Researchers analyzing the impact of computer games on empathy claim that there is little evidence to suggest that these types of games diminish users’ empathy towards violence in the real world. This contradicts previous studies that have shown a potential causal relationship between violence in video games and a reduction in empathy.
The researchers note that their study focused on adults, as investigating the impact of aggressive computer games on children could violate ethical principles.
Evaluation of empathy before and after playing aggressive computer games showed no reductions.
Austrian neuroscientists Claus Lamm and Lukas Lengersdorff conducted a study to determine whether playing computer games with violent graphics affects players’ empathy. The study involved 89 adult males. To avoid biases resulting from prior experience with such games, volunteers were recruited who had very little or no experience in playing them.
Each participant was then asked to play seven different sessions of computer games lasting an hour each over several days. Roughly half of the participants were asked to play an exceptionally brutal version of the popular game Grand Theft Auto V with the goal of killing as many characters as possible. The other half played a modified version of the same game, in which all killing was removed. Instead, this group was asked to take photos of as many characters as possible.
To assess the baseline of empathy, each participant underwent an empathy test before their session, which involved measuring their reaction to electrical stimuli delivered by human subjects. The researchers also monitored the brain activity of each participant, particularly in empathy-related regions such as the anterior insula and the anterior cingulate cortex.
After completing the one-hour session, both groups’ empathy was measured again. As before, this involved summarizing both external reactions and electrical brain responses to others’ suffering.
Comparing the results, the researchers found that the participants did not show any noticeable changes in empathy before or after playing aggressive computer games. Furthermore, a comparison between the groups revealed that players who attempted to kill as many characters as possible and players who tried to photograph as many characters did not show any statistically significant differences in their empathy scores after gameplay.
“Several hours of violence in computer games have no significant impact on the empathy of mentally healthy adult test groups,” explains the research team. “We can draw this conclusion clearly. Therefore, our results contradict the findings of previous studies that reported negative effects after just a few minutes of gameplay.”
Further research is warranted, but studying the impact on children poses serious ethical challenges.
In their published study, which appears in the journal eLife, the researchers quickly emphasize that their findings do not necessarily mean 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 sufficient data for such statements.”
The researchers also note that their study does not address the main concern regarding the long-term effects of violence in video games on the brains of children, which exhibit significantly greater plasticity compared to adult brains. They also emphasize that even attempting to study the impact of violent video games on children can be particularly challenging.
“The most important 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. “The young brain is very plastic, so repeated exposure to depictions of violence may have a much greater effect. But of course, these questions are difficult to study experimentally without crossing the boundaries of scientific ethics.”
In any case, the research team asserts that studying the impact of these types of games on empathy is important, and their work should be seen as a step toward future research.
“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 is the researchers’ view on the impact of computer games on empathy?
The researchers argue that there is little evidence to suggest that computer games weaken users’ empathy towards violence in the real world.
2. Why did the researcher only use adult participants in their study?
The researcher only used adult participants to avoid violating ethical principles regarding the investigation of the impact of aggressive computer games on children.
3. What did the researchers analyze in their study?
The researchers analyzed the empathy of the participants before and after playing aggressive computer games. They also underwent an empathy test and monitored the brain activity of each participant.
4. What were the results of the study?
The study revealed no noticeable differences in participants’ empathy before and after playing aggressive computer games. There were also no statistically significant differences in empathy scores between the group of players who tried to kill characters and the group of players who tried to photograph characters.
5. Do the researchers believe that computer games are entirely harmless?
The researchers do not believe that violent computer games are entirely harmless. They emphasize that their study does not provide sufficient data for such statements. Further research is needed in this area.
6. Did the study include children?
The study did not include children, and the researchers highlight the ethical challenges associated with studying the impact of computer games on empathy in children.
7. Do the researchers recommend conducting further research?
Yes, the researchers believe that studying the impact of computer games on empathy is important, and their work should be considered a step towards future research. They recommend further research with strong experimental controls and longitudinal studies.
Key terms and jargon definitions:
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’s electrical responses – changes in the brain’s electrical activity that can be monitored to examine 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 be3.sk