Click or Strike: Realistic versus Standard Game Controls in Violent Video Games and Their Effects on Aggression
Abstract
The motion detection technology used in innovative
game controlling devices like the Nintendo Wii-Remote® provides
experiences of realistic and immersive game play. In the present study
(N=62) it was tested whether this technology may also provoke stronger
aggression-related effects than standard forms of interaction (i.e.,
keyboard and mouse). With the aid of a gesture recognition algorithm, a
violent action role-playing game was developed to compare different
modes of interaction within an otherwise identical game environment. In
the Embodied Gestures condition participants performed realistic
striking movements that caused the virtual character to attack and kill
other in-game characters with a club or sword. In the Standard
Interaction condition attacks resulted from simple mouse clicks. After
the game session, participants showed a similar increase in negative
feelings in both groups. When provided with ambiguous scenarios,
however, participants in the Embodied Gestures condition tended to show
more hostile cognitions (i.e., anger) than the Standard Interaction
group. Results further corroborate the complexity of aggression-related
effects in violent video games, especially with respect to situational
factors like realistic game controls.
Origin | Files produced by the author(s) |
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