Aggression in the Laboratory: Problems with the Validity of the Modified Taylor Competitive Reaction Time Test as a Measure of Aggression in Media Violence Studies

ABSTRACT Many laboratory studies of aggression use a measure known as the modified Taylor Competitive Reaction Time Test (TCRTT), for which validation studies are lacking. Using sound blasts administered by the participant against a fictional human opponent, the TCRTT also allows for multiple methods of measuring aggression. The validity of the TCRTT was tested in 53 college student participants. Participants took a self-report measure of aggressiveness as well as neuropsychological measures of frontal lobe functioning predictive of aggression. Results were not supportive of the TCRTT's validity and indicated concerns regarding the use of the TCRTT as a measure of aggression. Results suggest that labaratory studies of media violence using the TCRTT are of questionable validity.

[1]  Kd Mercer,et al.  The Effects of Psychopathy, Violence and Drug Use on Neuropsychological Functioning , 2005 .

[2]  Karen E. Dill,et al.  Video games and aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behavior in the laboratory and in life. , 2000, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[3]  J. Freedman,et al.  Media Violence and its Effect on Aggression: Assessing the Scientific Evidence , 2002 .

[4]  Dominic H. ffytche,et al.  Neural dysfunction and violence in schizophrenia: An fMRI investigation , 2006, Schizophrenia Research.

[5]  J. Barth,et al.  The Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery. , 2000 .

[6]  C. Anderson,et al.  External Validity of “Trivial” Experiments: The Case of Laboratory Aggression , 1997 .

[7]  Elie Wiesel,et al.  Without conscience. , 2005, The New England journal of medicine.

[8]  Jacob Cohen.  The earth is round (p < .05) , 1994 .

[9]  C A Anderson,et al.  Media violence and the American public. Scientific facts versus media misinformation. , 2001, The American psychologist.

[10]  Christopher J Ferguson.  Media violence: miscast causality. , 2002, The American psychologist.

[11]  M D'Esposito,et al.  Recovery of memory and executive function following anterior communicating artery aneurysm rupture , 1996, Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society.

[12]  J. Tedeschi,et al.  A further comment on the construct validity of laboratory aggression paradigms: A response to giancola and chermack , 2000 .

[13]  O. Spreen,et al.  Comprar A Compendium of Neuropsychological Tests - Administration, Norms, and Commentary | Esther Strauss | 9780195159578 | Oxford University Press , 2009 .

[14]  J. Savage.  Does viewing violent media really cause criminal violence? A methodological review , 2004 .

[15]  S. Chermack,et al.  Construct validity of laboratory aggression paradigms: A response to tedeschi and quigley (1996) , 1998 .

[16]  S. Fling,et al.  Videogames, aggression, and self-esteem: A survey , 1992 .

[17]  D. Mook,et al.  In defense of external invalidity. , 1983 .

[18]  Cheryl K. Olson.  Media Violence Research and Youth Violence Data: Why Do They Conflict? , 2004, Academic psychiatry : the journal of the American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training and the Association for Academic Psychiatry.

[19]  J. Vila,et al.  The Aggression Questionnaire: A Validation Study in Student Samples , 2002, The Spanish Journal of Psychology.

[20]  Christie Golden,et al.  Stroop Color and Word Test: Manual for Clinical and Experimental Uses. , 1978 .

[21]  A. Mirsky,et al.  Cognitive Antecedents of Violence and Aggression , 2002 .

[22]  B. Bushman,et al.  Chronic violent video game exposure and desensitization to violence: Behavioral and event-related brain potential data. , 2006 .

[23]  Leif Hultin,et al.  Reduced frontotemporal perfusion in psychopathic personality , 2002, Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging.

[24]  G. Felsten,et al.  Aggression Questionnaire hostility scale predicts anger in response to mistreatment. , 1999, Behaviour research and therapy.

[25]  C. Anderson,et al.  Violent Video Games and Aggressive Behavior in Young Women. , 2003 .

[26]  S. Epstein,et al.  Instigation to aggression as a function of degree of defeat and perceived aggressive intent of the opponent. , 1967, Journal of personality.

[27]  B. Price,et al.  Neuropsychiatry of frontal lobe dysfunction in violent and criminal behaviour: a critical review , 2001, Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry.

[28]  J S Kreutzer,et al.  Neuropsychological deficits in symptomatic minor head injury patients after concussion and mild concussion. , 1990, Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry.

[29]  C. Anderson,et al.  Media violence and the American public revisited. , 2002, The American psychologist.

[30]  James J. Lindsay,et al.  Research in the Psychological Laboratory , 1999 .

[31]  F. Ferraro,et al.  Frontal lobe deficits in domestic violence offenders. , 1999, Genetic, social, and general psychology monographs.