Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
Study: Gamers Less Aggressive with Buddies
September 29, 2009
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?
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Posted 11/20/09 at 05:42pm
ZippyDSMlee: oh may the cute stab out your eyes, http://www.youtube.com/user/simonscat
ZippyDSMlee: oh may the cute stab out your eyes, http://www.youtube.com/user/simonscat
Posted 11/20/09 at 05:17pm
JDKJ: O.K. Suit yourself. But when you're wearing Ray-Bans, sitting on a curb with a white cane and a cup of pencils, and doing Stevie Wonder impersonations, don't say I didn't warn you.
JDKJ: O.K. Suit yourself. But when you're wearing Ray-Bans, sitting on a curb with a white cane and a cup of pencils, and doing Stevie Wonder impersonations, don't say I didn't warn you.
Posted 11/20/09 at 05:10pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:No thank you I don;t want your cooties...or STDs...
ZippyDSMlee: JD:No thank you I don;t want your cooties...or STDs...
Posted 11/20/09 at 05:01pm
JDKJ: Me. I'm rehearsing the role just in case I do get dubbed Zippy The Soecnda.
JDKJ: Me. I'm rehearsing the role just in case I do get dubbed Zippy The Soecnda.
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:59pm
DarkSaber: Wait, is that meant to be Zippy, me or you?
DarkSaber: Wait, is that meant to be Zippy, me or you?
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:49pm
JDKJ: I cud caer lez. =^^= *wakes up in mid-afternoon after staying up until 3:00AM soldering resistors on to circuit boards, stumbles around in formerly white but now grey underwear, while simultaneously scratching groin with vigor and making coffee*
JDKJ: I cud caer lez. =^^= *wakes up in mid-afternoon after staying up until 3:00AM soldering resistors on to circuit boards, stumbles around in formerly white but now grey underwear, while simultaneously scratching groin with vigor and making coffee*
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:46pm
DarkSaber: knell? Don't you mean Neil? Anymore of tht and I'll dub thee Zippy The Soecnda
DarkSaber: knell? Don't you mean Neil? Anymore of tht and I'll dub thee Zippy The Soecnda
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:44pm
JDKJ: Now, now, Saber. Don't be salty. You weren't the first one to knell and bob and you ain't gonna be the last one, either.
JDKJ: Now, now, Saber. Don't be salty. You weren't the first one to knell and bob and you ain't gonna be the last one, either.
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:42pm
DarkSaber: JD's feeling rather desperate it seems.
DarkSaber: JD's feeling rather desperate it seems.
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:33pm
JDKJ: C'mon, Zip. You already touch yourself way too much. Spread the love. Before you go blind.
JDKJ: C'mon, Zip. You already touch yourself way too much. Spread the love. Before you go blind.
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:27pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:No and I ain't touching any part of you or your friends!! :P
ZippyDSMlee: JD:No and I ain't touching any part of you or your friends!! :P
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:25pm
JDKJ: @Zip: You know Lik Mitaint?
JDKJ: @Zip: You know Lik Mitaint?
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:18pm
ZippyDSMlee: neill and bob,oldest giveing head joke and most lamest...
ZippyDSMlee: neill and bob,oldest giveing head joke and most lamest...
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:18pm
JDKJ: But thanks for the memory. MIB's a classic. *sings* "Here come the Men in Black. Galaxy defenders. Here come the Men in Black. They won't let you remember."
JDKJ: But thanks for the memory. MIB's a classic. *sings* "Here come the Men in Black. Galaxy defenders. Here come the Men in Black. They won't let you remember."
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:18pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:for the record I told you you can suck your own dck.
ZippyDSMlee: JD:for the record I told you you can suck your own dck.
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:07pm
JDKJ: Naw, man. That's Mueedeegiaap and Bob. And you can stop bobbing. I got Zippy bobbing now, too.
JDKJ: Naw, man. That's Mueedeegiaap and Bob. And you can stop bobbing. I got Zippy bobbing now, too.
Posted 11/20/09 at 03:56pm
DarkSaber: OH I get it now! It's Men In Black quote! The twins that run the comm centre in HQ.
DarkSaber: OH I get it now! It's Men In Black quote! The twins that run the comm centre in HQ.
Posted 11/20/09 at 03:49pm
JDKJ: I'd like to introduce you to them. First, Neil. Then, Bob.
JDKJ: I'd like to introduce you to them. First, Neil. Then, Bob.
Posted 11/20/09 at 03:47pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:I know they are intimate friends of yours...
ZippyDSMlee: JD:I know they are intimate friends of yours...
Posted 11/20/09 at 03:44pm
JDKJ: @Zip: You know Neil and Bob?
JDKJ: @Zip: You know Neil and Bob?
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Comments
I avoid competing in video games. There's enough pointless competition in this world without it infesting my hobbies as well.
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
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"
Let me guess you sometimes get together on gears2 just to sing koombaya and talk about flower arranging.
I must've missed the part where they controlled for the type of game.
@GamePolitics:
I hope jedidethfreak sues you for the unauthorized use of his likeness.
Aren't news stories exempt from that?
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
Yes, but jedidethfreak don't know that. Matter of fact, jedidethfreak don't know nothing.
Not that I am one to agree with jedidethfreak on anything, ever but that was rather Thompsonesque attack on him.
Thank you. You're too kind. *takes a bow*
It looks like they've discovered the tribal instinct.
This is marvelous. More of a reason to play ODST. :D
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
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.
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
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.
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
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
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
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.
I lol'd so hard because it's true.
And misleads those reading about the study by confusing correlation and causation.
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?
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
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.
Wait, I'm confused. I thought my love of gaming was supposed to make me want to kill my friends?
(snark)