Typhon
The part about video games not causing heightened aggression? It's not necessarily true, in fact, the science says the opposite if I'm honest. I don't like to bring this up because the usual Gamer strawman is to use Jack Thompson to shut down every discussion about this.
"You think video games cause violence? Like Jack Thompson???"
Anyway.
The more recent studies in the field have found the following:
* Video games desensitise people to violence. Comparing brain scans of those who play violent games, and those who don't, the people who play less violent games were more emotionally affected and showed greater empathy when showed news reports of violence whereas those who played violent video games showed less.
* Brain scans were used to monitor the areas of the brain relating to violent impulse, video games of a violent nature and non-violent nature were used. In almost all cases, the violent video games did cause a spike in those ares of the brain.
* Games which have humanoid opponents are more likely to cause aggression to actual human beings. In examining the behaviour of those who played a violent game and those who didn't, the ones who did showed more aggressive tendencies and poorer behavioural impulses.
* In those who already are prone to aggressive impulses, the violent nature of video games helped to normalise and amplify those impulses.
In the case of the third above, that explains why people are so hostile in online shooters when they lose.
For example: http://fatuglyorslutty.com
So I'm actually of the opinion that if a person isn't naturally strong in the effective empathy department, video games can indeed cause increased aggression.
The part about video games not causing heightened aggression? It's not necessarily true, in fact, the science says the opposite if I'm honest. I don't like to bring this up because the usual Gamer strawman is to use Jack Thompson to shut down every discussion about this.
"You think video games cause violence? Like Jack Thompson???"
Anyway.
The more recent studies in the field have found the following:
* Video games desensitise people to violence. Comparing brain scans of those who play violent games, and those who don't, the people who play less violent games were more emotionally affected and showed greater empathy when showed news reports of violence whereas those who played violent video games showed less.
* Brain scans were used to monitor the areas of the brain relating to violent impulse, video games of a violent nature and non-violent nature were used. In almost all cases, the violent video games did cause a spike in those ares of the brain.
* Games which have humanoid opponents are more likely to cause aggression to actual human beings. In examining the behaviour of those who played a violent game and those who didn't, the ones who did showed more aggressive tendencies and poorer behavioural impulses.
* In those who already are prone to aggressive impulses, the violent nature of video games helped to normalise and amplify those impulses.
In the case of the third above, that explains why people are so hostile in online shooters when they lose.
For example: http://fatuglyorslutty.com
So I'm actually of the opinion that if a person isn't naturally strong in the effective empathy department, video games can indeed cause increased aggression.