Scientists confirm link between violent video games and aggression, but do you buy it?

May 25, 2011 By Jeff Hughes

Bruce Bartholow advises parental moderation for media violence based on a new study linking aggression and video games.

Apparently, video games are more than simple cathartic narrative and fantasy role playing anymore. New research by scientists from the University of Missouri claims to answer whether aggression is linked to playing video games. According to the study, video game players have a diminished brain response to violence the more violent video games they play, which creates an increase in aggression.

The study involved 70 adult participants who were randomly assigned to play either a violent video game or nonviolent video game for about a half hour. Once they were done, the researchers measured brain activity while the participants looked at a series of violent and nonviolent photos. After that the participants were set loose at a task that allowed them to blast opponents with controllable noise; the volume measured their aggression.

Scientists found that the popular culprits of high levels of aggression were games such as Call of Duty, Killzone and GTA. The people that played these games blasted the highest level of noise in the final stage of the study. In addition to the noise blasting, those that played the most violent video games had a reduced brain reaction to the violent photos they saw, confirming desensitization to violence.

The study also found individuals who had no change in brain activity when participating in the study. These unaffected participants were already highly exposed to violent video games and seemed to have met their threshold of desensitization to violence. One researcher did admit that these anomalies with no brain change may represent additional measures to consider.

In a University of Missouri press release, associate professor of psychology at the school, Bruce Bartholow, said, “More than any other media, these video games encourage active participation in violence. From a psychological perspective, video games are excellent teaching tools because they award players for engaging in certain types of behavior. Unfortunately, in many popular video games, the behavior is violence.”

