scholarly journals Insensitive Players? A Relationship between Violent Video Game Exposure and Recognition of Negative Emotions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ewa Miedzobrodzka ◽  
Jacek Buczny ◽  
Elly Konijn ◽  
Lydia Krabbendam
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Recognition ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Lower Sensitivity ◽  
Social Situations ◽  
Violent Video Game ◽  
Matching Test ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Pro Social Behavior

An ability to accurately recognize negative emotions in others can initiate pro-social behavior and prevent anti-social actions. For that reason, it remains of an interest of scholars studying effects of violent video games. While exposure to such games was linked to slower emotion recognition, the evidence regarding accuracy of emotion recognition among players of violent games is weak and inconsistent. The present research investigated the relationship between violent video game exposure (VVGE) and accuracy of recognition of negative emotions. We measured the level of VVGE in hours per day and the accuracy of emotion recognition using the Facial Expressions Matching Test. The results of two studies, with adolescents (Study 1; N = 67) and with adults (Study 2; N = 151), showed that VVGE was negatively related to accurate recognition of negative emotions, even if controlled for age, gender, and trait empathy. In line with violent media desensitization model, our findings suggest that higher VVGE relates to lower recognition of negative emotional expressions of other people. On one hand, such lower recognition of negative emotions may underlie inaccurate reactions in real-life social situations. On the other hand, lower sensitivity to social cues may help players to better focus on their performance in a violent game.

scholarly journals Insensitive Players? A Relationship Between Violent Video Game Exposure and Recognition of Negative Emotions

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ewa Miedzobrodzka ◽  
Jacek Buczny ◽  
Elly A. Konijn ◽  
Lydia C. Krabbendam
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Recognition ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Negative Emotion ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Lower Sensitivity ◽  
Violent Video Game ◽  
Causal Direction ◽  
Matching Test ◽  
The One

An ability to accurately recognize negative emotions in others can initiate pro-social behavior and prevent anti-social actions. Thus, it remains of an interest of scholars studying effects of violent video games. While exposure to such games was linked to slower emotion recognition, the evidence regarding accuracy of emotion recognition among players of violent games is weak and inconsistent. The present research investigated the relationship between violent video game exposure (VVGE) and accuracy of negative emotion recognition. We assessed the level of self-reported VVGE in hours per day and the accuracy of the recognition using the Facial Expressions Matching Test. The results, with adolescents (Study 1; N = 67) and with adults (Study 2; N = 151), showed that VVGE was negatively related to accurate recognition of negative emotion expressions, even if controlled for age, gender, and trait empathy, but no causal direction could be assessed. In line with the violent media desensitization model, our findings suggest that higher self-reported VVGE relates to lower recognition of negative emotional expressions of other people. On the one hand, such lower recognition of negative emotions may underlie inaccurate reactions in real-life social situations. On the other hand, lower sensitivity to social cues may help players to better focus on their performance in a violent game.

The Hitman Study

2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Ferguson ◽  
Stephanie M. Rueda
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Mood Management ◽  
Video Game Play ◽  
Video Game Playing ◽  
Violent Video Game ◽  
The Social

This article explores commonly discussed theories of violent video game effects: the social learning, mood management, and catharsis hypotheses. An experimental study was carried out to examine violent video game effects. In this study, 103 young adults were given a frustration task and then randomized to play no game, a nonviolent game, a violent game with good versus evil theme (i.e., playing as a good character taking on evil), or a violent game in which they played as a “bad guy.” Results indicated that randomized video game play had no effect on aggressive behavior; real-life violent video game-playing history, however, was predictive of decreased hostile feelings and decreased depression following the frustration task. Results do not support a link between violent video games and aggressive behavior, but do suggest that violent games reduce depression and hostile feelings in players through mood management.

