Psychology Holiday Homework

Done by- Mohd. Emad Khan

Introduction
The following study was conducted to determine whether playing videogames
increases the level of aggression in children towards other people or other things.
Many people suggest that violent video game exposure was linked to increased
aggressive behaviors, thoughts, and emotions, as well as decreased empathy.
However, it is not clear whether violent video game exposure was linked to
criminality or delinquency. The aim of this study is to analyze the specific
situations in which video games have had an affect on the child’s mind with
increased level of aggression.
Several studies have already been conducted on people who play video games
(specially shooting ones) regularly. Many such studies have proven that these
people tend to get aggressive over day-to-day things and also irritated by the
people around them.
Studies have shown that playing violent video games can increase aggressive
thoughts, behaviors, and feelings in both the short-term and long-term. Violent
video games can also desensitize people to seeing aggressive behavior and
decrease prosocial behaviors such as helping another person and feeling
empathy. The longer the individuals are exposed to violent video games, the more
likely they are to have aggressive behaviors, thoughts, and feelings. These effects
have been seen in studies in both Eastern and Western countries.
Although males spend more time than females playing violent video games,
violent video game exposure can increase aggressive thoughts, behaviors, and
feelings in both sexes.
Aggressive behavior is measured by scientists in a number of ways. Some studies
looked at self-reports of hitting or pushing, and some looked at peer or teacher
ratings on aggressive behaviors. Other studies looked at how likely an individual
was to subject others to an unpleasant exposure to hot sauce or a loud noise after
playing violent video games.
Recent Researches
Unfortunately, few studies have been completed on violent video game exposure
and aggression in children under age 10. There is also little information about the
impact of violent video game exposure on minority children.
There have not been many studies on the effects of different characteristics of
video games, such as perspective or plot. However, some studies have found that
competition among players in video games is a better predictor of aggressive
behavior than is the level of violence.
In one research at the University of York have found NO evidence to support the
theory that video games make players more violent.
In a series of experiments, with more than 3,000 participants, the team
demonstrated that video game concepts do not 'prime' players to behave in
certain ways and that increasing the realism of violent video games does not
necessarily increase aggression in game players.
In one study, participants played a game where they had to either be a car
avoiding collisions with trucks or a mouse avoiding being caught by a cat.
Following the game, the players were shown various images, such as a bus or a
dog, and asked to label them as either a vehicle or an animal.
If players are 'primed' through immersing themselves in the concepts of the
game, they should be able to categorize the objects associated with this game
more quickly in the real world once the game had concluded.
Across the two games researchers didn't find this to be the case. Participants who
played a car-themed game were no quicker at categorizing vehicle images, and
indeed in some cases their reaction time was significantly slower.
The findings suggest that there is no link between these kinds of realism in games
and the kind of effects that video games are commonly thought to have on their
players.
The participants chosen to attempt the questionnaire are asked to do it in their
free-time and are selected because of their regular gaming habits.
Methodology
Hypothesis:- “Playing videogames increases the level of aggression in children.”
IV:- Children playing videogames.
DV:- Level of aggression.
CV:- Children being studied must be of same age or close to the same age.

Scoring Table
There are a total of 11 question in this questionnaire.
Each question is a yes or no question which was sent to participants through
E-mail.
Questions 1-7 carry 1 point each.
Questions 8-11 carry 2 points each.

Total: 15 points

High level of aggression: Points 12-15

Medium level of aggression: Points 7-11
Low level of aggression: Points 1-6
Questionnaire
-The participants are supposed to answer this TRUTHFULLY and in their
FREE-TIME.
Name: _Marcus________ Occupation: ____Student______
Age: ___16_____ Class: __11___
Gender: ___Male______
Yes No
1) Do you tend to rage a lot in videogames?
2) Do you get irritated easily by someone?
3) Do you get mad easily when someone doesn’t agree with you?
4) Do you shout at your friends for not doing a work properly?
5) Do you not let your siblings play with you due to lack of skill?
6) Do you feel satisfied watching people fight?
7) Do you get mad easily when someone disturbs you while gaming?
8) Have you ever hit someone when they beat you in a game?
9) Do you hit your siblings when they disturb you during gaming?
10) Do you fight back when someone hits you?
11) Have you ever hit you friends for a silly reason?

