title: Neuromodulation can reduce aggressive behavior elicited by violent video games.
abstract: Research has shown that exposure to violent media increases aggression. However, the neural underpinnings of violent-media-related aggression are poorly understood. Additionally, few experiments have tested hypotheses concerning how to reduce violent-media-related aggression. In this experiment, we focused on a brain area involved in the regulation of aggressive impulses-the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (rVLPFC). We tested the hypothesis that brain polarization through anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over rVLPFC reduces aggression related to violent video games. Participants (N = 79) were randomly assigned to play a violent or a nonviolent video game while receiving anodal or sham stimulation. Afterward, participants aggressed against an ostensible partner using the Taylor aggression paradigm (Taylor Journal of Personality, 35, 297-310, 1967), which measures both unprovoked and provoked aggression. Among those who received sham stimulation, unprovoked aggression was significantly higher for violent-game players than for nonviolent-game players. Among those who received anodal stimulation, unprovoked aggression did not differ for violent- and nonviolent-game players. Thus, anodal stimulation reduced unprovoked aggression in violent-game players. No significant effects were found for provoked aggression, suggesting tit-for-tat responding. This experiment sheds light on one possible neural underpinning of violent-media-related aggression-the rVLPFC, a brain area involved in regulating negative feelings and aggressive impulses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy. paolo.riva1@unimib.it.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Riva
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gabbiadini
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Leonor J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Romero Lauro
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Science - Psychology Unit, University of Genova, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Andrighetto
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Volpato
authors.affiliation: School of Communication and Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.|Department of Communication Science, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Brad J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Bushman
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003163:Competitive Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D056348:Emotional Intelligence / Q000502:physiology; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D005717:Games, Experimental; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009014:Morals; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011581:Psychological Tests; D065908:Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D018910:Video Games / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Aggression; Self-control; Taylor aggression paradigm (TAP); Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS); Violent video games