Sex differences in anger states after violent video game play and the relationship of empathy and emotional invalidation as pre-aggressive predictors in young adults

• Published in: Personality and individual differences 2021-11, Vol.182, p.111060, Article 111060
• Main Authors: Morrison, Jessica O., Elzy, Meredith, Jelsone-Swain, Laura
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aggressiveness; Anger; Childhood; Computer & video games; Emotional Invalidation; Empathy; Gender differences; Individual differences; Personality traits; Sex differences; Violent video games; Young adults
• ISSN: 0191-8869; 1873-3549
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2021.111060

Previous research indicates that anger and aggressive behavior may increase with exposure to violence, particularly from playing violent video games. However, this literature is mixed with few studies examining individual differences that account for these inconsistencies. Therefore, we conducted a within-subjects experiment examining state anger in young adults after violent and nonviolent video game play. Importantly, we examined how individual differences involving levels of empathy, childhood emotional invalidation, anger traits, and sex may relate to state anger outcomes. Our results suggest that sex differences play a role in anger states after violent video game play. Specifically, only females showed increased levels of state anger. Lower empathy was a strong predictor of increased anger expression, and emotionally invalidating childhood environments was related to higher levels of trait anger. Implications from these results may include a possible buffering role that empathy and childhood emotional validation have in anger outcomes, while emphasizing the importance of examining individual differences and their outcomes resulting from playing violent video games.