week7 final

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Barbara Maclure

Dr. Dayanim Shoshana

Research Design and Qualitative Methods

10/08/2023

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Study's APA Reference: Polman, H., Orobio de Castro, B., & van Aken, M. A. G. (2008).

Experimental Study of the Differential Effects of Playing Versus Watching Violent Video

Games on Children’s Aggressive Behavior. Developmental Psychology, 34(2), 256–264.

Background: The article discusses the growing concern about the impact of violent video games

and television programs on children's aggressive behavior. It highlights the prevalence of

children's exposure to violence in new media and the need to investigate the potential negative

effects. Children are susceptible to things that excite them and are oblivious of consequences

(Livingstone, 2007).

GAP: The gap in the literature addressed by this study is the lack of conclusive evidence

regarding whether actively playing a violent video game leads to more aggression compared to

passively watching the same violence on screen. Previous research had produced mixed results,

and the study aims to provide more definitive answers.

Impetus: The impetus for this study is to understand the differential effects of active

participation (playing a violent video game) versus passive observation (watching the same

violent video game) on children's subsequent aggressive behavior. The importance lies in

determining whether violent video games have a unique impact on aggression compared to

violent television programs, with potential real-life consequences.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate whether actively playing a violent video

game leads to higher levels of aggression than passively watching the same violent video game.

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This study aims to provide insight into the potential differences in the effects of video game

violence compared to television violence.

Research Question: Does actively playing a violent video game lead to higher levels of

aggression in children than passively watching the same violent video game?

Hypothesis: The main hypothesis of the study is that playing a violent video game will lead to

higher levels of aggression in children compared to watching a violent video game or playing a

non-violent game.

Independent/Predictor Variable(s): The independent variable in this study is the game

condition, which has three levels:

1. Active Violent Condition: Children play a violent video game.

2. Passive Violent Condition: Children watch the same violent video game.

3. Active Non-Violent Condition: Children play a non-violent video game.

Dependent Variable: The dependent variable is aggressive behavior, which is measured through

peer nominations of real-life aggressive incidents during a free play session at school. This

measurement involves peers providing information on the aggressive behavior of their

classmates, allowing for a more objective assessment of aggression.

The main hypothesis focuses on the comparison between the Active Violent Condition and the

Passive Violent Condition, suggesting that actively playing a violent video game will result in

more aggression than passively watching the same game, specifically for boys. Children's

aggression can sometimes be associated with playing online games, particularly in competitive

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or multiplayer environments where interactions can lead to heightened emotions and conflicts

(Bons, 2003).

Predictor Variable (IV):

 IV: Type of video game interaction (Playing vs. Watching)

 IV Operationalized: Whether the participant actively played a violent video game or

passively watched a violent video game.

 IV Scale: Categorical, dichotomous (Playing vs. Watching)

Dependent Variable (DV):

 DV: Aggressive behavior

 DV Operationalized: Aggressive behavior was measured using peer nominations of

physical, verbal, or relational aggression observed in a real-life setting.

 DV Scale: Continuous, interval (measured by ranking participants' aggressive behavior)

Participants: The participants were children, both boys and girls. Gender differences were

considered in the analysis. The total sample size was fifty-six children (28boys and 28 girls).

One child was however unwilling to cooperate.

Type of Research Design: Quantitative: The study used experimental methods to investigate the

effects of different types of video game interactions (playing vs. watching) on children's

aggressive behavior.

Validity of the Measure The study used peer nominations to measure aggressive behavior,

which provides a real-life assessment of aggression. This method is known for its ecological

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validity. Ecological validity in a study refers to the extent to which the research findings

accurately represent real-world situations or phenomena (Kihlstrom, 2021). The article does not

explicitly mention the validity of the measure in terms of convergent validity, discriminant

validity, or criterion validity. However, it relies on the direct observation of aggressive behavior.

Reliability of the Measure This is the consistency and stability of the measurement tool or

instrument used to collect data, indicating how reliably it produces consistent results over time or

across different conditions (Cohen et al., 2017). The article mentions that the reliability of the

overall aggression scale (a measure of aggressive behavior) was reported as α = 0.74, which

indicates an acceptable level of internal consistency.

Validity of the Study:

 Internal Validity: The study addresses internal validity by comparing different conditions

(playing vs. watching violent video games) and controlling for potential confounding

variables. However, the sample size is relatively small, which could affect the ability to

detect smaller effects.

 External Validity: The study's findings are relevant to the debate on the effects of violent

video games on aggression, suggesting that playing such games may have a more

significant impact on aggression than merely watching them. However, the study may not

fully generalize to all children, as gender differences were observed, and the study did not

explore other potential moderating factors.

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Reference

Bons, E. M. (2003). Aggressive children and path: A study on the relation between the quality of

path and the effectiveness of the program. Unpublished master's thesis, Utrecht

University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2017). Validity and reliability. In Research methods in

education (pp. 245-284). Routledge.

Kihlstrom, J. F. (2021). Ecological validity and “ecological validity.” Perspectives on

Psychological Science, 16(2), 466-471.

Livingstone, S. (2007). Do the media harm children? Reflections on new approaches to an old

problem. Journal of children and media, 1(1), 5-14.

Polman, H., Orobio de Castro, B., & van Aken, M. A. G. (2008). Experimental Study of the

Differential Effects of Playing Versus Watching Violent Video Games on Children’s

Aggressive Behavior. Developmental Psychology, 34(2), 256–264.