Violence in modern culture exists from media shows, video games, and pictures on the internet. Particularly in the video game industry, the area that has been one of the most controversial topics is violence based video game play. There is a wide range of debate among the social effects to an individual and to the general society due to prolonged exposure to media violence. There have been numerous research studies showing an association between violent media exposure and increased aggressive behavior and decreased empathy. Academic research has examined links between video games and aggression, violence, and empathy.
In the article, “Cool, callous and in control: superior inhibitory control in frequent players of video games with violent content”, Dr. Laura Stockdale was interested in chronic exposure to violent video games as the study contributes to the increasing research suggesting that chronic exposure to violent media may modulate neural function associated with affect and cognition. The study measured neural correlates of response inhibition in the context of implicit attention to emotion, and how these factors affect empathy response between one group with frequent video game players exposed to violent media and another group with people who do not frequently play video games. Results from the study concluded frequent video games users with exposure to violent media have decreased emotional response for empathy as well as decreased brain activity for event related potentials compared to infrequent video game users. Frequent video game users have decreased amplitudes for both P100 and N200/P300 event related potentials. This meant that video games modulate empathy and related neural correlates associated with affect and cognition.
In the article, “Acting like a Tough Guy: Violent-Sexist Video Games, Identification with Game Characters, Masculine Beliefs, & Empathy for Female Violence Victims,” Alessandro Gabbiadini, Paolo Rive, Luca Andrighetto, Chiara Volpato, and Brad Bushman investigated how exposure to sexist video games can decrease empathy for female violence victims. The researchers used a conditional process model by using the PROCESS macro Model 11 for SPSS. In the model, “the type of video game was the predictor, the identification with the game character as a moderator, masculine beliefs as the mediator, and empathy toward female victims as the outcome variable.” The researchers found an indirect conditional effect of violent-sexist games on empathy, which was consistent with the mediation of masculine beliefs and the moderation of identification with the game character in games such as Grand Theft Auto (GTA). As a result, the effects were statistically significant only for highly identified male participants who played the GTA games, which are both violent and sexist because players assume the role of a man who is aggressive and cruel. Therefore, male players who identified with the main video game character indicated an increase in masculine beliefs and decrease in empathy for female violence victims.
The investigation of virtual representations of media violence associated with male and female characters in video games is relevant due to the improved interaction that mirrors the physical world. Users often react to virtual situations in natural ways. Because of this, increased exposure to media violence especially in children and teenagers might possibly develop similar behaviors in their daily lives. Continuation of violent video games especially against certain sex groups could result in an influence on cultural behavior. For example, females are often the subject of attack for abuse. If video games didn't portray females in this way, then there might be a change in societal outlook on treatment of female victims especially with cases of physical abuse.
Gabbiadini, Alessandro et al. “Acting like a Tough Guy: Violent-Sexist Video Games, Identification
with Game Characters, Masculine Beliefs, & Empathy for Female Violence Victims.” PloS one vol. 11,4 e0152121. 13 Apr. 2016, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0152121
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