Tunnel Vision or Desensitization? The Effect of Interactivity and Frequency of Use on the Perception and Evaluation of Violence in Digital Games

Most of the studies on violence in digital games have investigated its effects on arousal or aggression. Little attention has been paid to how in-game violence is actually perceived and evaluated. To investigate this issue we conducted two experimental studies (N = 30 and N = 74) in which participants either played or watched a violent shooter game and reported how they perceived and evaluated the violent content. Results showed that playing the games led to an increased awareness for in-game violence, but also to less-negative subjective evaluations of the violent content. Gaming frequency had a negative effect on both the perception and evaluation of in-game violence, suggesting a desensitization effect. The results of our studies illustrate that individual perceptions and evaluations of violence in digital games have to be taken into account when studying their effects. Implications for further research and the system of age ratings are discussed based on our findings.