Comparing apples and oranges? Evidence for pace of action as a confound in research on digital games and aggression
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 13043850 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Martha Elson (0000-0001-7806-9583, University of Münster, corresponding author), Johannes Breuer (0000-0001-5906-7873, University of Münster), Jan Van Looy (0000-0002-2498-7028, Ghent University), Julia Kneer (0000-0001-9034-738X, Erasmus University Rotterdam), Thorsten Quandt (0000-0003-1937-0282, University of Münster) |
| Year | 2013 |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 112-125 |
| Publication date | 2013-09-09 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Psychology of Popular Media Culture (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2160-4134 • E-ISSN: 2160-4142 |
| Publisher | American Psychological Association (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1037/ppm0000010 |
| OpenAlex | W2157425515 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 14 |
| References cited | 22 |
Most studies investigating the effects of violence in digital games on aggression and physiological arousal feature two groups of participants either playing a violent or a nonviolent game. However, violent content is usually not the only dimension on which the games used in these studies differ. This raises the issue of possibly confounding variables. We conducted a study in which the displayed violence and the pace of action of a first-person shooter game were manipulated systematically through game modifications (modding), whereas other variables were controlled for. Dependent variables were physiological arousal (autonomic and behavioral) during play, and postgame aggressive behavior. Aggressive behavior was not influenced by either of the two variables. Although both violence and pace of action did not affect autonomic arousal, there was an interaction effect of these variables on behavioral measures of arousal. Playing a fast-paced game inhibited participants’ body movement, particularly when the game was nonviolent. A higher pace of action and displays of violence also caused players to exert greater pressure on the input devices. The findings of our study support the assumption that research on the effects of digital games should consider more variables than just violent content. In sum, our results underline the importance of controlling potentially confounding variables in research on the effects of digital games
Action (physics · Aggression · Arousal · Cognitive psychology · Developmental psychology · Medical emergency · Multimedia · Pace · Poison control · Video game · Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression · Computer Science · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Media Influence and Health · Psychology · Social Psychology
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| Unique citing works | 14 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,17 |
| Citation span | 2014 - 2025 (12) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 14 |