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The Effects of Technological Advancement and Violent Content in Video Games on Players’ Feelings of Presence, Involvement, Physiological Arousal, and Aggression

Bibliographic Data

ID20299198
AuthorsJames D Ivory (0000-0003-0509-2584, Virginia Tech), Sriram Kalyanaraman (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Year2007
Volume57
Issue3
Pages532-555
Publication date2007-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Communication (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0021-9916 • E-ISSN: 1460-2466
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1111/j.1460-2466.2007.00356.x
OpenAlexW2125659612
LanguageEN
Citations received47
References cited50

The possible impact of technological advancement on video games’ effects—particularly in the case of violent games—has often been discussed but has not been thoroughly explored by empirical research. The present investigation employed a 2 × 2 between-subjects factorial experiment to examine the interplay of technological advancement and violence by exposing participants (N = 120) to either a newer or older version of a violent or nonviolent game and measuring these factors’ effects on players’ sense of presence, involvement, physiological arousal (measured by skin conductance), self-reported arousal, and affective and cognitive aggression. The results indicate that technological advancement increased participants’ sense of presence, involvement, and physiological and self-reported arousal. Neither advancement nor violence had statistically significant effects on accessibility of players’ aggressive thoughts, but there is some tentative evidence that violent game content increased players’ state hostility. Theoretical and practical implications of findings are discussed, and recommendations are made for future research

Aggression · Arousal · Cognition · Developmental psychology · Feeling · Hostility · Multimedia · Video game · Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Media Influence and Health · Psychology · Social Psychology

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Unique citing works47
Citations per year2,61
Citation span2008 - 2025 (18)
Citation velocityrecent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 42
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