Computer Games Make Players Less Violent

brinjen

Computer games make players less violent

World of Warcraft reduces stress, says university study, after test subjects showed "higher levels of relaxation" after two hour sessions. A new study of computer gamers has found that a session in front of World of Warcraft can make players less stressed and more calm.

The study questioned 292 male and female online gamers aged between 12 and 83 about anger and stress. They then played the game for two hours and were retested.

"There were actually higher levels of relaxation before and after playing the game as opposed to experiencing anger, but this very much depended on personality type," said team leader Jane Barnett from Middlesex University.

"This will help us develop an emotion and gaming questionnaire to distinguish the type of gamer who is likely to transfer their online aggression into everyday life."

Barnett's paper was presented at the British Psychological Society's annual conference in Dublin.

The conference also heard that people who play computer games obsessively display similar characteristics to those suffering from Asperger syndrome.

Dr John Charlton, of the University of Bolton, and Ian Danforth, of Whitman College in the US, found that the personalities of gamers became more akin to Asperger sufferers the deeper their addiction becomes.

This is typically characterised by neuroticism, and lack of extraversion and agreeableness.

"The thinking in the field is that there is a scale along which people, even those considered to be 'normal', can be placed on," said Dr Charlton.

"And that people such as engineers, mathematicians and computer scientists are nearer to the non-empathising, systemising end of the spectrum, with people with Asperger syndrome even further along again.

"Our research supports the idea that people who are heavily involved in game playing may be nearer to autistic spectrum disorders than people who have no interest in gaming."

http://www.pcauthority.com.au/News/107495,computer-games-make-players-less-violent.aspx

Hope4Others

My sons been telling me that for years, since I used to say it makes him aggressive. But he sure has quick reflexes,

and when he buzzes around on the keyboard when I need computer help it literally makes me dizzy.

hope

5go

I have a clean criminal record do to them. Though I can see why stuff like the GTA series might warp a mind into doing bad things but those minds should of had parents that prevented them from getting those games.

jaguarbass

I guess anything that keeps them off the streets and not doing drive bys would make them less violent.

Superslave

Even as a JW I thought this arguement was so stupid.

Its trying to label something as the reason people are violent...games, tv, films ect.

If you are a violent person you will want to play violent games see violent films. If your not a violent person you won't want to play violent games ect.

My ex is violent & plays violent games. Its because he already is predisposed to being violent that he is so attracted to these games. Not the othery way round.

The Last Nephilim

Superslave- I'm the gentlest guy you could ever meet but I got a kick out of games like GTA3 and Unreal Tournament. In GTA3, jogging down the street and punching the crap out of a guy as you pass by was a great way to blow off some steam, especially when they start chasing you afterward! It's no different than what happens in Looney Tunes cartoons, but you don't see people pointing the finger at Bugs, Daffy, and Yosemite Sam, do you?