The study data has all been collected and is currently undergoing analysis. As findings become available, I will post them here. The results involve the impact of the online game Asheron's Call 2.
The study was run as an experiment. 350 people took part in the experimental condition, playing the game over a one-month period. 280 people participated as a control group. The effect of the game is found by comparing the changes in the experimental group to changes in the control group.
The study involved several aspects of media impact, including social networks, media use, aggression and personality. As of late April, the analysis on aggression has been completed, and the other sections should be done over the course of the summer.
Aggression
The impact of Asheron's Call 2 on aggression was minimal. Measures of cognitive, verbal, normative beliefs in aggression and self-reported aggressive behavior did not change substantially after one month of play. A slight effect was found for very high-volume players. A small effect for fear (a "cultivation" effect) was found--participants were more likely to be afraid to walk alone in their neighborhoods or on a campus after playing the game. The results are explained in detail in this draft paper, co-written with fellow Ph.D. student Marko Skoric. This paper has been submitted for presentation at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication annual conference this July/August in Kansas City.
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