Desensitization And Aggression Analysis
Desensitization may be a plausible mechanism for heightened aggression. Yet, no previous research has examined whether desensitization explains the association between game exposure and aggression. For this reason, Engelhardt, Bartholow, Kerr, Bushman (2011) examined this association through an empirical experiment. After participants played a violent or a non-violent game, acute desensitization was examined using the amplitude of the P300 component of the event-related brain potential elicited by photographs showing real violence. Aggression was measured by the levels of undesirable noise blasts that were administered by the player to another participant. Results indicate that individuals whose previous exposure to video game aggression was
low, playing a violent game induced a reduction in the brain’s response to photographs of real violence, which in turn increased aggression. However, video games did not influence P300 amplitudes in players whose prior exposure to video game violence was high. In short, acute desensitization can explain the effect of violent games on aggressive outcomes.
There is limited research to support a long-term association between violent video games and aggression. Thence, Bushman and Gibson (2011) examined long-term effects of playing violent video games on aggression. Half of the participants who were randomly assigned to play violent or non-violent games were instructed to ruminate about the game. According to the CNT, they predicted that elevated levels of aggression would be observed 24 hours after game play in violent game players who ruminated about the violence observed in the game, especially men. Results indicate that violent games can arouse aggression for extended periods of time. More specifically, male players who played a violent game and were instructed to ruminate about it displayed higher levels of aggression 24 hours after game exposure. These findings are in line with the CNT, suggesting that rumination keeps aggressive affects and thoughts active in the semantic memory. Hence, there is a long-term relation between playing violent video games and aggression.
Perceptions of video game characters may influence the video game effects. Therefore, Happ, Melzer and Steffgen (2013) investigated whether manipulating empathy for famous characters may influence video game effects in a violent game. The game characters used were Superman or the evil Joker. They found that there was an interaction between empathy and game character and empathy increased negative violent video game effects such as hostile perceptions in participants who had played the evil Joker character as compared to the Superman hero character. Thus, this explains that empathy may not always lead to positive outcomes.
low, playing a violent game induced a reduction in the brain’s response to photographs of real violence, which in turn increased aggression. However, video games did not influence P300 amplitudes in players whose prior exposure to video game violence was high. In short, acute desensitization can explain the effect of violent games on aggressive outcomes.
There is limited research to support a long-term association between violent video games and aggression. Thence, Bushman and Gibson (2011) examined long-term effects of playing violent video games on aggression. Half of the participants who were randomly assigned to play violent or non-violent games were instructed to ruminate about the game. According to the CNT, they predicted that elevated levels of aggression would be observed 24 hours after game play in violent game players who ruminated about the violence observed in the game, especially men. Results indicate that violent games can arouse aggression for extended periods of time. More specifically, male players who played a violent game and were instructed to ruminate about it displayed higher levels of aggression 24 hours after game exposure. These findings are in line with the CNT, suggesting that rumination keeps aggressive affects and thoughts active in the semantic memory. Hence, there is a long-term relation between playing violent video games and aggression.
Perceptions of video game characters may influence the video game effects. Therefore, Happ, Melzer and Steffgen (2013) investigated whether manipulating empathy for famous characters may influence video game effects in a violent game. The game characters used were Superman or the evil Joker. They found that there was an interaction between empathy and game character and empathy increased negative violent video game effects such as hostile perceptions in participants who had played the evil Joker character as compared to the Superman hero character. Thus, this explains that empathy may not always lead to positive outcomes.