Journal article
Acute exposure to difficult (but not violent) video games dysregulates cognitive control
Computers in human behavior, Vol.45, pp.85-92
04/01/2015
DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2014.11.089
Abstract
Recent research has suggested that acute exposure to violent video games inhibits the capacity for self-control across neurological, cognitive, and behavioral domains. However, the games used in previous research to reach these conclusions often confound violence with other game features, such as game difficulty. Here, participants were randomly assigned to play one of four versions of a video game, wherein content (violent or not) and difficulty (easy or difficult) were orthogonally manipulated, prior to completing a cognitive control task. Results showed that playing a difficult video game produced decrements in cognitive control, but only if the game was perceived to be difficult, and that perceptions of game difficulty may mediate this relationship. Game content, by comparison, had no effect on cognitive control. Findings are discussed in terms of understanding effects of difficult games on cognitive processes that have important implications for social behavior. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Acute exposure to difficult (but not violent) video games dysregulates cognitive control
- Creators
- Christopher R. Engelhardt - Center for Autism and Related DisordersJoseph Hilgard - University of MissouriBruce D. Bartholow - University of Missouri
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Computers in human behavior, Vol.45, pp.85-92
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.chb.2014.11.089
- ISSN
- 0747-5632
- eISSN
- 1873-7692
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Number of pages
- 8
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 04/01/2015
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Record Identifier
- 9984446519702771
Metrics
18 Record Views