Do Video Games Increase Aggression?

Christmas has arrived and so have the gifts. In this article, we want to provide our readers with some information regarding the correlation between video games and aggressive behavior in our children.

For several years, there has been heavy speculation in regards to the aggression that video games tend to create, and the consequences of too much exposure. This issue has yet to be directly addressed by Congress. However, the violent implications shall not go unnoticed, and there must be legislation passed to mitigate the behavioral problems that are affecting some individuals, especially our children.

The sellers of these "software" or programs have undoubtedly denied the relationship between these two factors, but recent advances in neuroscience have demonstrated the contrary.



Players of these games have shown increases in aggressiveness because their brains become less sensitive to violence. A study published by the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology conveyed that details behind an experiment in which participants in a control test (70) played one violent video game and one non-violent game for about 30 minutes. Throughout the entirety of both games, even as some violent images had been shown to them, their brain activity was measured.



During this study the reduction of the P3 component was observed during the events, which is found in related brain potential (RBP). It is clear that the P300, known as P3, is an evoked potential which can be recorded by electroencephalography as a positive deflection of voltage, measuring itself. The presence, size, topography and duration of this signal is sometimes used in measuring the cognitive function of the decision-making processes. While the neural correlations of this potential are still unclear, the reproducibility of this signal makes it a common choice for the psychological tests clinical and laboratory."

As the tests transpired, the studies revealed that participants who had played the violent video games displayed a decreased response to violent images. This decreased response would also become magnified when participants had previous experience in this type of game. They were then assigned to a competitive task which allowed each of them to use a burst of noise against his/her opponent. The force with which the players made ​​noise against his/her opponent was the measure used to determine their level of aggressiveness. Those who had played violent games were the ones who made ​​the biggest explosions of noise against their opponents. Interesting right?



These aggressive games can produce effects on the brain, and also in behavioral disorders. The correlation between playing violent video games and the increase of aggressive thoughts is real. But the deep hues of the dimension of these effects in the studies published are conspicuous by their absence. For example, it is unlikely that playing violent video games will turn a child into a manic murderer (As long as he doesn’t have any other risk factors). However, in children who have such risk factors, the video games are easily sufficient to produce negative consequences.

Although parents and politicians generally want to see the world in black and white, and seek Yes or No to answers to questions like, “Should I let my child play aggressive video games?” we see the world really grey, and as a result, the answer to the above question really ends up being, "It depends."



The research conducted has yet to find conclusive evidence, but we must take other factors into account when analyzing potential consequences. These factors may be things such as drugs that individuals are prescribed (especially drugs aimed at controlling the depression, ADHD, bipolar syndrome and other antipsychotic medications). For a moment, imagine the "socio-cocktail" that is potentially being formed due to video games of violent connotation. Factors such as psycho-drugs, a diet low in nutrients like food "junk", alcohol, drugs, broken families and genetics modulation are triggers that activates the 'chain reaction’. Now what happens when one combines violent video games with any of the factors mentioned above? One can only imagine.

There is no a miracle cure for our children and adolescents to avoid taking this 'socio-cocktail'. Instead, take advantage of a real education, and set more severe and realistic laws to increase the awareness of our society so that our future generations will not be exposed to these "seven demonic factors". Education begins at home, and you don’t need be rigid with your children, but rather communicative with them to offset their disturbing inclinations by these "factors”. If we do nothing to fight against this new scourge, we visualize a new psychoplastic generation that will be modulating to a conditioned situation, as if they were part of it.



In this holiday season, you should rethink the type of game that you might want to give to your children, wife, husband, or friend. There are a lot of interesting games that do not involve any violent connotation that could be selected, but if you have any doubts, please consult a serious expert in this field in order to have the proper opinion.

Sources:
Christopher R. Engelhardt
Bruce D. Bartholow
Geoffrey T. Kerr
Brad J. Bushman
Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology

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