Violence in video games does not affect the level of aggression

European scientists have presented research results proving the absence of a relationship between violent video games and a person’s propensity for violence.

Using brain signal monitoring and psychological surveys, they found the same level of aggression and empathy in avid gamers and people who have never played violent video games.

Scientists studied the behavior of two groups of volunteers. The participants of the first group spent 2-4 hours a day in the game, and the members of the second group did not have constant gaming experience. The results of surveys and CT scans showed no difference in the levels of cruelty among representatives in both groups.

The authors of the study noted that their predecessors evaluated only the mental reaction of a person to virtual violence during a game, and did not take into account the long-term perspective.

The study debunks long-standing warnings about the relationship between the propensity for violence, antisocial behavior and the growing popularity of shooting games. For example, in 2015, British politician John Warmisham called the growth of armed crime in the city of Salford the result of a “diet of games about war and Grand Theft Auto.”

Source: Telegraph.co.uk