Insensitive Players? Playing Violent Video Games Relates to Impaired Recognition of Negative Emotions

• In Event: The Study of Emotion and Entertainment Media

Abstract

The present research investigated the relationship of exposure to violent video games (VVGE) and emotion recognition as key component of empathy. We measured the level of violent video game exposure in hours per day and emotion recognition, and controlled for gender and trait empathy. The results of two studies, one with adolescents (N = 54, Mage = 17.09) and one with adults (N = 137, Mage = 26.06) showed that VVGE was negatively related to the recognition of emotions. Thus, results suggest that VVGE impairs the skill to recognize negative emotions, in particular negative ones, which underlies the ability to build a cognitive representation of other persons’ mental states – a key component of empathy and theory of mind.

Authors

• Ewa Miedzobrodzka, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

• Jacek Buczny, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities

• Elly A. Konijn, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

• Lydia Krabbendam, VU U Amsterdam