A new study suggests that playing violent video games increases your pain tolerance.
The study, conducted by Richard Stephens and Claire Aslop of Keele University, explores the effects video games have on pain tolerance levels.
The research had 40 subjects play violent video games, while others played a non-violent game (a golf game), and then monitored how long the subjects could keep their hands submerged in icy water.
Those who played the violent games managed to hold out 65% longer. Researchers believe that’s because the games triggered a “fight or flight”, which allowed them to become more pain tolerant.
The study builds on earlier work from the team that showed that swearing increases pain tolerance, too.
“Swearing produces a pain lessening (hypoalgesic) effect for many people… These data indicate that people become more pain tolerant with raised state aggression and support our theory that raised pain tolerance from swearing occurs via an emotional response,” the research summarises.
Source: Keele, AmSci
Related articles:
Call of Duty teaches kids morality, claims military veteran
Teen stabs neighbour over online game
Loading ...
Well, I figure that action-heavy games just result in the production of more adrenaline (a significant factor in the fight or flight response) which, as I’m sure we all know, acts as a fantabulous analgesic.
This is hardly a profound understanding 🙂