This Is Your Brain on Violent Video Games: Neural Desensitization to Violence Predicts Increased Aggression Following Violent Video Game Exposure
This research by the University of Missouri (USA) aimed to find reasons for the apparent link between violent video games and aggression.
The research involved 70 young adults who played both violent and non-violent video games. The participants had their brain responses measured, and then a final competitive task measured their levels of aggression.
The results showed that players of violent video games become less responsive to violence, and this diminished brain response may lead to an increase in aggression. For participants who had not played many violent video games before, playing a violent game in the experiment caused a reduced brain response to photos of violence – an indicator of desensitisation. Participants who were already used to playing violent games appeared to be desensitised to the photos of violence, regardless of which type of game they played during the experiment.
Go to the University of Missouri website for more information about the research
