Relationship between Video Game Violence and Long-Term Neuropsychological Outcomes

Yoshiyuki Tamamiya, Goh Matsuda, Kazuo Hiraki

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

DOI: 10.4236/psych.2014.513159                

Abstract

The current study examined the long-term effects of video game violence on aggressiveness and facial expression recognition using multiple measures. In Experiment 1, participants unfamiliar with video games were randomly assigned to play a violent or nonviolent video game for four weeks. Before and after the game play interval, event-related potentials (ERP) evoked by facial expressions were recorded, and aggressiveness was measured with a questionnaire. Results showed that playing a violent video game delayed peak latency of a positive component of the ERP evoked by angry faces and increased aggressiveness among male participants. Experiment 2 included a 3-month follow-up assessment. Results showed preservation of delayed neural activity, while levels of aggressiveness diminished to some extent. These findings highlight differential aspects regarding the long-term effects of playing a violent video game: more enduring for facial expression recognition and short-lived for aggressiveness.

Keywords

Violent Media, Facial Expression Recognition, Aggression, Event-Related Potential (ERP)

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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