Impacts of Violent Video Games on Aggression

This assignment delves into a study investigating the link between playing violent video games and aggressive behavior in boys. It examines the research design, including potential threats to internal and external validity, such as selection bias. The assignment also explores the ethical implications of studying aggression, particularly in relation to criminal behavior. It concludes by proposing a theory explaining the correlation between violent video game play and aggression.

Running head: METHODS USED TO CONDUCT RESEARCH IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Methods Used to Conduct Research in Criminal Justice
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1METHODS USED TO CONDUCT RESEARCH IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Table of Contents
Strategy......................................................................................................................................2
a) Hypothesis..........................................................................................................................2
b) Dependent and Independent variable..................................................................................2
c) Reason behind Random assignment...................................................................................2
d) Limitation of the Interviews...............................................................................................2
e) Practical Issues during the Interviews................................................................................2
f) Two Ethical Issues..............................................................................................................3
Confidentiality........................................................................................................................3
Permission..............................................................................................................................3
g) External and Internal Validity Issues..................................................................................3
External validity Issues..........................................................................................................3
Internal Validity Issues..........................................................................................................3
h) Interpretation.......................................................................................................................3
i) Interpretation of whether Playing Violent Video games lead to Criminal Behaviour........3
J) Two Reasons why Impacts of game-playing over the longer term are not investigated.......4
k) Theory to explain the relationship between Aggression behaviour and playing Violent
Games.........................................................................................................................................4

2METHODS USED TO CONDUCT RESEARCH IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Strategy
A study has been conducted to test whether there is a tendency among teenagers who
play violent and aggressive video games to conduct criminal behaviour. Boys have been
classified according to their addiction to playing video games. It is seen that boys of One
group have an addiction to play video games, which are violent and aggressive one hour
every day for a period of three months. Boys of another group like to play video games,
which are non-violent and non-aggressive one hour every day for a period of three months.
Boys aged 12 years in a middle-class suburban neighbourhood have been assigned to one of
these groups. The parents and the teachers of the boys are interviewed within a month of the
end of the game-playing phase to examine whether there is a significant change of behaviour
in the subjects.
a) Hypothesis
Hypotheses are of two types. A null hypothesis is tentatively made (Harlow, Mulaik
& Steiger, 2016). It is denoted as H0. An alternative hypothesis is any other hypothesis than
null hypothesis. An alternative hypothesis is denoted as H1 (Harlow, Mulaik & Steiger, 2016).
The following hypothesis will be tested in this study.
H0: Playing violent and aggressive video games contributes to criminal behaviour.
H1: Playing violent and aggressive video games do not contribute to criminal behaviour.
b) Dependent and Independent variable
A dependent variable is depended on the value of other variables (Ary et al., 2018).
On the other hand, an independent variable is not depended on the value of other variables
(Ary et al., 2018). Here, the Criminal behaviour is identified as dependent variable while
addiction to playing violent video games, depression, trouble at home, and addiction to
playing non-violent video games are identified as the independent variable. It is supposed that
criminal behaviour is dependent on these mentioned independent variables.
c) Reason behind Random assignment
Random assignment technique is used to assign boys randomly in different groups. It
ensures that each boy has the same probability to be assigned to any given group. It helps to
eliminate the effect of confounding variable. Hence, children are assigned randomly to one of
two groups.
d) Limitation of the Interviews
Every interview may have some limitations. Thus, these interviews are not good at
following trends in short period of time because information is collected in a single point of
time. Hence, it is difficult to measure the changes in population because fluctuations may
happen in information. This procedure is also time-consuming and costly (Simon & Goes,
2013).

3METHODS USED TO CONDUCT RESEARCH IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
e) Practical Issues during the Interviews
Parents and teachers may hesitate to face this kind of interview. Assurance should be
given to them that their identity would be kept in secret. It may also be noticed that they are
absent in their house at the time of interview. There is a chance that their responses may have
a bias. Hence, the interview will experience these practical issues to conduct the study.
f) Two Ethical Issues
Confidentiality
Confidentiality should be maintained. It should be the main concern (Haahr, Norlyk &
Hall, 2014). The names of the interviewees should not be exposed. It is necessary to seek the
permission of interviewees explicitly to expose their names.
Permission
Interviewees should provide response happily. It is necessary that interviewees should
give their responses in writing and unless an explanation must be given. The interviewees
should provide permission explicitly, preferably in writing to publish the information.
g) External and Internal Validity Issues
It is necessary to concern more with external and internal validity issues out of
measurement issues, statistical conclusion, external and internal validity issues.
External validity Issues
It is questionable whether the results of the study will generalize to other parents and
teachers (Zoharbi, 2013). It is also necessary to know whether the findings of the study are
applicable for other situations and locations.
Internal Validity Issues
Selection bias is one of the major threats to internal validity. It is mainly caused by
the step of selection of the study. It is seen that test subjects in an unequal number might have
similar variables that are subject-related (Zoharbi, 2013). The responses of participants may
be affected to experimental procedures by the events that are outside of the dependent
variable.
h) Interpretation
It is concluded that boys playing violent video games behave more violently than
those who play non-violent video games. It may be observed that boys are more likely to
engage in playing violent video games. Hence, it is expected that boys will be more
aggressive than girls will. The girls will be affected due to the addiction of playing violent
video games. Hence, it is expected that girls playing violent video games will be more
aggressive in nature than those who play non-violent video games.
i) Interpretation of whether Playing Violent Video games lead to Criminal
Behaviour
It is assumed that boys who play violent video games behave more violently after the
experiment than those who play non-violent video games. It is not enough to conclude that
that playing the games lead to criminal behaviour. It can be said that violent video games are

4METHODS USED TO CONDUCT RESEARCH IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
not alone responsible for aggression behaviour. Depression, an academic problem, trouble at
home is also responsible for criminal behaviour (Surette & Maze, 2015). It is difficult to
know surely whether the violent criminal is caused due to playing violent video games
because it is not ethical to allow participants who engage in violent criminal behaviour in the
laboratory experiments.
J) Two Reasons why Impacts of game-playing over the longer term are not investigated
 The interviews are conducted one month after the boys have completed playing video
games. It helps to get proper information. The effect of video games on the teenagers
can be felt very well within one month they have completed playing the video game.
 It is not necessary to investigate the impacts of game playing over the long term
because there will arise other factors to mislead the research.
k) Theory to explain the relationship between Aggression behaviour and playing Violent
Games
A high correlation coefficient between unacceptable aggressive attitude and playing
violent video games will be seen. A less association is seen between playing non-violent
video games and rude behaviour. Some other factors also influence human behaviour.

5METHODS USED TO CONDUCT RESEARCH IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
References:
Ary, D., Jacobs, L. C., Irvine, C. K. S., & Walker, D. (2018). Introduction to research in
education. Cengage Learning.
Haahr, A., Norlyk, A., & Hall, E. O. (2014). Ethical challenges embedded in qualitative
research interviews with close relatives. Nursing Ethics, 21(1), 6-15.
Harlow, L. L., Mulaik, S. A., & Steiger, J. H. (Eds.). (2016). What if there were no
significance tests?: classic edition. Routledge.
Simon, M. K., & Goes, J. (2013). Assumptions, limitations, delimitations, and scope of the
study.
Surette, R., & Maze, A. (2015). Video game play and copycat crime: An exploratory analysis
of an inmate population. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 4(4), 360.
Zohrabi, M. (2013). Mixed method research: Instruments, validity, reliability and reporting
findings. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 3(2), 254.