The use of behavioral tests of aggression has been a source of controversy for decades. Many critics of such measures note that validity studies for these measures are generally lacking. This manuscript describes two studies designed to test the validity of one of the most commonly used behavioral aggression measures, the modified Taylor competitive reaction time test (TCRTT). Participants in both studies were college undergraduates who were individually administered the TCRTT in a laboratory setting. In the first study (n=103), results on a standardized version of the modified TCRTT were examined for their convergent validity with expected measures of trait aggression and violent acts, including violent criminal behaviors and domestic violence. The second study (n=101) examined the validity of the modified TCRTT against neuropsychological outcomes that are predictive of impulsive violence. Both studies raised serious validity problems for the modified TCRTT. It is recommended that this measure not be adopted clinically as a behavioral measure of aggression and that other similar measures be more rigorously tested. Its use in research should be undertaken under advisement that results should not be generalized to serious acts of aggression or violence.Researchers have been examining the origins of violent behavior for decades. In order to test causal connections between external effects and violent outcomes, researchers have relied not on violent behaviors per se, but rather on a broader class of aggressive behaviors. Aggression has been defined as behavior intended to cause physical harm or humiliation to another organism which wishes to avoid the harm (Baron and Richardson 1994). Violent behaviors, by contrast, are typically restricted to acts which are intended to cause serious physical harm (for a discussion of methodological difficulties in operationally defining aggression see Savage 2004). Aggression as a class of behavior is much broader than violent behavior and can include numerous acts (i.e.,
Two studies examined the relationship between exposure to violent video games and aggression or violence in the laboratory and in real life. Study 1 participants were either randomized or allowed to choose to play a violent or nonviolent game. Although males were more aggressive than females, neither randomized exposure to violent-video-game conditions nor previous real-life exposure to violent video games caused any differences in aggression. Study 2 examined correlations between trait aggression, violent criminal acts, and exposure to both violent games and family violence. Results indicated that trait aggression, family violence, and male gender were predictive of violent crime, but exposure to violent games was not. Structural equation modeling suggested that family violence and innate aggression as predictors of violent crime were a better fit to the data than was exposure to video game violence. These results question the common belief that violent-video-game exposure causes violent acts.
This article explores commonly discussed theories of violent video game effects: the social learning, mood management, and catharsis hypotheses. An experimental study was carried out to examine violent video game effects. In this study, 103 young adults were given a frustration task and then randomized to play no game, a nonviolent game, a violent game with good versus evil theme (i.e., playing as a good character taking on evil), or a violent game in which they played as a “bad guy.” Results indicated that randomized video game play had no effect on aggressive behavior; real-life violent video game-playing history, however, was predictive of decreased hostile feelings and decreased depression following the frustration task. Results do not support a link between violent video games and aggressive behavior, but do suggest that violent games reduce depression and hostile feelings in players through mood management.
The current research examined whether visuospatial recall of both abstract and common objects was related to gender or object familiarity. Seventy two undergraduates from a university in the Southern U.S. were asked to draw the Rey Complex Figure and a series of common objects from memory. A pilot sample of seventy three undergraduates had previously identified common objects as "male" "female" and "neutral" exemplars. Males were significantly better at drawing "male" and "neutral" exemplars whereas females were better at drawing "female" exemplars. Neither gender was significantly better at the Rey task. These results question whether males have an inherent advantage in visual memory. Results also found that experience with playing violent video games was associated with higher visual memory recall.
Debate remains regarding the interaction between predictor variables for aggression, including family environment, media violence, and personality. The current study examined the contributions of gender and personality, exposure to physical abuse and violence in the family, and exposure to media violence in both television and in video games on violent criminal activity. Data from young adults (n = 355) indicated that personality characteristics and direct physical abuse significantly predicted violent crime. Exposure to television and video game violence were not significant predictors of violent crime. These results elucidate the complex interplay between multiple factors related to the etiology of violent crime. These results also call into question the belief that media violence is involved in the etiology of violent crime.
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