Gendered self-concept: What does it reveal about people’s preference for violent video games?

Scientific Conference (2015, May 24)

How to measure aggressive behavior in the lab?

Presentation (2015, February 02)

Parental Mediation of Children’s Television and Video Game Use in Germany: Active and Embedded in Family Processes

in Journal of Children and Media (2015), 9(1), 58-76

In a survey study, 158 dyads of German parents and their 9 to 12-year-old children reported on their television and video game (VG) consumption, parental mediation strategies, and family climate. Parents ... [more ▼]

In a survey study, 158 dyads of German parents and their 9 to 12-year-old children reported on their television and video game (VG) consumption, parental mediation strategies, and family climate. Parents also reported their beliefs concerning media effects. We found that mediation strategies differ from acknowledged media usage conceptions in that parents play a more active role than previously assumed. Restrictive mediation comprises rules and restrictions, but also parents’ educative explanations that media do not reflect reality. Patronizing mediation includes shared media consumption, but also parents commenting on media contents. Pointing out and emphasizing socio-emotional features in the media (e.g., empathy) characterize active-emotional co-use (AEC). Regression analyses revealed that parental fear of negative media effects predicted both AEC and restrictive mediation. Children and parents’ congruent perceptions of family interactions predicted AEC and patronizing VG mediation. Overall, positive ratings of family interactions were associated with children using media less frequently. [less ▲]

Empathy and Violent Video Games: Aggression and Prosocial Behavior

Book published by Palgrave Pivot - Palgrave Studies in Cyberpsychology (2014)

The high levels of violence in video games have often been linked to an apparent decrease in empathy and increase in selfishness in Western society, yet surprisingly little research has been conducted on ... [more ▼]

The high levels of violence in video games have often been linked to an apparent decrease in empathy and increase in selfishness in Western society, yet surprisingly little research has been conducted on the role of empathy in the context of media. Through three empirical studies, this book explores the mechanisms behind moderating functions of empathy. The chapters discuss factors such as character played and players' interpretation of the character, as well as the effects of inducing empathy before playing a video game upon emotion, cognition and behaviour. The book reveals new insights that will inform the ongoing debates about the effects of violent media content. [less ▲]

Moral disengagement, media preferences, and the effects of violent video games

Scientific Conference (2014, November)

Moral disengagement as a predictor of violent video game preference

Scientific Conference (2014, May)

Bachelor académique en Psychologie

in Steffgen, Georges; Michaux, Gilles; Ferring, Dieter (Eds.) Psychologie in Luxemburg - Ein Handbuch (2014)

Gewalthaltige Computerspiele

in Porsch, T.; Pieschl, S. (Eds.) Neue Medien und deren Schatten (2014)

Like the Good or Bad Guy—Empathy in antisocial and prosocial games

in Psychology of Popular Media Culture (2014)

Evidence suggests that violent media influence users’ cognitions, affect, and behavior in a negative way, whereas prosocial media have been shown to increase the probability of prosocial behavior. In the ... [more ▼]

Evidence suggests that violent media influence users’ cognitions, affect, and behavior in a negative way, whereas prosocial media have been shown to increase the probability of prosocial behavior. In the present study, it was tested whether empathy moderates these media effects. In two experiments (N = 80 each), inducing empathy by means of a text (Study 1) or a video clip (Study 2) before playing a video game caused differential effects on cognitions and behavior depending on the nature of the subsequent video game: The induction had positive effects on participants’ behavior (i.e., decreasing antisocial and increasing prosocial behavior) after a prosocial game (Study 1), or when participants played a positive hero character in an antisocial game (Study 2). In contrast, empathy increased antisocial behavior and reduced prosocial behavior after playing a mean character in an antisocial game (Study 1 and 2). These findings call attention to the differential effects of empathy depending on game type and game character, thereby questioning the unconditional positive reputation of empathy in the context of video game research. [less ▲]

Superman vs. BAD man? - The effects of empathy and game character in violent video games

in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking (2013), 16(10), 774-778