A new study out from the University of Missouri has found a link in violent video games to increased aggressive behavior. The study finds that games help provide a lowered response to violence, and subsequently a willingness to conduct violence. The study does not conclude, however, that gaming is an extenuating circumstance in the actual creation of violence in society.
The study looked into how the brain accepted and processed the input of violence, and how persons would react to depictions of different images, both violent and non-violent. Participants in the study were asked to compete against an opponent (computer controlled) that allowed them to hit them with an uncomfortable blast of loud noise to a set time duration of their choice.
The results were measured on the level of noise that was set, and those exposed to violent video games were more likely to be aggressive towards their opponent.
All is not lost for those arguing against the correlation between violence and gaming, since the study simply confirmed that desensitization occurred, akin to other depictions of violent imagery and actions.
“The fact that video game exposure did not affect the brain activity of participants who already had been highly exposed to violent games is interesting and suggests a number of possibilities,” said Bruce Bartholow, associate professor at the University of Missouri.
“It could be that those individuals are already so desensitized to violence from habitually playing violent video games that an additional exposure in the lab has very little effect on their brain responses.”
“There also could be an unmeasured factor that causes both a preference for violent video games and a smaller brain response to violence. In either case, there are additional measures to consider.”
“More than any other media, these video games encourage active participation in violence,” continued Bartholow. “From a psychological perspective, video games are excellent teaching tools because they reward players for engaging in certain types of behavior. Unfortunately, in many popular video games, the behavior is violence.”
“Violent videogame playing is one casual factor in increasing aggression. That doesn’t mean that we believe as scientists that video games are the primary cause of violent society, or anything close to that. Rather, playing violent video games is one cause, one reason why people might become more aggressive.”
