By: CHris Brown
Evidence for
The origin for much of this side of the debate is the General Aggression Model (GAM). Researchers have stated the GAM as a “useful” and “good theory” for explaining violent media effects (Anderson & Bushman, 2018). There is evidence for the credibility of this model as when studying violent offenders at a mental health service, the model was able to explain much of the variation in aggression between the offenders (Hosie, 2013).
Additional research found connections between violent video games and increased aggression based on pupil dilation responses (PDRs) (Arriaga et al., 2015) and neural desensitization to violence (Engelhardt et al, 2011). In the PDR research analyzed the effects of playing a violent video game on player’s sensitivity to victimized people by measuring the involuntary pupil dilation responses (PDRs). The results showed participants in the violent game condition demonstrated both a lower PDR to the victims of violence in a negative circumstances and greater aggression than participants in the nonviolent game condition. A lower PDR implies that the participant showed less sensitivity to the violence being viewed. In the neural desensitization to violence study, results provide experimental evidence linking violence desensitization with increased aggression and showed that a neural marker of this process can at least partially account for the causal link between violent game exposure and aggression.
The origin for much of this side of the debate is the General Aggression Model (GAM). Researchers have stated the GAM as a “useful” and “good theory” for explaining violent media effects (Anderson & Bushman, 2018). There is evidence for the credibility of this model as when studying violent offenders at a mental health service, the model was able to explain much of the variation in aggression between the offenders (Hosie, 2013).
Additional research found connections between violent video games and increased aggression based on pupil dilation responses (PDRs) (Arriaga et al., 2015) and neural desensitization to violence (Engelhardt et al, 2011). In the PDR research analyzed the effects of playing a violent video game on player’s sensitivity to victimized people by measuring the involuntary pupil dilation responses (PDRs). The results showed participants in the violent game condition demonstrated both a lower PDR to the victims of violence in a negative circumstances and greater aggression than participants in the nonviolent game condition. A lower PDR implies that the participant showed less sensitivity to the violence being viewed. In the neural desensitization to violence study, results provide experimental evidence linking violence desensitization with increased aggression and showed that a neural marker of this process can at least partially account for the causal link between violent game exposure and aggression.
Evidence Against
Even the creators of the GAM model have noted that it remains largely a social cognitive script theory. The GAM is a general model designed to account for aggressive behavior. It is not a model specifically designed to account for media violence effects (Anderson & Bushman, 2018). Research by Lamb et al (2017) was conducted to computationally model and compare the GAM with the Diathesis Stress Model of Aggression (DSMA) related to the play of violent content in video games. Results suggested that a combination of environmental factors and genetic predispositions trigger aggression related to video games. This finding touches on the issue that it is not the playing of a violent video game that causes aggression. The demonstrations of aggression are because of environmental factors and one’s genetic makeup.
Additionally, researchers have advocated that the Diathesis Stress Model of Aggression is a better match for data analysis when researching for any links between violent videos and an increase in aggression and violent behavior (Ferguson, 2012). Ferguson goes on to say that GAM should be dropped as a model for aggression. One stated reason is that it assumes increased aggression will lead to more violence. This may not be accurate. Another reason is that it assumes we can tell what is reality and what is fiction. This assumption becomes more important when looking at older children.
Research in 2016 (Read et al.) examined physiological and affective desensitization to violent videogame play by examining activity in the brow muscle region, heart rate (HR), self-reported affect, and self-reported arousal. Contrary to their expectations, the findings were not consistent with the hypotheses based on the GAM nor was it consistent to findings by Arriaga et al., 2015) and (Engelhardt et al, 2011).
Even the creators of the GAM model have noted that it remains largely a social cognitive script theory. The GAM is a general model designed to account for aggressive behavior. It is not a model specifically designed to account for media violence effects (Anderson & Bushman, 2018). Research by Lamb et al (2017) was conducted to computationally model and compare the GAM with the Diathesis Stress Model of Aggression (DSMA) related to the play of violent content in video games. Results suggested that a combination of environmental factors and genetic predispositions trigger aggression related to video games. This finding touches on the issue that it is not the playing of a violent video game that causes aggression. The demonstrations of aggression are because of environmental factors and one’s genetic makeup.
