Violent Video Games Linked to Impulsive Behavior, Improved Visual Skills - East Idaho News
Health

Violent Video Games Linked to Impulsive Behavior, Improved Visual Skills

  Published at

Getty B 102210 VideoGameWorkers?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1375556491810JupiterImages/Brand X Pictures(NEW YORK) — A new study showed that playing first-person shooter video games may diminish a young person’s ability to control impulsive behavior, but could actually also improve their visual skills.

According to HealthDay News, the study was run by researchers at the Center for the Study of Violence at Iowa State University. Volunteers were instructed to play either a fast-paced violent video game, a slow-paced peaceful game or no game during about 10 50-minute sessions over an 11 week span.

Researchers found that the participants who played a peaceful game, those who played an action game showed they had improved visual skills in addition to decreased impulse control.

A separate study, the same researchers assessed television and video game habits of over 400 people. Exposure to violent television or video games was linked to attention problems, aggression and hostility. There was not, however, a link between overall media exposure and aggression or hostility.

While quickly changing visuals and sounds may improve the brain’s response time, those types of media seem to fail to inhibit the nearly-automatic first response.

The research does not, however, prove a causal relationship between the media and aggressive behavior.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

SUBMIT A CORRECTION