Desensitization And Aggression Analysis
Desensitization may be a plausible mechanism for heightened aggression. Yet, no previous research has examined whether desensitization explains the association between game exposure and aggression. For this reason, Engelhardt, Bartholow, Kerr, Bushman (2011) examined this association through an empirical experiment. After participants played a violent or a non-violent game, acute desensitization was examined using the amplitude of the P300 component of the event-related brain potential elicited by photographs showing real violence. Aggression was measured by the levels of undesirable noise blasts that were administered by the player to another participant. Results indicate that individuals whose previous exposure to video game aggression was