Video game effects

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The scientific study of media effects has led researchers down the road of video game effects. From both a social and psychological standpoint, video games have the ability to influence their players both on an implicit and explicit level.

Contents 1 Video Game Effects 1.1 Focus of Current Research 2 Negative effects of video games 2.1 General Aggression Model 2.2 Criticisms of Violent Video Game Tests 3 Positive effects of video games 4 References 4.1 Footnotes 5 See also

[edit] Video Game Effects

The popularity of video and computer games has grown exponentially in recent years, yet empirical research is still relatively limited when compared to the study of other media (Vorderer, 2000). In 1982, the U.S. Surgeon General lamented the lack of such evidence (Selnow, 1984). But the progress that has been made has been very beneficial to the field thus far and is only the seed of what has already become one of the most controversial media effects topics to date.

[edit] Focus of Current Research

Lee and Peng (2006)^[1] state that research on both the psychological and social effects of video games currently focuses on three aspects:

1. The testing of negative consequences of violent games
2. The utility of educational and training games
3. The general effects of entertainment games

[edit] Negative effects of video games

Research on aggressive behavior as an effect of playing violent video games began in the 1980s and 1990s and still continues today. Although under current debate, some researchers claim that these violent games may cause more intense feelings of aggression than nonviolent games, and may trigger feelings of anger and hostility. Several studies that have supported such findings (see Anderson & Bushman (2001)) for a meta-analysis). The theoretical explanations for these types of effects can be explained by a myriad of theories; social cognitive theory, excitation transfer theory, priming effect and the General Aggression Model.

Violent video games have been found to decrease prosocial behaviors. Prosocial behaviors include activities such as giving to charity, volunteering and overall "helping" behaviors (Chambers & Ascione, 1987; Wiegman & Schie, 1998). Other researchers have claimed that exposure to violent video games has predicted alcohol consumption, destruction of school property, and other delinquent behaviors (Anderson & Dill, 2000). Not only have video games have been shown to influence self perception (Funk, Buchman, & Germann, 2000), but they may have a link with body image assessment of the opposite gender. Female video game characters are often hypersexualized and unrealistic (Dietz, 1998; Jansz & Martis, 2003), and have been shown to play a factor in hard-core gamers’ perceptions of ideal beauty (Rask, 2007).

Many games are a cycle and repetitive. This repetition of violence and reward system create a psychological effect on people telling them that violence is okay. Repetition is a form of learning and a way of remembering things and if children remember being rewarded for violence in virtual reality games, they are left prone to being more violent in reality expecting a reward.[1]

Many believe^[who?] that playing computer games can be addictive. This addiction could lead to physical health problems, spending problems, and time displacement leading to missed work or school days. In one example, a 28 year old South Korean gamer died after 50 hours of StarCraft online gameplay. ^[2] However, no solid evidence has supported the “game-addiction” hypothesis.

The rise in childhood obesity in the U.S. has raised awareness of media consumption in children. Not only are parents and organizations blaming the food industry for the problem, but they are turning to television and video games as a key factor. Displacement Theory supports the notion that the time that would normally be spent being active outdoors or in sports, children are now replacing with leisure and inactive time in front of the television. Others tend the blame the problem on parental enforcement.

[edit] General Aggression Model

The General Aggression Model is a term that assists in determining the influence and susceptibility that video games and its violence have on people. The GAM explains how situational and personological variables interact to affect a person's internal state. The internal state includes thoughts, feelings and physical arousals. All of these three things influence each other and each will have an effect on an individual’s interpretation of an aggressive or violent act.^[3]

The GAM states how video games have both short and long-term effects. In the short term the aggressive cognitions, affects and arousal increase while long term effects are yet to be accurately determined. Anderson and Bushman explain how violent video games promote violent behavior, attitudes and beliefs. This then helps to desensitize an individual to aggression.

[edit] Criticisms of Violent Video Game Tests

Research claiming to prove violent video games increase aggressive behavior has come under attack nearly as long as it has been present. Authors, including Professor James Paul Gee, have written that video games are neither good or bad alone, because it all depends on the individual and the context they are played in.^[4] More recently, the aggression tests have been accused of being irrelevant, too short, or foolishness by researchers Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl K. Olson. For example, tests compared the time college students held an air horn down before and after they played a violent video game for twenty minutes.^[5]

[edit] Positive effects of video games

Entertainment video games are usually analyzed for their possible negative effects, and educational games are touted as the provider of more positive effects. Recent research has begun to suggest that both types of games can provide a wide array of positive effects to players. Many companies and organizations are turning to video games as easy and interactive ways to train individuals. The U.S. Army even utilizes the game, America’s Army, as a recruitment tool. They also help improve spatial skill development,cognitive ability development and academic performance & learning. Although studies on violent video games have found negative correlations with academic performance, a positive association with other types of games has also been found (Schie & Wiegman, 1997). Educational computer games are becoming more prevalent in primary and secondary schools as teaching tools for youths. The interactive nature allows for high levels of entertainment, but has not yet been shown to subtract from the educational lessons being taught. Additionally, developers are beginning to change the view of traditional video games by creating popular games that require the player to be active -Wii Fit, Dance Dance Revolution- or focus on using brain power -Brain Age 2.

[edit] References

This article or section includes a list of references or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. You can improve this article by introducing more precise citations.

• Anderson, C. A., & Bushman, B. J. (2001). Effects of violent games on aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, aggressive affect, physiological arousal, and prosocial behavior: A meta-analytical review of the scientific literature. Psychological Science, 12, 353-359.
• Anderson, C. A., & Dill, K. E. (2000). Video games and aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behavior in the laboratory and in life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78, 772-790.
• Chambers, J. H., & Ascione, F. R. (1987). The effects of prosocial and aggressive video games on children's donating and helping. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 148, 499-505.
• Dietz, T. L. (1998). An examination of violence and gender role portrayals in video games: Implications for gender socialization and aggressive behavior. Sex Roles, 38(5-6), 425-443.
• Funk, J. B., Buchman, D. D., & Germann, J. (2000). Preference for violent electronic games, self-concept, and gender differences in young children. American Journal of Orhopsychiatry, 70, 233-241.
• Jansz, J., & Martis, R. (2003). The representation of gender and ethnicity in digital interactive games. In M. Copier & J. Raessens (Eds.), Level up: Digital games research conference (pp. 260-269). Utrecht: Utrecht University.
• Rask, A. (2007). Video game vixens: Shaping men's perceptions of beauty? Paper presented at the International Communication Association Annual Conference, San Francisco.
• Schie, E. G. v., & Wiegman, O. (1997). Children and videogames: Leisure activities, aggression, social integration, and school performance. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 27, 1175-1194.
• Selnow, G. W. (1984). Playing videogames: The electronic friend. Journal of Communication, 34, 148-156.
• Vorderer, P. (2000). "Interactive entertainment and beyond". In D. Zillmann & P. Vorderer (Eds.), Media entertainment: The psychology of its appeal (pp. 21-36). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. ISBN 978-0805833256
• Wiegman, O., & Schie, E. G. M. v. (1998). Video game playing and its relations with aggressive and prosocial behavior. British Journal of Social Psychology, 37, 367-378.

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] See also

• Video game controversy
• Media violence research