Researchers analyzing the impact of computer games on empathy claim that there is little evidence to suggest that such games weaken users’ empathy towards real-world violence. This contradicts previous studies that have suggested a potential causal relationship between violence in video games and a decrease in empathy.
The study, conducted by Austrian neuroscientists Claus Lamm and Lukas Lengersdorff, focused on adult participants as studying the effect of aggressive computer games on children could violate ethical principles.
Evaluation of empathy before and after playing aggressive computer games showed no decrease.
A total of 89 adult males took part in the study. In order to avoid biases stemming from previous experience with such games, volunteers were selected who had very little or no experience in playing them.
Each participant was then asked to play seven different sessions of computer games lasting one hour each over the course of several days. Approximately half of the participants were asked to play an extremely brutal version of the popular game Grand Theft Auto V, with the objective of killing as many characters as possible. The other half played a modified version of the same game in which all violence was removed, and instead, this group was asked to take as many pictures as possible of characters.
To measure the baseline of empathy, each participant underwent an empathy test before their session, which involved measuring their reaction to electrical stimuli received from human subjects. The researchers also monitored the brain activity of each participant, particularly in regions associated with empathy, such as the anterior insula and anterior cingulate cortex.
After completing the one-hour session, both groups’ empathy was measured again. This involved summarizing both the external and electrical brain reactions to the suffering of others.
Comparing the results, the researchers found that the participants showed no noticeable changes in empathy before or after playing aggressive computer games. Furthermore, comparing between the groups, they found that players who attempted to kill as many characters as possible and players who tried to photograph as many characters as possible did not show any statistically significant differences in their empathy scores after gameplay.
“A few hours of violence in computer games do not significantly affect the empathy of mentally healthy adult test groups,” explains the research team. “We can draw a clear conclusion from this. Our results contradict the findings of previous studies that reported negative effects after just a few minutes of gameplay.”
More research is needed, but studying the impact on children poses serious ethical concerns.
In their published study appearing in the eLife journal, the researchers swiftly note that their findings do not necessarily imply that there are no long-term effects on empathy resulting from prolonged exposure to violent computer games.
“Because this is such a sensitive topic, we must interpret these results very cautiously,” explains lead author Lukas Lengersdorff from the University of Vienna, who conducted the study as part of his doctoral research. “We cannot conclude that violent video games are now definitively considered harmless. Our study does not provide enough data for such claims.”
The researchers also point out that the main concern regarding the long-term effects of violence in video games on the brains of children, which exhibit significantly greater plasticity than adult brains, is not the subject of their study. They also highlight that even attempting to study the impact of violent video games on children can be particularly challenging.
“The main question, of course, is: are children and young people also resilient to violence in video games?” asks Lamm from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, who led the research group. “Young brains are very plastic, so repeated exposure to violent depictions may have a much greater effect. But of course, these questions are difficult to examine experimentally without crossing the boundaries of scientific ethics.”
In any case, the research team claims that studying the impact of these types of games on empathy is important, and that their work should be seen as a step towards a series of future studies.
“Strong experimental controls and longitudinal studies that allow for causal inferences are needed to make clear statements about the effects of violence in computer games,” says Lamm. “We wanted to take a step in that direction with our study.”
FAQ section based on the main topics and information presented in the article:
1. What do researchers believe is the impact of computer games on empathy?
Researchers believe there is little evidence to suggest that computer games weaken users’ empathy towards real-world violence.
2. Why did the researcher only use adult participants in their study?
The researcher used only adult participants to avoid violating ethical principles when studying the impact of aggressive computer games on children.
3. What did the researchers analyze in their study?
The researchers analyzed the empathy of participants before and after playing aggressive computer games. They also underwent an empathy test, and their brain activity was monitored.
4. What were the results of the study?
The study found no noticeable differences in empathy among participants before and after playing aggressive computer games. There were also no statistical differences in empathy scores between the group of players who attempted to kill characters and the group who tried to photograph characters.
5. Do the researchers believe that computer games are completely harmless?
The researchers do not believe that violent computer games are completely harmless. They emphasize that their study does not provide enough data for such claims. Further research in this field is needed.
6. Did the study include children?
The study did not involve children, and the researchers highlight the ethical concerns associated with studying the impact of computer games on empathy in children.
7. Do the researchers recommend conducting further studies?
Yes, the researchers believe that studying the impact of computer games on empathy is important, and they consider their work to be a step towards future studies. They recommend further research with strong experimental controls and longitudinal studies.
Definitions of key terms and jargon:
1. Empathy – the ability to understand and share the feelings of others.
2. Aggressive computer games – computer games in which the action is based on violent elements such as fighting or killing characters.
3. Evaluation – the process of assessing or examining something to obtain results.
4. External reactions – visible signs of a person’s reaction to external stimuli, such as facial expressions or physical movements.
5. Brain electrical reactions – changes in brain electrical activity that can be monitored to study a person’s reactions.
Suggested related links:
– eLife – the journal where the study was published
– University of Vienna – the research institution to which the researchers belong
– Karolinska Institute in Stockholm – another research institution involved in the study
The source of the article is from the blog enp.gr