Much of the scientific research in to the effects of video games on players’ behaviour concludes that violent games promote aggression. “Nonsense,” say the gamers. “I play Halo every day, and I’ve never killed anyone. These scientists don’t know what they’re talking about.”
I doubt gamers would say the same of this latest piece of research, published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin and written by several leading scientists in the field (including Doug Gentile who we interviewed last month), which shows that playing “prosocial” games can encourage people to be more helpful and considerate to others.
The paper presents the findings of three separate studies conducted using different scientific methods and in different countries. This, says the authors, is the best way to establish the true effect of video games on behaviour.
One study asked young teenagers in Singapore to list their favourite games as well as filling out behavioural surveys. From the report;
To measure prosocial and violent game exposure, participants listed their three favorite games, estimated the number of hours per week spent playing each game, and rated how often players help others in the game and how often players hurt or kill others in the game.
Those who played violent games were more likely to hurt others, but players of prosocial games were more likely to help others. Whilst this is useful data, you can’t prove a causal link with this kind of research – did the games make people behave this way, or did their behaviour make them choose certain games?
The second study comes closer to an answer. Nearly 2,000 Japanese children aged 10 to 16 completed two surveys, three to four months apart. Those who increased their exposure to prosocial games became more helpful when questioned later.
Finally, a group of US college students were assigned to play a prosocial (Chibi Robo, Super Mario Sunshine), violent (Ty2, Crash Twinsanity) or neutral (Pure Pinball, Super Monkey Ball Deluxe) game. They then had to assign puzzles of varying difficulty levels to a partner, who stood to win $10 if they could complete them all. Those who played prosocial games were more likely to assign easy puzzles, whilst hard puzzles were the choice of the violent game players.
So why is this research bad news? We can no longer bury our heads in the sand and claim that games have no influence on us. The scientists involved weren’t on a “games are evil” crusade, and instead conducted a series of well designed studies that show video games can have both positive and negative effects on players’ behaviour.
I’m not saying that a few rounds of Call of Duty will lead to anyone shooting up a school. I also question the definitions of “prosocial” and “violent” games; for example, where does Left 4 Dead sit? A single campaign will result in a massive bodycount, but to get through the game players must work together and help each other out.
It is clear though from this research that there are behavioural changes occurring when we play games. Whether this is for better or worse all depends on context. As the researchers say in their conclusion: “Video games are not inherently good or bad, just as any tool is not inherently good or bad.” We as gamers need to accept this fact.
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The whole “hard puzzle, easy puzzle” bit sounds really unscientific. Honestly I wonder about these sorts of studies.
My concern with these studies is what level of relevance do they have to a real life situation? Can I use my exposure to violent media as a defence if I killed someone? Conversely if I commit an act of kindness can I only take pride in it if I haven’t played a prosocial game recently?
I suppose my ultimate point is that unless an influence is strong enough to make it’s victim (for want of a better word) blameless then i’m not particularly concerned about the influence. Even children, with admittedly more malleable minds, should have a strong enough parental influence to counteract these forces. I played violent games and watched violent films from an early age but being taught how to behave like a moral person counteracted those influences. As such even though I consumed vast quantities of violent media, I was never a violent child.
“To measure prosocial and violent game exposure, participants listed their three favorite games, estimated the number of hours per week spent playing each game, and rated how often players help others in the game and how often players hurt or kill others in the game.”
In the game. IN THE GAME. Talk about hand picking your answers, of COURSE the people playing violent games will hurt or kill others… IN THE GAME. Otherwise you’re just looking at the “Press Start” screen. And of course those playing prosocial games are more likely to help others IN THE GAME, otherwise there’s nothing to do.
Don’t get me wrong, I like the scientific study as much as the next guy, but the results of this show nothing. It’s like saying in a flight simulator, people are more likely to fly a plane than in a FPS. No shit sherlock, but you don’t get a cookie. Fire burns and up is high, too. PROGRESS.