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Gamers Are More Aggressive To Strangers

TheClockworkSoul writes "According to NewScientist, victorious gamers enjoy a surge of testosterone — but only if their vanquished foe is a stranger. Interestingly, when male gamers beat friends in a shoot-em-up video game, their levels of the hormone plummeted. This suggests that multiplayer video games tap into the same mechanisms as warfare, where testosterone's effect on aggression is advantageous. Against a group of strangers — be it an opposing football team or an opposing army – there is little reason to hold back, so testosterone's effects on aggression offer an advantage. 'In a serious out-group competition you can kill all your rivals and you're better for it,' says David Geary, an evolutionary psychologist at the University of Missouri in Columbia, who led the study. However, when competing against friends or relatives to establish social hierarchy, annihilation doesn't make sense. 'You can't alienate your in-group partners, because you need them,' he says."

7 of 227 comments (clear)

  1. So, does Slashdot count as a "game"? by Rogerborg · · Score: 4, Funny

    If all y'alls weren't such retards, you'd have asked that question already. Suck it, LUUUUSERS.

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    If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
    1. Re:So, does Slashdot count as a "game"? by sopssa · · Score: 4, Funny

      THATS IT!

      If you start fucking with me, you get what you deserve. My SimCity 2000 server is up, join it bitch and I'll crush you!

  2. Bad feelings about killing teammates by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 4, Funny

    I find that I feel bad if I kill someone on my own team by accident.

    Then I feel better when I teabag them anyway. Laughter is definitely the best medicine.

  3. Re:Anthropogists the world over by Canazza · · Score: 4, Funny

    I play with my co-workers at lunchtime. I can tell you I get no satisfaction from killing them... none at all *looks shiftilly around*

    *STAB STAB STAB STAB*

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    It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for being subtle.
  4. That is why... by v(*_*)vvvv · · Score: 4, Funny

    If every soldier got to personally know their enemy, there would be no war.

    The lack of communication, and the alienation and dehumanization of the foe are what justifies violent recourse. If only saddam hussein hadn't denied Bush's friend request on facebook...

    1. Re:That is why... by simoncpu+was+here · · Score: 5, Funny
      Sorry but that's just utter BS. History is filled with examples of people who knew each other going to war against each other:
      • Professor Charles Xavier vs. Magneto
      • Spiderman vs. Green Goblin
      • Superman vs. Lex Luthor
      • Batman vs. Catwoman
      • Peter Petrelli vs. Sylar
      • God vs. Lucifer

      Knowing someone doesn't mean you won't kill them if you are given the chance and situation to do so.

  5. Re:Gamers... by Datamonstar · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yeah, whatever... Take a group of seasoned Pen & Paper gamers and they'll fuck you up with a 10-foot pole and 50 feet of rope.

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    The eternal struggle of good vs. evil begins within one's self.