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Summary
The goal of this study is to attempt to explore the impacts of violence, interaction, and
player ability on mild aggressive behavior, with a focus on understanding how these aspects
interact to minimize the effects of violent content in video game aggression (Quebral, 2020). To
make this study possible the researchers used 200 undergraduate students from a big university,
the participants were randomly assigned to groups, according to their self-rated video game
skills.
High degrees of experimental control were made possible using a specially created first-
person shooter game, which was created for the researchers to see how certain factors affected
mild aggressive behavior. The researchers manipulated variables such as the amount of
interactivity, the degree of violence in the game, and the player’s skill level.
A relationship between player skill, involvement, and violent video games was noted.
Violent behavior increased in response to the violence of the video game when player skill
matched the interactivity of the game. On the other hand, the violent content reduced the
aggressive behavior when player skill did not meet the level of interactivity of the game
(Quebral, 2020). The author concluded that the interaction between player skill, violence, and
interactivity determines how exposure to violent video games affects the aggression of an
individual.
Critical Review
Methodological Strengths
An effective methodological approach that improves the study’s internal validity is the
random assignment of the participants (Quebral, 2020). The study eliminates potential biases and
guarantees that any differences detected between groups are the result of the experimental
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manipulation rather than pre-existing variations among participants by randomly assigning
participants to the different experimental conditions (Quebral, 2020). This strategy lessens the
impact of confounding variables, enhancing the validity of the study’s conclusions.
Another methodological strength displayed throughout this study is the use of power
analysis to establish an appropriate sample size before data collection (Quebral, 2020). The study
guarantees adequate statistical power to identify real effects by determining the required sample
size based on variables including effect size, power, and significance level.
Methodological Weaknesses
A visible weakness is the exclusion of data from the participants due to incomplete data.
For example, the exclusion of the six participants due to technical issues and the seven
participants who did not report their age were excluded (Quebral, 2020), there may have been
bias. This limitation raises questions regarding potential selection bias and may affect how
broadly the results may be applied.
Relevant Critique
A relevant critique of the findings is the idea of how important it is to evaluate the data
carefully, keeping in mind the complexities of the statistical methods used and the potential for
spurious correlations or coincidental findings. It could discuss how important it is to ensure
model validity, precisely estimate effect sizes, and confirm the robustness of the observed
interactions through replication or other analytical approaches.
Conclusion
Aronson (2023) defines aggression as “intentional behavior aimed at causing physical
harm or psychological pain to another person.” The debate of whether media, specifically video
games are causing violence and/or aggression within individuals. According to the results of this
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experimental study, the experiment shows that participants’ perceptions and responses varied
significantly depending on the degree of violence and interaction in video games. Misattribution
is the idea that when an individual watches violence it puts them more in touch with their
feelings of anger (Aronson, 2023). I believe that throughout this study the concept of
misattribution is displayed by the participants. The participants experience different emotional
and cognitive processes, which they may have associated with the game’s content. This supports
Aronson’s theory that exposure to some stimuli, like violence in video games, might cause
people to misinterpret their emotional reactions, which may then have an impact on their
behavior.
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References
Aronson, E., Wilson, T. D., Sommers, S. R., & Page-Gould, E. (2022). Social psychology (11th
ed.). Pearson.
Quebral, C. (2020). Video Game Violence and Interactivity: Effect or Equivalence? Journal of
Communication., 70(2), 219–244.
https://doi.org/10.1093/joc/jqz048
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