Warning: file_get_contents(https://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&id=27074057
&cmd=llinks): Failed to open stream: HTTP request failed! HTTP/1.1 429 Too Many Requests
in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\kidney.de\httpdocs\pget.php on line 215
Acting like a Tough Guy: Violent-Sexist Video Games, Identification with Game
Characters, Masculine Beliefs, & Empathy for Female Violence Victims
#MMPMID27074057
Gabbiadini A
; Riva P
; Andrighetto L
; Volpato C
; Bushman BJ
PLoS One
2016[]; 11
(4
): e0152121
PMID27074057
show ga
Empathy--putting oneself in another's shoes--has been described as the "social
glue" that holds society together. This study investigates how exposure to sexist
video games can decrease empathy for female violence victims. We hypothesized
that playing violent-sexist video games would increase endorsement of masculine
beliefs, especially among participants who highly identify with dominant and
aggressive male game characters. We also hypothesized that the endorsement of
masculine beliefs would reduce empathy toward female violence victims.
Participants (N = 154) were randomly assigned to play a violent-sexist game, a
violent-only game, or a non-violent game. After gameplay, measures of
identification with the game character, traditional masculine beliefs, and
empathy for female violence victims were assessed. We found that participants'
gender and their identification with the violent male video game character
moderated the effects of the exposure to sexist-violent video games on masculine
beliefs. Our results supported the prediction that playing violent-sexist video
games increases masculine beliefs, which occurred for male (but not female)
participants who were highly identified with the game character. Masculine
beliefs, in turn, negatively predicted empathic feelings for female violence
victims. Overall, our study shows who is most affected by the exposure to
sexist-violent video games, and why the effects occur. (200 words).
free
free
free