scholarly journals Violent Video Games and Attitudes Towards Victims of Crime

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lavinia McLean ◽  
Mark D. Griffiths
Keyword(s):  
Video Games ◽  
Young People ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Relevant Research ◽  
Violent Video Games ◽  
Violent Video Game ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Victims Of Crime ◽  
The Relationship

Previous research has indicated that playing violent video games may be associated with an increase in acceptance of violence and positive attitudes towards perpetrators of crime. This study is the first to investigate the relationship between playing violent video games and attitudes towards victims of crime. A total of 206 young people (aged 12-24 years) completed measures of attitudes towards victims and violent video game exposure. The results suggest that exposure to violent video games is associated with less concern being reported for victims of crime. Young people who play more violent video games reported less concern for general victims and for culpable victims, and these effects cannot be explained by gender or age differences. The results are discussed in relation to relevant research in the area, along with recommendations for future research.

scholarly journals Moral Disengagement Strategies in Videogame Players and Sports Players

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Lavinia McLean ◽  
Mark D. Griffiths
Keyword(s):  
Video Game ◽  
Moral Disengagement ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Relevant Research ◽  
Game Play ◽  
Video Game Play ◽  
Video Gamers ◽  
The Relationship

Research in the area of video game play and sports psychology has suggested that specific strategies are often employed by players to justify aggressive behaviour used during gameplay. The present study investigates the relationship between game play and moral disengagement strategies in a group of 605 adults who played violent videogames or regularly played competitive sports. The results suggest that sports players were more likely than violent game players to endorse moral disengagement strategies. The video gamers were more likely to use a specific set of moral disengagement strategies (i.e., cognitive restructuring) than the other groups and this may be related to the structural characteristics of videogames. The findings add to recent research exploring the mechanisms by which individuals engage in aggressive acts both virtually and in real-life situations. The results are discussed in relation to similar relevant research in the area, along with recommendations for future research.

scholarly journals Moral Disengagement Strategies in Videogame Players and Sports Players

2021 ◽  
pp. 958-978
Author(s):  
Lavinia McLean ◽  
Mark D. Griffiths
Keyword(s):  
Video Game ◽  
Moral Disengagement ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Sports Psychology ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Competitive Sports ◽  
Game Play ◽  
Video Gamers ◽  
The Relationship

Research in the area of video game play and sports psychology has suggested that specific strategies are often employed by players to justify aggressive behaviour used during gameplay. The present study investigates the relationship between game play and moral disengagement strategies in a group of 605 adults who played violent videogames or regularly played competitive sports. The results suggest that sports players were more likely than violent game players to endorse moral disengagement strategies. The video gamers were more likely to use a specific set of moral disengagement strategies (i.e., cognitive restructuring) than the other groups and this may be related to the structural characteristics of videogames. The findings add to recent research exploring the mechanisms by which individuals engage in aggressive acts both virtually and in real-life situations. The results are discussed in relation to similar relevant research in the area, along with recommendations for future research.

The Police Officer’s Dilemma

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 82-88
Author(s):  
Tobias Greitemeyer
Keyword(s):  
Video Game ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Error Rates ◽  
Game Play ◽  
Video Game Play ◽  
Perceptual Skills ◽  
Violent Video Game ◽  
First Person Shooter ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract. Correll and colleagues ( Correll, Park, Judd, & Wittenbrink, 2002 ) developed a first-person shooter task that simulates the police officer’s dilemma of whether to shoot or not a target that may present lethal danger. The present study examined the relationship between habitual violent video game play and responses in this shooting paradigm. Habitual violent video game play has been shown to increase the accessibility of aggressive thoughts. Previous research also demonstrated that action video game play has a positive impact on perceptual skills. Hence, it was hypothesized that players of violent video games would be more likely to mistakenly shoot a target and exhibit shorter reaction times in the shooting task. Results revealed that reaction times, but not error rates, were significantly associated with habitual violent video game play. These findings suggest that habitual violent video game play may have a positive impact on overall processing skills without limiting accuracy.

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