Date of Award

5-3-2017

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Kevin Swartout

Abstract

Playing violent video games has been linked with many negative outcomes (e.g., aggression and hostility); however, much has yet to be explored on the effects of violence against women in video games. The present study aimed to explore the relationships between playing video games containing violence against women and men’s perceptions and reactions to intimate partner violence (IPV). Specifically, the present study aimed to determine whether playing more games containing violence against women negatively predicts men’s likelihood to recognize aggression and their intention to intervene in a recorded IPV scenario. Five hundred and fifty seven men completed an online survey assessing their video game playing experiences and attitudes about violence against women, then viewed and responded to a brief video depicting IPV. Although the original hypotheses were not supported, in the final model, playing more video games containing violence against women significantly predicted increased justifications of date rape and indirectly predicted decreased identification of aggression.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.57709/10066945

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