Showing 25 comments

Nat Salvas at 6:03pm 31st May 2011 First of all, I'd love to meet these 70 people who were interviewed. And what were they paid?? Secondly, are Americans going to want to hold someone accountable for turning us into violence zombies? I say we put EA or Activision on trial.
Trevor Whitlock at 9:54am 27th May 2011 I wonder what made people violent before videogames??? I guess they were mad that the atari wasnt invented yet. What about the correlation between news and violence?? Just think if GTA never came out VT and Columbine would have never happened. The news desensitizes more than anything due to the fact it is real. A game can be turned off, news will still happen. I bet there is a correlation between manipulative studies and propaganda.
Chris Johnson at 2:26pm 26th May 2011 They have also released studies that people who play violent video games aren't more prone to being aggressive. Just like most studies into human psychology, the results of any test tend to favor what the scientist's hypothesis states.I think this comes back to a person's upbringing. Someone with dormant issues might see the best answer is violence - perhaps they got that idea from video games; perhaps they got that idea from watching the news, it's impossible to say. Maybe someone who is less intelligent can't differ reality from fantasy, maybe none of the above is true...I simply don't think we'll ever have an answer to that question.Like many others on this thread, I've been playing violent video games since they've been around and I've never been in a fight, had an outburst or anything that would show playing these games has any effect on my psyche. Research like this simply gives people and parents an excuse for their actions. "Oh, my son shot up a school? It wasn't because I never interacted with him or left him alone all day, it was that damn Grand Theft Auto." Since there is no definitive evidence to prove this theory, it makes for a great defense for someone accused of a violent crime. Look at Columbine: does anyone think Doom caused Klebold and Harris to shoot up the school or does it have to do with their were already criminals, their parents didn't seem to care, etc. It was simply a way to move the blame away from the parents, the school and everything else and put it on an inanimate object: video games.Oh and Damon, while I get the humor in your original comment, it should be noted that the kid who burned down his house after watching Beavis and Butthead never actually saw the show - this was released after the fact. Court documents proved without a doubt that the child did not have cable, nor could accurately describe anything about the show.
Play Time at 1:46pm 26th May 2011 Scientist go study an egg again. ur discovery just elevated my aggression.
Geoffrey Shauger at 1:44pm 26th May 2011 This will be debunked next week
TuEKiD at 4:23am 26th May 2011 "confirming desensitization to violence." LMAO This had 70 adult participants, results highly conclusive! What about the 3 studies that were conducted in 3 different universities funded by Hilary Clinton her self that she tried to bury after each study showed violent video games acted as an outlet for children to release aggression? Those studies had thousands of participants, not 70, this article has about as much credit as the article stating Americans don't want electric cars, you know the one based off the poll of 1,024 people out of the 100+ million American drivers, lol.
Ron Coley at 11:18am 26th May 2011 Yes. Although it depends on what type of person you're referring to. Some people are natural aggressors. These are the type of people that would be effected.
Ian Ward at 8:26am 26th May 2011 It depends upon the intellectual level of each gamer. Some are more easily influenced than others. Maybe a screening program of Personality Profiling would help game designers to avoid any possible pitfalls. It is in their interest to do so. Gaming is huge business and the stakes are extremely high. Games with a certified bias towards accommodating the vulnerable yet not restricting the more 'resistant' gamers would be an ideal balance. The bottom line is the share price & capitalisation of the companies producing games, and parent's perceptions (real or not) of inherent danger affects sales. Cash talks Loudest !
Damon Schmitt at 8:18am 26th May 2011 Oh, also, RAGE.
Okay Altinisik at 8:13am 26th May 2011 scientists are only other politicians
Plamen Dobrev at 8:06am 26th May 2011 I don't buy it... I'm playing pc games for 7-8 years and the biggest agresrion burst i've had is hitting the keyboard hard... I think the agression comes from parents stopping the children from playing or yelling at them for playing
Damon Schmitt at 7:42am 26th May 2011 Also, just a note - it's sort of like a lot of things that people seem to want to 'campaign' against. These sorts of theories, claims, and 'studies' increase fear in those with the least exposure. If you're already frightened of violence in games, you'll buy into this, but if you play them and are peaceful, you know the difference. People really need to get over trying to tell other people what to do.
Damon Schmitt at 7:40am 26th May 2011 Beavis and Butthead make you light things on fire. And Jackass makes you staple yourself to things. Also, this guy is making a career of this stuff- http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn8449-violent-video-games-alter-brains-response-to-violence.html
Bryan Cole at 7:35am 26th May 2011 Science has also confirmed evolution and church has confirmed creation. Scientific discoveries are apparently moot.
Chris Arnold at 7:33am 26th May 2011 Yeah, and I listen to death metal and murder people.
Krista Kriebel at 7:07am 26th May 2011 I play violent games all the time but I can't even hurt a fly :) lmao
Tim Bledsoe at 6:56am 26th May 2011 The study acknowledged a threshold where no noticeable effect happened with those previously "exposed" to violent games.
Kelly Cromwell at 6:54am 26th May 2011 lol the real question is, "isn't there anything better for scientists to be working on?"
ikinone at 11:48pm 25th May 2011 Aggression ≠ Violence "More than any other media, these video games encourage active participation in violence" How exactly does this study leap to that conclusion? You do not need a university level study to conclude that prolonged exposure to violence results in desensitization to violence. Desensitization to violence does not mean people are any more likely to commit violence, they are just less likely to cover their eyes when they see it.
Roberta Betti at 6:44am 26th May 2011 I grew up playing with Carmageddon, Street Fighter, basically almost every platform game existing on Earth (which contemplate a certain degree of violence if you think about special powers). I've never punched anybody in the face.
Jeff Schnick at 6:44am 26th May 2011 Yeah, I will.. When is the release date? What console will it hit first?
Farouk Younsi at 6:38am 26th May 2011 Yes. I do today & tomorrow 'cause I don't agree with the confirmation
André Dovahkiin Pineros at 6:38am 26th May 2011 I'm an avid gamer, I play violent games all the time but I'm the nicest person ever so I disagree.
Jared Jay at 6:34am 26th May 2011 I'll buy that and a big bowl of Honey Smacks!...
Celia Martinez at 6:33am 26th May 2011 Yes I believe that