Emotions like empathy and fear of harming another person are keys to success in life, as they allow people to have a healthy function in society. However, researchers at the University of Bonn in Germany have found that playing violent video games for excessive amounts of time can dull integral emotions in people.
In a study, a team of scientists showed images of violent acts to a group of volunteers who regularly played video games in which they shot at people. When their responses were compared to those of a control group, the researchers observed that they had lower activity in brain regions controlling emotion.
"First-person shooters do not respond as strongly to the real, negative image material because they are used to it from their daily computer activities," said lead author Christian Montag. "One might also say that they are more desensitized than the control group."
Results of this study suggest that people who play video games too often may want to consider strengthening their personal development skills in an effort to make their minds more empathetic and loving.
