How many times have we heard (and it's even been used in defence trials) that the real-world violent behaviour (especially in children) had been brought about by their exposure to online and virtual violent computer gaming?... Even as recently as the massacre last month in a shopping mall in the Netherlands, where it was claimed that the 24-year-old offender, Tristan van der Vlis, had been playing "Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2", before heading out and killing seven people - including himself!!
The recent study shows that the aggression effects on the brain brought about by playing sporting games, such as soccer, are much greater than the effects brought about by playing violent and bloody gory games.
A reporter from 'The Sun' newspaper in the UK, Lee Price, decided to put the theory to the test, by allowing the researchers to hook him up to their sensors, which measured his brain waves and other vital statistics, while he played "Gears Of War 2" (with comparative amounts of violence and blood as "Modern Warfare 2"), followed by the sports game, "Pro Evolution Soccer".
The results were as the research team expected, and clearly reinforce their theory.
In my opinion, the charts below speak much louder than the summary written by Lee!!
The Baseline: Lee's resting heart rate was 82bpm and he was averaging 15 breaths per minute.
GEARS OF WAR 2:
According to Lee, "I cringe as my character is brutally decapitated, but my body barely reacts. My brain activity remains calm. The biggest rises in my heart rate during the 20 minutes of play come each time I am killed - which happens on numerous occasions..."
Average Pulse: 84bpm.
Peak Pulse: 96bpm.
Average Respiration: 18 breaths per minute.
LEE'S VERDICT: "I don't feel anger or aggression at what I see, just frustration at being so badly beaten"
PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER:
According to Lee, "Playing as England versus Germany, I feel comfortable as I take an early lead against the old enemy - but that changes as the ref harshly sends off two of my defenders... Seething with anger, my heart rate soars to 114bpm as Germany complete their comeback by banging in a penalty to win... Throughout my 20-minute footie torment my pulse averages 95bpm - almost as much as its peak during Gears Of War."
Average Pulse: 95bpm.
Peak Pulse: 114bpm.
Average Respiration: 20 breaths per minute.
LEE'S VERDICT: "The Huddersfield academics don't think there is any link between violent games and real-life behaviour. Amazingly, I did find sports games provoke more emotion than shoot 'em ups"
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