Study finds games promote cooperation instead of aggression
Games promote cooperation and encourage gamers to control aggression, study says
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden found that video games promote cooperation and encourage gamers to control aggression.
The study, "How Gamers Manage Aggression: Situating Skills in Collaborative Computer Games," sought to gauge which, if any, gamer behaviors could be attributed to their video game play.
It examined proficient gamers playing large multiplayer online games and analyzed the basic emotional and behavioral effects that playing the games caused. In contrast to other studies, researchers from the University of Gothenburg used an ethnomethodological approach, collecting gamers' firsthand accounts about the methods and practices they employed to collaborate with other players and to operate successfully within the game environment.
The researchers found that video games promoted cooperation and encouraged gamers to control their aggression. The reason for this outcome is simple, the researchers concluded: gamers must cooperate with teammates in order to win. Successful gamers generally exercised calm and strategic thinking. Those who exhibited aggressive behavior tended to perform poorly because other team members could not work with them. Moreover, the study revealed that violence portrayed in video games does not transfer to aggressive behavior outside of the games.
These findings augment a growing body of research that debunks the idea of a link between video games and real-life violence.
The study, "How Gamers Manage Aggression: Situating Skills in Collaborative Computer Games," sought to gauge which, if any, gamer behaviors could be attributed to their video game play.
It examined proficient gamers playing large multiplayer online games and analyzed the basic emotional and behavioral effects that playing the games caused. In contrast to other studies, researchers from the University of Gothenburg used an ethnomethodological approach, collecting gamers' firsthand accounts about the methods and practices they employed to collaborate with other players and to operate successfully within the game environment.
The researchers found that video games promoted cooperation and encouraged gamers to control their aggression. The reason for this outcome is simple, the researchers concluded: gamers must cooperate with teammates in order to win. Successful gamers generally exercised calm and strategic thinking. Those who exhibited aggressive behavior tended to perform poorly because other team members could not work with them. Moreover, the study revealed that violence portrayed in video games does not transfer to aggressive behavior outside of the games.
These findings augment a growing body of research that debunks the idea of a link between video games and real-life violence.
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