By: D. Gage Jordan
“The propagation of extreme statements not supported by the available evidence is a problem of ideological convictions.” – Elson and Ferguson (2014, p. 41).
Are video games bad for you (or kids)?
I am not an avid video game fanatic, but I have heard through the grapevine that in many editions of the Grand Theft Auto series, one can invite a prostitute into one’s car, have sex with her, and then kill her and take your money back. Certainly, there is understandable outrage from concerned parents if these types of violent video games fell into the wrong hands (i.e., children). The idea is that these video games will somehow persuade children to commit these types of heinous acts in real life. Of course, psychological research aims to study more operationalized variables in controlled experimental settings. A measurable outcome variable is often aggression in such studies. Furthermore, aggression can be broken down into different types, such as (1) aggressive cognitions (or thoughts); (2) aggressive emotions; and (3) aggressive behavior. Of these three components, there is mainly empirical support for the idea that playing violent video games tend to facilitate the accessibility of aggressive thoughts (Elson & Ferguson, 2014). For example, when asking participants to complete a word competition task, wherein the participant is asked to come up with a letter that will complete a word (e.g., “explo_e”), participants who have been more exposed to violent video games tend to create the word “explode” (i.e., a negatively valenced word), whereas participants who do not engage in such violent video games may come up with the word “explore.” Interestingly, the effects of violent video games on “aggressive cognitions” may be mitigated by playing video games in a cooperative manner, as opposed to competitively (Schmierbach, 2010). When examining the realm of aggressive emotions and aggressive behavior, however, the evidence is less consistent. For example, it appears that only a very small part of the population could be prone to the potential negative effects of video game violence (e.g., individuals who are already high in levels of trait-aggression; Elson & Ferguson, 2014).
Going off research examining levels of trait-aggression, Willoughby and colleagues (2012) followed a group of adolescents throughout their high school careers and the effect violent video games had on them. While the authors were not able to specifically examine aggressive cognitions/emotions or aggressive behavior in great detail, they found that for those who played violent video games across many years of high school reported larger increases in (self-reported) aggression over time, compared to those who did not play these games as often. Importantly, these findings were still significant, even after controlling for several important third variables (e.g., gender and peer deviance). Results from this study offer strong support for the notion that video games themselves may lead to aggression over time, as opposed to the often considered reverse trajectory – that frequency of aggression results in more sustained violent video game play.
Can video games be good for you?
Unfortunately, there is less research examining the prospective positive effects of video game play. However, as noted earlier, it is important to examine the content and context of video game play. Many people can think of the negative outcomes of violent video game play: aggression, decreased empathy (from spending time killing other people), risk-taking behavior (emulating such behavior in real-life), and of course, addiction. However, what are some of the positive outcomes? For this question, it is best to turn empirical research. As mentioned earlier, playing video games in a cooperative manner may placate the effects of aggression stemming from such violent play (e.g., Schmierbach, 2010).
In conclusion
The effects of violent media and/or video games need to be taken into context. That is, there are many factors contributing to whether one becomes “violent” or “aggressive” via their exposure to these sorts of games. Nonetheless, there appears to be evidence pointing each way. Researchers and laypersons alike will ultimately benefit from continued examination of these various factors, hopefully fostering a better understanding of when to engage in such forms of violent media.
References
- Elson, M., & Ferguson, C. J. (2014). Twenty-five years of research on violence in digital games and aggression. European Psychologist, 19, 33-46.
- Schmierbach, M. (2010). “Killing spree:” Exploring the connection between competitive game play and aggressive cognition. Communication Research, 37, 256–274.
- Willoughby, T., Adachi, P. J., & Good, M. (2012). A longitudinal study of the association between violent video game play and aggression among adolescents. Developmental Psychology, 48, 1044-1057.