Total: 6/15
Questionnaire
-The participants are supposed to answer this TRUTHFULLY and in their
FREE-TIME.
Name: __Nameer____ Occupation: ____Student______
Age: ___15_____ Class: __11___
Gender: __Male____
Yes No
1) Do you tend to rage a lot in videogames?
2) Do you get irritated easily by someone?
3) Do you get mad easily when someone doesn’t agree with you?
4) Do you shout at your friends for not doing a work properly?
5) Do you not let your siblings play with you due to lack of skill?
6) Do you feel satisfied watching people fight?
7) Do you get mad easily when someone disturbs you while gaming?
8) Have you ever hit someone when they beat you in a game?
9) Do you hit your siblings when they disturb you during gaming?
10) Do you fight back when someone hits you?
11) Have you ever hit you friends for a silly reason?

Total: 4/15
Questionnaire
-The participants are supposed to answer this TRUTHFULLY and in their
FREE-TIME.
Name: ___Ivan______ Occupation: _____Student_______
Age: ___16_____ Class: __11___
Gender: __Male_____
Yes No
1) Do you tend to rage a lot in videogames?
2) Do you get irritated easily by someone?
3) Do you get mad easily when someone doesn’t agree with you?
4) Do you shout at your friends for not doing a work properly?
5) Do you not let your siblings play with you due to lack of skill?
6) Do you feel satisfied watching people fight?
7) Do you get mad easily when someone disturbs you while gaming?
8) Have you ever hit someone when they beat you in a game?
9) Do you hit your siblings when they disturb you during gaming?
10) Do you fight back when someone hits you?
11) Have you ever hit you friends for a silly reason?

Total: 12/15
Questionnaire
-The participants are supposed to answer this TRUTHFULLY and in their
FREE-TIME.
Name: ___Sam______ Occupation: _____Student________
Age: ___16_____ Class: __11___
Gender: __Male____
Yes No
1) Do you tend to rage a lot in videogames?
2) Do you get irritated easily by someone?
3) Do you get mad easily when someone doesn’t agree with you?
4) Do you shout at your friends for not doing a work properly?
5) Do you not let your siblings play with you due to lack of skill?
6) Do you feel satisfied watching people fight?
7) Do you get mad easily when someone disturbs you while gaming?
8) Have you ever hit someone when they beat you in a game?
9) Do you hit your siblings when they disturb you during gaming?
10) Do you fight back when someone hits you?
11) Have you ever hit you friends for a silly reason?

Total: 7/15
Questionnaire
-The participants are supposed to answer this TRUTHFULLY and in their
FREE-TIME.
Name: ___Shifa_____ Occupation: _____Student_______
Age: ___15_____ Class: __10___
Gender: __Female_______
Yes No
1) Do you tend to rage a lot in videogames?
2) Do you get irritated easily by someone?
3) Do you get mad easily when someone doesn’t agree with you?
4) Do you shout at your friends for not doing a work properly?
5) Do you not let your siblings play with you due to lack of skill?
6) Do you feel satisfied watching people fight?
7) Do you get mad easily when someone disturbs you while gaming?
8) Have you ever hit someone when they beat you in a game?
9) Do you hit your siblings when they disturb you during gaming?
10) Do you fight back when someone hits you?
11) Have you ever hit you friends for a silly reason?

Total: 1/15
Analysis
Only one out of 5 participants who plays videogames regularly had a high level of
aggression. On the contrary, the 5th participant had the lowest level of aggression
out of all five participants. This can be explained. The one participant who had
the highest level of aggression was because of playing violent games like GTA 5
and Call of Duty every day.
However, participant 4, Sam, has a rather medium level of aggression due to
playing violent games mixed with problem solving and strategy games as well.

Result
Out of five participants, one had high level of aggression, one medium, and the
rest all had low levels of aggression. Hence, the hypothesis is not verified.
Maximum of participants had lower levels of aggression.