The effects of realistic controller and real-life exposure to gun on psychology of violent video game players

ABSTRACT

A 2 (gun replica vs. mouse) x 2 (experience in real gun vs. no experience in real gun) between-subjects experiment was conducted to examine the effects of realistic controller and real-life exposure to gun on violent video game players' perceived degree of presence and state of aggression. The present study found that participants who played a violent video game with a gun replica (real gun-like controller) reported a greater level of physical presence and higher state of physical aggression than those who played the game with a conventional mouse did. An analysis of variance demonstrated the effects of physiological desensitization to violence; participants with real gun experience reported a lower state of aggression after playing the game than those without the experience did. The analysis also showed that there was no relationship between real gun experience and presence. Both limitations of the present study and guidelines for future research are discussed.

References

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Index Terms

• Human-centered computing

  • Human computer interaction (HCI)

    • HCI theory, concepts and models

    • Interaction devices

      • Touch screens

    • Interaction paradigms

  • Interaction design

    • Interaction design theory, concepts and paradigms