Identification Matters

A Moderated Mediation Model of Media Interactivity, Character Identification, and Video Game Violence on Aggression

Bibliographic Data

ID20473358
AuthorsJih‐Hsuan Tammy Lin (0000-0002-3756-4892, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, corresponding author), Jih-Hsuan Lin (Department of Communication and Technology; National Chiao Tung University; Zhubei City; Taiwan)
Year2013
Volume63
Issue4
Pages682-702
Publication date2013-06-27
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Communication (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0021-9916 • E-ISSN: 1460-2466
PublisherOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/jcom.12044
OpenAlexW1931089486
LanguageEN
Citations received23
References cited31

This study examined the effects of interactivity in violent video games on aggression and tested identification as the moderated mediating mechanism. A total of 169 male undergraduate students participated in a 2 media interactivity (enactive mediation vs. observational mediation) × 2 violence (violent vs. nonviolent) experiment. Results supported a moderated mediation model in which the effect of media interactivity on aggressive affect through identification was moderated by violence. When violence was present, interactive play resulted in higher short-term aggressive affect through higher character identification than when violence was not present. Additionally, an interaction effect between media interactivity and violence was found for automatic self-concept in which players associated themselves more with the game character's traits than video viewers

Affect (linguistics) · Aggression · Character (mathematics) · Developmental psychology · Identification (biology) · Interactivity · Mediation · Moderated mediation · Multimedia · Sociology · Video game · Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression · Communication · Computer Science · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Media Influence and Health · Psychology · Social Psychology