Video Game Violence Effects on Prosocial & Antisocial Behaviors

Introduction

The majority of researchers view video games in a negative light, often implying that they are one of the factors to blame for violence among youths. For example, Anderson and Bushman (2001, 353-359) associated “violent video games” with antisocial behaviors such as aggression. The three subcategories for prosocial behavior are: behaviors that benefit others (positive interpersonal), help the individual succeed academically (achievement-related), and promote creativity (imagination).

Purpose Of Study

The purpose of this study was to explore whether video-game play can influence the antisocial and prosocial behaviors of the players.

Literature Review

Many studies, however, suggest that video games also have prosocial benefits. Kestenbaum and Weinstein (1985) noted that aggressive games calm players. Scott (1995, 121-132) found evidence of catharsis: undergraduates had fewer aggressive feelings after playing moderately aggressive games but had an increase in aggressive feelings after playing highly aggressive games. This appears to resonate with the idea that violent games may have prosocial effects, such as providing a safe means of venting aggression.

Chambers and Ascione (1987, 499-505) studied the effects of prosocial video games on the giving and helping behaviors of elementary and middle school children in two ways: by counting money donated to a charity and by counting the number of pencils sharpened for the research assistant. They found no significant positive effects of the video game play compared to the negative control (no game play). However, they neglected to take into consideration the kinds of prosocial behavior that takes place among video game players when they play. Chambers and Ascione (1987, 499-505) used demanding dependent measures, in that they asked the players to apply prosocial themes outside of game play. In doing so, they ignored forms of positive interpersonal behavior that are more immediate during the video game play and do not necessitate application onto a new task. The ecological validity of their study was not high, since the measure for the dependent variable was observing the amount of money donated or number of pencils sharpened for the research assistant after game play (Chambers, JH and FR Ascione 499-505).

Materials & Methods

Participants

Thirty-four game-play pairs (68 total gamers) of both male and female subjects of varying ages (pre-school/kindergarten to middle-age) were observed in video arcades on three different weekend days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) from the afternoons through late evenings. Each gamer of the pair was scored separately for three minutes and up, and the same person could appear in more than one pair. The gender of the gamers was recorded, along with a best guess of their race/ethnicity and age group.

Materials

Two observers (one primary scorer and a second to establish reliability) were given scoring sheets with spaces to identify the gamer (by gender, approximate age, and race/ethnicity), the name of the game, and level of violence, and check boxes for prosocial behaviors (positive interpersonal behavior, achievement-related behavior, and imaginative behavior) and antisocial behaviors (antisocial verbalization and antisocial action with or without verbalization).

Design

Gamers were observed from the time they put money ...