Method and Design
This study is an experimental study because a variable will be manipulated, and it will be carried out in lab conditions as access to scientific equipment such as the fMRI scanners is necessary.
The independent variable is the video game.
The dependent variable is the aggression.
Participants
Random sampling of 44 male year 12 and 14 students. The study will only include males to reduce variables which could impact the data (for example comparing boys and girls)
22 participants will be randomly assigned to playing the violent video game, and the remaining 22 will play the non-violent video game
Materials
– fMRI scanners
– video games (one violent and one non-violent)
– video game console and screen to play on
– 2 sets of questions
– there will be 2 sets of questions (set A and set B)
– the participants will be split into 2 groups (group 1 and group 2) each with 22 of the participants
– group 1 will be asked set A before playing the video game, and set B after playing the video game
– group 2 will be asked set A after playing the video game, and set B before playing the video game
– a voice recording of the questions, so each question is asked in exactly the same tone of voice to each participant
– a scale of colours from the fMRI scans, each colour with a number.
The Questions
The questions that are asked must all be as equally provoking. For example a question could be “how would you respond to somebody punching you for no reason?”. It must be taken into account that some questions may provoke some PPs more than others, for example if a topic was particularly sensitive it would provoke more aggression, which isn’t relevant to the study, because the first set of scans especially are to get a feel for how aggressive the PP is normally.
Participant Instructions
22 of the participants (PPs) will be randomly assigned to playing the violent video game, and the 22 remaining will play the non-violent video game.
-Participants will not be told which they will be playing.
Then, 22 PPs will be randomly assigned to being in group 1 or group 2 (whether they are playing the violent game or not has no effect on this grouping).
Group 1 will have scans taken of their brains individually, while being asked set A questions.
Group 2 will also have individual brain scans, however they will be asked set B questions.
– These scans are necessary so the researchers are able to compare and measure the activity in the pre-frontal lobe before the gaming and after.
After having these first scans, each PP will go on to play either the violent video game or the non-violent video game.
Gaming will go on for 30 minutes per PP, and then after gaming each PP will have another scan.
Group 1 will now be asked set B questions and group 2 will now be asked set A questions while having their second fMRI scan.
Operationalisation
The researchers will look at the colours of the brain, particularly the pre-frontal lobe on the fMRI scans to measure activity. The colours that appear on the scan, will then be compared to the colour scale. The same person for all 44 PPs will decide which colour on the monitor matches which colour on the scale. Once this has been decided, the researcher will note down the colour’s number so then later findings can easily be produced in a graph.
Ethics
– exposing possible underage children to explicit content
– take informed consent from underaged PPs parents.
– possibility of psychological harm therefore every PP should be thoroughly debriefed and counselling should be offered if necessary.
– ask non-participants the questions to see if there is a risk of psychological harm/ OR give to parents
– deception
A2 Psychology 