Additionally, researchers have advocated that the Diathesis Stress Model of Aggression is a better match for data analysis when researching for any links between violent videos and an increase in aggression and violent behavior (Ferguson, 2012). Ferguson goes on to say that GAM should be dropped as a model for aggression. One stated reason is that it assumes increased aggression will lead to more violence. This may not be accurate. Another reason is that it assumes we can tell what is reality and what is fiction. This assumption becomes more important when looking at older children.
Research in 2016 (Read et al.) examined physiological and affective desensitization to violent videogame play by examining activity in the brow muscle region, heart rate (HR), self-reported affect, and self-reported arousal. Contrary to their expectations, the findings were not consistent with the hypotheses based on the GAM nor was it consistent to findings by Arriaga et al., 2015) and (Engelhardt et al, 2011).
Conclusion
These inconsistency in findings is likely because much of the research that relates violent video games and desensitization to violence tends to focus on low scale demonstrations of aggression, and not on societal violence at large.
Despite the apparent increase in school shootings, events that are often connected to the argument that violent video games cause violent behavior, the overall crime rate has continued to decrease. At the same time violent video game sales continue to increase. Research has shown that video game consumption is associated with a decline in youth violence rates (Ferguson, 2015). Therefore, the most powerful argument against is not just experimental data, but the data on the connection between video games and real-world violence. Trends with murders and movies and juvenile violence and violent video games tend to be either not connected or total opposites of each other.
These inconsistency in findings is likely because much of the research that relates violent video games and desensitization to violence tends to focus on low scale demonstrations of aggression, and not on societal violence at large.
Despite the apparent increase in school shootings, events that are often connected to the argument that violent video games cause violent behavior, the overall crime rate has continued to decrease. At the same time violent video game sales continue to increase. Research has shown that video game consumption is associated with a decline in youth violence rates (Ferguson, 2015). Therefore, the most powerful argument against is not just experimental data, but the data on the connection between video games and real-world violence. Trends with murders and movies and juvenile violence and violent video games tend to be either not connected or total opposites of each other.
References
- Anderson, C. A., & Bushman, B. J. (2018). Media Violence and the General Aggression Model. Journal of Social Issues, 74(2), 386–413. https://doi.org/10.1111/josi.12275
- Arriaga, P., Adriao, J., Madeira, F., Cavaleiro, I., Maia e Silva, A., Barahona, I., & Esteves, F. (n.d.). A “Dry Eye” for Victims of Violence: Effects of Playing a Violent Video Game on Pupillary Dilation to Victims and on Aggressive Behavior. PSYCHOLOGY OF VIOLENCE, 5(2), 199–208. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037260
- Engelhardt, C. R., Bartholow, B. D., Kerr, G. T., & Bushman, B. J. (2011). This is your brain on violent video games: Neural desensitization to violence predicts increased aggression following violent video game exposure. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology (Print), (5), 1033. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=edscal&AN=edscal.24298154&site=eds-live&custid=magn1307
- Ferguson, C. J. (2015). Does Movie or Video Game Violence Predict Societal Violence? It Depends on What You Look at and When. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION, (1), 193. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=edsbl&AN=RN367298716&site=eds-live&custid=magn1307
- Ferguson, C. J., & Dyck, D. (2012). Paradigm change in aggression research: The time has come to retire the General Aggression Model. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 17, 220–228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2012.02.007
- Hosie, J., Gilbert, F., Simpson, K., & Daffern, M. (2013). An examination of the relationship between personality and aggression using the general aggression and five factor models. Aggressive Behavior, 40(2), 189–196. https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.21510
- Lamb, R. ( 1 ), Hoston, D. ( 1 ), Annetta, L. ( 2 ), Shapiro, M. ( 3 ), & Matthews, B. ( 3 ). (2017). Examining human behavior in video games: The development of a computational model to measure aggression. Social Neuroscience, 13(3), 301–317. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470919.2017.1318777
- Read, G. L., Ballard, M., Emery, L. J., & Bazzini, D. G. (2016). Examining desensitization using facial electromyography:Violent videogames, gender, and affective responding. Computers in Human Behavior, 62, 201–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.03.074
- Sestir, M. A., & BartholowA, B. D. (2010). Violent and nonviolent video games produce opposing effects on aggressive and prosocial outcomes. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology (Print), (6), 934. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=edscal&AN=edscal.23384287&site=eds-live&custid=magn1307