New Study Finds Violent Videogames Affect Teenagers Brains

[RobPlumpton]

The study ... which determined that teenagers who played violent videogames demonstrated lower heart rates and lower galvanic skin responses when exposed to videos of real violence.

I feel inclined to question the validity of an experiment that measures responses to emotive stimuli within a controlled environment. I can't help but think that, were the subjects exposed to an actual bar brawl or an actual mugging, they'd respond as anybody else would.

By the way, sorry for the late response to this.

 

[ComradeJim270]

Um... this is news?

 

[Crayton]

"The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence."
-Gin Rummy from The Boondocks

"Videogames don't make people violent and I'll kill anyone who says otherwise."
-Tycho from Penny Arcade

 

[TheCrimsonPunisher]

It's possible it does change how your brain works but not so dramatic that you want to shoot up a school and kill scores of innocents.

 

[xMacx]

"The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence."
-Gin Rummy from The Boondocks

Not sure how that fits exactly - given that this data is the presence of an effect rather than the lack of one.

Generally that's used in this context:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_ignorance

 

[xMacx]

I feel inclined to question the validity of an experiment that measures responses to emotive stimuli within a controlled environment. I can't help but think that, were the subjects exposed to an actual bar brawl or an actual mugging, they'd respond as anybody else would.

By the way, sorry for the late response to this.

The problem with measuring stimuli in the context of a really high stress situation like the one you mentioned is the likely presence of a ceiling effect (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceiling_effect). The response would be the same from gamers and non-gamers, but not because gamers and non-gamers truly respond the same. Rather, it could be because the stimuli is so stressful that you max out the autonomic system of all participants.

Also, showing that two groups respond the same doesn't mean both groups are the same - it may mean that your experiment design lacks the ability to detect differences (See the quote from Crayton earlier).


Part of this whole line of argument hinges on interpreting what physiological measures actually mean. Take this example: I recently collected data on novices and expert gamers, where I exposed both to a cinematic sequence, then had them play the Beaches of Normandy level on Company of Heroes. I collected subjective response data intermittently, and collected heart rate data continuously.

Now the results came out like this:
-Experts who were exposed to the cinematic showed no significant differences in heart rate, but reported increased enjoyment on the subjective measure compared to experts that did not view the cinematic.
-Novices who were exposed to the cinematic showed a significant jump in heart rate, but did not report increased enjoyment of the game compared to novices who did not view the cinematic.

In this case, what does the lack of an effect on HR for experts mean? Does experience with games change how gamers respond physiologically to stimulus? Does this change in physiological response reflect any change in games temperament, or simply a physiological adjustment to the stimuli presented?

Here's the kicker - you can't really argue one way or the other just from heart rate. You have to use converging measures to discover the affective state of the user to correlate with measures of arousal.

 

[dade-]

I feel inclined to question the validity of an experiment that measures responses to emotive stimuli within a controlled environment. I can't help but think that, were the subjects exposed to an actual bar brawl or an actual mugging, they'd respond as anybody else would.

By the way, sorry for the late response to this.

Take it to a more extreme level and have them witness someone getting shot in the head with a pump action high powered shotgun and see how they'd react. Or worse yet, have them hold a gun and shoot someone.

I'll bet my money that a lot of them would not. And those that do would likely have mental issues prior to exposure to violent video games or video clip.

I've been playing violent video games since I was 12, and not so violent (but still centered around killing/squishing creatures) since I was roughly 5 or 6. Now, I'm 22 years of age and these 10 years of exposure to extreme violence has indeed dulled the shock value of violent video games, movies, images, and even live news feeds and recordings of executions. However, I'd be horrified if I saw someone shot in front of me where I am physically there.

Take me as a subject and name any violent game and chances are I've played them. However, not once have I considered killing someone, whether it be through revenge or cold blood. I'm sure most people agree with me in that a lot of games despite their level of violence are quite calming and help the stress levels of everyday life and work.

If you ask me these researchers and so-called experts can (in the words of Yahtzee) "be thrown out of a plane and land anus first on the spire of Winchester Cathedral."

The only thing I've ever wanted to emulate from playing a video game is to be able to jump inhumanly high and have lights augmented into my eyes so I can see in the dark. (Deus Ex)

Just my thoughts on the subject.

::Edit::
xMacx: I see what you're saying with regards to the ceiling effect. But for the last little while I've been working for Customer Support for an online games company, and also taking note of the various reactions among poeple around me when it comes to violent games.

Maybe it's just the people around me, but I've not noticed any (long or short term) effects of violent games among my colleagues who are all gamers through and through. In fact, I don't know one person who has committed an act of violence because of a game. This includes shortly after, and some hours/days after playing violent games.

In fact, the only act of violence I've witnessed among colleagues (I understand this is a small number of people to subject to my reviews) is was because of external provaction. This 'violence' I refer to is a fluid concept, because no punches were thrown.

Having played games for a long while, and knowing many who play violent, placid, or otherwise mind-numbing boring games I cannot say I can link any type of violence to the games themselves.