The relationships between violent content and aggression have not been fully understood and explained in video game research literature. This study sought to determine if video game players" flow experience--a psychological absorption—explains the aggression that can follow video game playing. Employing a survey, this project sought to determine if relationships existed among degrees of violence portrayed in video games, degrees of flow experience, and subsequent aggressive attitudes after gaming. In this study, it was determined that a player's flow experience is more strongly correlated with aggression than is the violent content of video games. Moreover, contradicting the common belief that the video game companies make more profit by increasing the quantity of violent content, there is actually no significant relationship between violence and purchase of video games. However, along the same lines of Hoffman and Novak (1977), this study discovered an increase in purchasing intent related to flow experiences in video games. / Department of Telecommunications

There is no abstract available for this dissertation. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Hansen and Hansen (1991) proposed the relationship between music preference and personality characteristics to be an interactive process of socialization. People are attracted to music that is congruent with their needs, desires, and values. Over time and with repeated exposure, listeners' attitudes and values gradually come to conform to those represented in the music. Given this premise, people who prefer more aggressive types of music would be expected to be more aggressive. If this were found to be true, perhaps exposure to different musical genres would serve to lessen aggressive tendencies. The current study sought to investigate whether people who prefer harder forms of music (e.g., hard rock, heavy metal, rap) tend to be more aggressive than those preferring softer types of music (e.g., country, classical, gospel, jazz). It also examined whether there was a relationship between music preference and social desirability. A sample of 322 undergraduates from a Midwestern university completed the Aggression Questionnaire (AQ), the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (MC-SDS), and a leisure interests survey developed by the author to assess music preferences. Initially, correlations between the MC-SDS and the four aggression scales of the AQ were calculated. Because all correlations were negative and statistically significant, social desirability was entered as a covariate in the analysis of music preference and aggression. Results from a multivariate analysis of covariance failed to find a significant relationship between music preferences and aggression. Thus, people preferring harder music types do not differ in level of aggression from those preferring softer music types. Sex differences in aggression were supported. Follow-up univariate analyses showed males to be more physically and verbally aggressive as well as more hostile than females. An analysis of Music Preference and Aggression x variance was performed to investigate the relationship between music preference and social desirability, with results suggesting that no such relationship existed. No sex differences in social desirability were found. The current findings contrast with previous research, which has supported a relationship between music preferences and aggression, with heavy metal and rap fans displaying higher aggressive tendencies than those preferring other music types (Rubin, West, & Mitchell, 2001). Limitations of the study, as well as research and counseling implications, are discussed. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

There is no abstract available for this dissertation.

Alcohol abuse/dependence frequently co-occurs with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and conduct disorder (CD). Furthermore, crime studies have generally found that alcohol is involved in over 50% of violent crimes, and experimental studies support the notion that acute alcohol consumption indirectly increases the likelihood of aggressive and disinhibited behaviors in the laboratory. However, the mechanisms underlying alcohol's association with such behaviors remain unclear. The goals of this thesis were therefore to further elucidate potential mechanisms underlying (a) alcohol-induced aggressive, disinhibited behaviors and (b) the high comorbidity between delinquent, aggressive behaviors (characterizing CD/ASPD) and alcohol misuse/abuse/dependence. Thus, four studies were conducted, focusing on individual differences in the physiological response to alcohol intoxication. Specifically examined was the elevated heart rate (HR) response to alcohol, which is thought to reflect an increased sensitivity to alcohol-induced reward. / Results of Study I indicated that high HR Responders to alcohol self-reported increased multiple year delinquency (physical aggression, theft, and destruction of property), as well as more alcohol consumption and an increased positive subjective feeling following intoxication, as compared to low HR Responders. Furthermore, a high HR response was related to increased extraversion, disinhibition, boredom susceptibility, and total sensation seeking. Study II revealed that Aggressive Sons of Male Alcoholics (Agg-SOMAs) had the highest intoxicated HR response, and reported the most alcohol consumption, as compared to Non-Agg-SOMAs, or Agg - or Non-Agg - Non-SOMAs. Studies III and IV revealed that intoxicated high HR responders exhibited the most physical aggression (assessed by the Taylor Aggression Paradigm), as well as the most behavioral disinhibition (assessed by the Go/No-Go task) as compared to sober high HR Responders, or sober/intoxicated low HR responders. / In summary, individuals with a high HR response to alcohol appear to have an increased propensity for multiple addictive, disinhibited and aggressive behaviors. This determines a phenotype of both potential heuristic and clinical importance. These findings are discussed within the context of a hypothetical model of (a) the high comorbidity between alcohol use/misuse and aggression/ASPD, and (b) the increased likelihood of alcohol-induced aggressive, disinhibited behaviors.

