The relationship of exposure to violent online game and aggressive beliefs: Mediated by desensitization

• Main Authors: Hyun, Soo Noe, Vasquez, Ana
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2013
• Subjects: Internet games > Psychological aspects; Violence in video games; Desensitization (Psychotherapy); Psychology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/5475
• Institution: De La Salle University

The present study aims to determine the relationship of exposure to violent online games, desensitization, and aggressive beliefs, and to see if desensitization mediates the relationship between the other two variables. Survey methodology was used in the study. Exposure to violent online games was operationalized in three different ways: frequency ratings, hours spent playing, and years playing. Desensitization was measured by presenting a violent photo to the participants and asking them to rate how anxiously and pleasantly aroused they were. All variables were found to be significantly correlated with each other except for years of playing online game it did not significantly relate to any mediator or dependent variable. Mediation results are also different depending on the measure of exposure to violent online games. Results are full mediation, partial mediation, no mediation when exposure to violent online games is operationalized as frequency ratings, number of hours, and years, respectively. Results show that desensitization as a mediating variable is another explanation to the relationship between exposure to violent online games and aggression.