The impact of acute violent videogame exposure on neurocognitive markers of emotional empathic state

Mary B Ritchie; Shannon A H Compton; Lindsay D Oliver; Elizabeth Finger; Richard W J Neufeld; Derek G V Mitchell

doi:10.1093/scan/nsae031

The impact of acute violent videogame exposure on neurocognitive markers of emotional empathic state

Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2024 May 10:nsae031. doi: 10.1093/scan/nsae031. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Mary B Ritchie^{1

2}, Shannon A H Compton^{2

3}, Lindsay D Oliver⁴, Elizabeth Finger^{5

6

7

8}, Richard W J Neufeld^{3

9

10}, Derek G V Mitchell^{2

9

11

10}

Affiliations

¹ Graduate Program in Clinical Science and Psychopathology, Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
² Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
³ Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
⁴ Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
⁵ Robarts Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
⁶ Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
⁷ Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.
⁸ Parkwood Institute, St. Joseph's Health Care, London, Ontario, Canada.
⁹ Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
¹⁰ Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Science, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
¹¹ Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.

PMID: 38727544
DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsae031

Abstract

Research examining the purported association between violent gaming and aggression remains controversial due to concerns related to methodology, unclear neurocognitive mechanisms, and the failure to adequately consider the role of individual differences in susceptibility. To help address these concerns, we used fMRI and an emotional empathy task to examine whether acute and cumulative violent gaming exposure were associated with abnormalities in emotional empathy as a function of trait-empathy. Emotional empathy was targeted given its involvement in regulating not only aggression, but also other important social functions such as compassion and prosocial behaviour. We hypothesized that violent media exposure increases the risk of aberrant social behaviour by altering the aversive value of distress cues. Contrary to expectations, neither behavioural ratings nor empathy-related brain activity varied as a function of violent gaming exposure. Notably, however, activation patterns in somatosensory and motor cortices reflected an interaction between violent media exposure and trait empathy. Thus, our results are inconsistent with a straightforward relationship between violent media exposure and reduced empathy. Furthermore, they highlight the importance of considering both individual differences in susceptibility, and other aspects of cognition related to social functioning to best inform public concern regarding safe gaming practices.

Keywords: emotional empathy; fMRI; neurocognitive markers; violent gaming; violent video game.

Grants and funding

R3994A13/CFREF/BrainsCAN