Video Game Research - Essay Example

Positive and Negative Correlation Positive and Negative Correlation According to LeFrancois , positive correlation between two variables is reported when a change in one of the variables reflects a similar change in the other variable, while a negative correlation between two variables is recorded when a change in one variable leads to a negative change in the other variable. Therefore, when comparing the effects of the amount of time spent in playing video games to aggressive behaviour and academic performance, various conclusions can be drawn.

If there is a positive correlation between the amount of time spent while playing video games with aggressive behaviour, conclusion can be drawn that with time, the more a person plays video games, the more the likelihood of that person adopting an aggressive behaviour. The games thus positively influence the person to adopt an aggressive behaviour similar to that portrayed in the games. However, if the relationship between the amount of time spent while playing video games and academic achievement is negative, then the conclusion is that video games do not influence the academic performance of a person in any way.

Bias in experimental studies affects the results of the experiment and subsequently the results. Sampling bias is the wrong choice of the group to put under study. If the group to be studied has very different characteristics from other groups, this is likely to affect the results (LeFrancois, 2011). Therefore, if the group chosen for this study had characteristics of aggressiveness even before the study, the results could be biased. Likewise, if the group had poor academic performance before the study, the results would too be biased at the experiment.

Experimenter bias on the other hand affects the results due to the prejudgment nature of the experimenter. Experimenters at times have their expectations from the experiments conducted (LeFrancois, 2011). Therefore, if the people carrying out this particular experiment expected a particular outcome, then the results must have been biased. If they expected to find a negative relationship between time spent while playing video games and academic performance, then they could have likely altered the results to indicate otherwise.

Similar case would happen to the results if expected to find out a positive relationship between time spent while playing video games and aggressive behaviour. ReferencesTop of FormLeFrancois, G. (2011). Psychology: The Human Puzzle. San Diego, Bridgepoint Education. Bottom of FormReferencesTop of FormLeatherman, D. (2008). Quality leadership skills: Standards of leadership behavior. Amherst, Mass: HRD Press.Bottom of Form