Did you know that playing violent multiplayer games will make you more aggressive against strangers than friends? That's the conclusion of a new study published in the latest issue of the Evolution and Human Behavior science journal. PC World's Game On column also looked at the study.
The study, conducted by psychologists from the University of Missouri, observed 42 young men divided into 14 teams of three. The players played Unreal Tournament 2004 within their team and against other teams. When playing against teammates, the mode was Deathmatch. When playing against other teams, the mode was Onslaught. Before and after each match, the testosterone and cortisol levels of each player was tested.
According to the study's abstract from the journal's web site:
For 14 teams of three young men, salivary testosterone and cortisol were assessed twice before and twice after competing in within-group and between-group video games that simulated violent male–male competition. Men who contributed the most to their teams' between-group victory showed testosterone increases immediately after the competition, but only if this competition was played before the within-group tournament. High-scoring men on losing teams did not show this immediate effect, but they did show a delayed increase in testosterone. In contrast, high-ranking men tended to have lower testosterone and higher cortisol during within-group tournaments. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that men's competitive testosterone response varies across ingroup and outgroup competitions and is muted during the former. The testosterone response during the between-group competition also suggests that violent multiplayer video games may be appealing to young men because they simulate male–male coalitional competition.
This seems to follow what I have found personally. In first-person-shooters or player-vs.-player competition in MMOs, challenging people I know is more about camaraderie. Against people I don't know, it is more about survival of the fittest and bragging rights.
What emotional responses have you found when competing in video games?
Comments
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
Wait, I'm confused. I thought my love of gaming was supposed to make me want to kill my friends?
(snark)
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
To me, playing games online seemed to mostly be about being called faggot, nigger, etc. So I stopped playing online. I guess my emotional response is... disgust?
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
Your online gaming culture makes me very glad I am not american, we do have idiots but they are easily avoided and are the minority
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
It's the internet community commrade. Give a persona annomity and an audience and well the results are obvious when their tenagers who have mommy and daddy issues.
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
I have to say, most of the these "violent video game" studies are absolutely terrible from a scientific perspective...but not this one. While yes, there could be room for controlling for different types of video games (ie- a non-violent, but competitive, game such as Wii Sports or Madden) and similar real world activities (ie - paintball, football, competitive board games, etc..), this is a good start.
I especially like that it had a very clear premise and sought to study multiple interactions over a longer period. This shows at least that what users experience when playing a "violent video game" is not the same for each user, nor for every game type. Very interesting...
--- "Life's short and hard, like a body building elf." -- The Bloodhound Gang
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
In my experience on this website, "bsolutely terrible from a scientific perspective" is analogous for "says something negative about games" while "not this one" means "says something positive about games". Without fail.
--------------------------------------------------
I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
The problem with most of the "absolutely terrible" studies is that they produce results about correlation, not causation.
For example, you comment shows a correlation between "absolutely studies" and results that are considered "negative" towards videogames. That's merely a correlation though, and does not in fact show that all studies with results that are negative towards videogames are "absolutely terrible".
That's why I said that this one isn't that bad of a study. It's parameters could be widened to get more comparisons over a broader range of activities, but in and of itself, it does an excellent job of showing the effects of video games on testerone and cortisol levels. That's because it's a well designed study, regardless of whether those results should be considered positive or negative in regards to games.
--- "Life's short and hard, like a body building elf." -- The Bloodhound Gang
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
And misleads those reading about the study by confusing correlation and causation.
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
My comment merely states observed facts.
On this site
Negative results about gaming = "absolutely terrible" "junk science" "pushing an agenda" etc etc
Positive results about gaming = "Proper study" "Knows what they are doing" "No agenda to push" etc etc
--------------------------------------------------
I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
My observed facts:
Negative results about gaming = DarkSaber responds, "F*** 'em. Who cares?"
Positive results about gaming = DarkSaber responds, "F*** 'em. Who cares?"
If nothing else, you have to admire the consistency.
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
I lol'd so hard because it's true.
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
You are correct. Although at it's heart, this one doesn't really seem to be about videogames. In any competition where it can be played against strangers and within a group of friends I've always noticed the same result as this study determined.
It seems to be a pretty straightforward thing that when you're playing with friends you of course won't be as aggressive as against strangers.
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
This is marvelous. More of a reason to play ODST. :D
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
It looks like they've discovered the tribal instinct.
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
@GamePolitics:
I hope jedidethfreak sues you for the unauthorized use of his likeness.
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
Not that I am one to agree with jedidethfreak on anything, ever but that was rather Thompsonesque attack on him.
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
Thank you. You're too kind. *takes a bow*
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
Aren't news stories exempt from that?
--------------------------------------------------
I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
Yes, but jedidethfreak don't know that. Matter of fact, jedidethfreak don't know nothing.
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
I must've missed the part where they controlled for the type of game.
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
I compete some, though due to hardware limitations not a lot, and I find there is NOTHING to be gained from being hostile to people.
A saying I remember is "If a person is nice to you but mean to others, they are not a nice person"
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
Let me guess you sometimes get together on gears2 just to sing koombaya and talk about flower arranging.
Re: Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
I avoid competing in video games. There's enough pointless competition in this world without it infesting my hobbies as well.
--------------------------------------------------
I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.