A recent study about violent video games has lead to an interesting result. Gamers were asked to play violent games and then offered various rewards for their time. Newbie gamers, those unfamiliar with these games, would often chose personal hygiene products for their reward. You know, stuff like toothpaste and deodorant. Apparently, this is the result of something called the “Macbeth Effect,” where people clean themselves in an attempt to repair their moral purity. In other words, gamers who don’t normally play violent video games don’t feel very good about themselves after they give those games a try. These findings could have interesting implications for gamers who prefer violent games. Science Daily has the story.
Could it be that more aggressive people prefer aggressive games, while other people aren’t keen on the shootings and the explodings? The article mentions that experienced gamers who are more familiar with violent games having other ways to cope. I’m curious about what those methods might be.