Key Study: Greitmeyer and Mügge (2014)

Question 1

Aims:

Answer 1

Testing the effects of these violent video games on aggressive behaviour ( and aggressive cognitions + emotions) and prosocial behaviour (cognitions + emotions).

Question 2

Procedures:

Answer 2

• Meta analysis of 98 studies, since 2009.
• Total involved nearly 37,000 participants.
• Testing effects of video games in which the goal is to harm another game character and prosocial games in which the goal is to benefit another character.

Question 3

Findings:

Answer 3

• small average effect size in these studies.

Violent video games: increase in aggressive outcomes, decrease in prosocial outcomes.

Prosocial games: showed an opposite effect.

Question 4

Conclusions:

Answer 4

That the type/ aims of video game affects the outcomes of aggressive behaviour and prosocial behaviour.