Do adventure video games cause aggression in the player?

Are you a gamer? You may feel that videogames are simply a form of entertainment. But is it really just fun and games or could they be harming your health and making you more aggressive? For video game players, the question of whether their hobby is going to make them a more aggressive human being has always been a constant fear.

Evidence of aggression

A study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology (JESP) suggests that they might. The study found that players who played an adventure game that involved shooting enemies were more aggressive than those who played a racing game. The researchers conducted two experiments with a total of 90 participants. In one experiment, the participants played either an adventure game or a racing game for 15 minutes, after which they were given a series of aggression tests and questionnaires to determine their levels of aggression. In the second experiment, participants played either an adventure game or a puzzle game for 15 minutes, at which point they were asked about their levels of aggression and feelings about violence. The results showed that people who had previously played an adventure game scored higher on measures of aggression than those who had previously played the racing or puzzle games.

Evidence against

Other studies suggest that people are more likely to engage in violent behavior if they’ve been exposed to violence outside of gaming—and it’s difficult to separate out whether or not this is due to gaming or other factors. Researchers also note that there’s a difference between being aggressive and being competitive; aggression is generally considered negative whereas competitiveness can be positive (and may even help improve performance).

Being moderate

Playing video games can be a fun way to relax, but it’s also easy to get carried away and lose track of time as you get sucked into a world where everything is just a little bit more exciting than real life. If you become too immersed in your game, you might find yourself acting on impulse and aggression without thinking about the consequences. That’s why it’s important to play video games moderately—and why it’s helpful to develop some self-control when playing them. If you can control your impulses while playing video games, it will be easier for you to do so in real life as well!

Are adventure video games dangerous?

As with any medium, it’s important to balance the amount of time you spend on adventure games with other activities, like going outside or getting enough sleep. While there is some research that suggests that violent video games can increase aggression in players, there’s no evidence that this is true for adventure games. In fact, one study found that playing adventure games may actually reduce aggression in players!