"Although awareness of the pervasiveness and significance of partner abuse has been growing, little data exist on matching type of abusers with specific interventions. The aim of this study was to evaluate one example of the empirically based typologies of partner abuse that could lead to improved interventions for abusers." / Doctor of Psychology (Clinical)

Recent New Zealand (NZ) research found rates of physical fighting and weapon carrying among high school students in Dunedin were equal to that of rates for the United States (US). The NZ Government has identified violence as a priority health issue. However, NZ is lacking information on the prevalence of the problem, and the identification of factors which may provide clues for prevention. The current understanding of the social context in which physical aggression takes place, has focused on risk factors that are present in the adolescents� ecological frame. Emerging protective factors are increasingly being recognised as major determinants that can moderate the adverse effects of risk factors. However, little research into protective factors has been conducted in NZ. The aim of this thesis was to investigate physical aggression among adolescents in NZ. This was explored through four in-depth studies: i) a national survey of secondary school principals and counsellors ii) focus groups with students in Otago; iii) an online survey with students in Otago and iv) a survey with teachers in Otago. The national survey of secondary school principals and counsellors points to a degree of concern about physical violence in NZ. One in ten reported fights occurred frequently, and over a quarter of principals and over one third of counsellors reported that at least one student at their school had been caught carrying a weapon. Focus groups with Otago adolescents indicated that fights often began as verbal disagreements escalating to physical fights, that a fight should be defined as serious as opposed to a play fight; and differences were also found between fighting at school and outside of school. Participants suggested that items may be reported as weapons, even though they are not being carried for such purposes. Previous estimates of aggressive behaviours may have been unjustifiably high and possibly hid signifcant differences in the nature of the aggression being reported. A quantitative cross-sectional online survey was undertaken with Otago secondary school students, and confirmed that physical aggression among NZ adolescents is a significant problem. Mutivariate analyses identified the school as an important factor in the social system of adolescents; in particular feeling safe, not feeling alienated and being treated fairly. The results highlighted the need to concentrate on strategies that improve students� positive engagement with school as a means to reduce physical aggression. The final study of Otago secondary school teachers showed that while teachers did not consider physical aggression as a major problem in their schools, they did report frequent occurrences of physical fighting. Respondents also reported some teachers experienced significant physical aggression from students. Physical aggression among NZ adolescents is a significant public health problem that needs addressing. This behaviour impacts directly on the education offered to students, the safety of the environment in which learning takes place, and the stress of the work place for teachers. This thesis has identified school engagement as the most promising protective factors for young people against involvement in physical aggression.

"Although awareness of the pervasiveness and significance of partner abuse has been growing, little data exist on matching type of abusers with specific interventions. The aim of this study was to evaluate one example of the empirically based typologies of partner abuse that could lead to improved interventions for abusers." / Doctor of Psychology (Clinical)

Bibliography: p. 273-300. / xiii, 320 p. : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Psychology, 2000?

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Tufts University, 2003. / Advisers: Klaus Miczek; Joe DeBold. Submitted to the Dept. of Psychology. In title, GABAA is spelled GABA with a subscript A. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-183). Access restricted to members of the Tufts University community. Also available via the World Wide Web;