to separate them all