Does playing violent video games increase aggressive behavior in children?

During this lesson, you’ve learned about the variety of research methodologies that psychologist scientist may choose to use in answering a research question.  Now it’s your turn to think carefully through a research question and choose an appropriate method.

The research question:

Does playing violent video games increase aggressive behavior in children?

Suppose you have the whole range of research techniques/methods at your disposal.  You also have all the time and money you might need to test out this question.  You do NOT have superpowers, though, so you’re still constrained by the laws of physics (no invisibility cloaks, super-hearing, or time travel please!).

Your task is the following:

First, what is your independent and dependent variable for this research question? Now, choose TWO different research methods (case study, naturalistic observation, survey, experiment, etc.) and address the following questions in a 2-3 page paper (double-spaced, 1-inch margins, 12-point font):

• How would you go about answering this research question for EACH of the two research methods you chose?  Be specific and outline the exact procedure you’d use for each method.
• Identify at least ONE strength and ONE weakness for each of the two research methods you chose.
• Discuss the reliability and validity of the actual measurement tools you’d be using for each of the two methods.
• Finally, discuss whether or not EACH research method you chose would allow for you to make conclusions about causality between violent video game playing and aggressive behavior.

Submit your write-up in the Assignments Tool, “Major Assignment – Research Design: Strengths and Limitations”.