The Effect of Different Rated Violent Computer Games Playing on Cardiovascular Reactions among Iranian Adolescents: The Effect of Personality Type

The objective was to investigate the effects of different rated violent computer games regarding to types of personality on cardiovascular reactions among Iranian adolescents. 209 participants (108 girls, 101 boys) were selected by cluster samp ling metho d amo ng first gr ade students of secondary schools in Tehran. The mean age was 12,7 (ranged from 12 to 15 years). Subjects were divided to 9 groups including a control group and 8 experimental groups which played selected electronic games for 40 minutes. Each participant’s blood pressure and heart rate was recorded 10 minutes before beginning and 5 minutes to end of the game on sedentary position and from the left wrist by blood pressure monitor. All subjects filled out Eysenck Personality Inventory before the experiment. Data analyzing by A N O V A m e t h o d r e v e a l e d t h a t cardiovascular reactions are moderated by playing different rated violent electronic games but was not affected by different personality traits. Cardiovascular arousal in some of games was affected by the rate of game challenging. These findings provide modest support for the aggression catharsis hypothesis.