The Effects of Computer Games on Aggression (AQA A Level Psychology): Revision Note

Cultivation theory, computer games & aggression

• Cultivation theory (Gerbner, 1969) is a theory of mass media which posits the idea that consumers of mass media (i.e., anyone with access to newspapers, TV, radio, film and the internet) will ‘cultivate’ what they consume into a perception of reality

• Cultivation theory claims that the more exposure someone has to media images/messages, e.g., in the form of computer games, the more likely that their perceptions of reality will be distorted

• Examples of a distorted perception of reality which may evolve via regular computer gaming might include

  • Believing that the world is a violent/hostile place based on the number of violent computer games played regularly

  • Overestimating the likelihood that you will be involved in some sort of aggressive/violent interaction with one or more other people

  • Developing stereotyped views of women, minorities, law enforcement, etc., due to their representations in violent computer games

• Gerbner used the term ‘mean world syndrome’, which describes a cognitive bias to perceive the world as being more dangerous (i.e., ‘meaner’) than it actually is (in reality, less than 2% of recorded crimes in the UK were violent assaults, according to 2021 government figures)

• Although Gerbner focused on the impact of TV, the theory applies equally to computer games, particularly MMORPG (massively multiple online role-playing games)

• It is only by engaging in face-to-face/real-life contact with others (particularly people from social groups who may appear as stereotypes in computer games) that this tendency to a warped perception of reality can be reversed or modified (White, 2012)

Research which investigates cultivation theory, computer games & aggression

• Williams (2006) -  a longitudinal, controlled experiment which found that over the course of one month, participants who played a violent computer game reported changed perceptions of real-world dangers 

• Fox & Potocki (2015) – a survey of 351 adults (male and female) found a relationship between computer games, interpersonal aggression and hostile sexism i.e. the normalising of violence against women

Desensitisation, computer games & aggression

• Desensitisation is the process by which what was once a source of alarm/fear/aversion has transformed into something unremarkable or harmless

• Desensitisation translates as losing sensitivity towards a specific stimulus, e.g., violent computer games, so that an initially heightened response becomes ‘damped down’ i.e. violence and aggression in the game are viewed as ‘normal’

• Desensitisation is physiological process: the sympathetic nervous system is triggered when someone is in the presence of violence or aggression (increased heart rate, adrenaline surge), leading to a fight-or-flight response (useful if you are being pursued by an actual predator, not so useful when you are sitting at home in the safety of your gaming chair)

• If someone plays a lot of violent computer games, they will, over time, become inured to the effects of this violence, and they are likely to experience decreasing emotional responses to it

• Someone who is desensitised to violence is less likely to view violence and aggression as bad/harmful/toxic and they may feel little or no sympathy for the victims of violence

• Links have been made between the desensitising nature of some violent computer games and instances of real-life violence, e.g., mass school shootings, particularly in the USA (Cantor, 2003)

Research which investigates desensitisation, computer games & aggression

• Brockmyer (2021) – a review article which concluded that exposure to violent computer games increases the risk of desensitisation to violence, which in turn may increase aggression and decrease prosocial behaviour

• Carnagey et al. (2007) - participants who played a violent computer game for 20 minutes followed by a 10-minute video of  real-life violence had a lower heart-rate and galvanic skin response than participants who played a non-violent computer game; thus, the violent game may have produced physiological desensitisation to violent content

Evaluation of the effect of computer games on aggression

Strengths

• Each of the theories covered on this page could inform crucial intervention and treatment strategies to tackle anti-social, aggressive behaviour, e.g., challenging sexist attitudes via CBT or other therapies

• There is some compelling research evidence in this field; e.g., Williams (2006) conducted a longitudinal experimental study into computer gaming and aggression, ensuring both good reliability and validity 

Weaknesses

• Not all research supports desensitisation; e.g., Gao et al. (2017) found via fMRI that participants who regularly played violent computer games showed no difference in the activity of brain regions associated with empathy when viewing images of people in pain than non-players 

• Cultivation theory does not account for individual differences, i.e., some people will be more affected by violent/aggressive media than others; it is not valid to conclude that ‘one size fits all’

Issues & Debates

• Suggesting a strong link between gaming and aggression can have socially sensitive implications — especially when violent incidents are blamed on games

  • It may lead to stereotyping of gamers, especially young males, and ignore wider societal or psychological causes of aggression

• Cultivation theory and desensitisation suggest that exposure to violent computer games determines aggressive thoughts and behaviours, implying limited personal control

  • However, not everyone exposed to violent games becomes aggressive, suggesting an element of free will and personal choice in behaviour