Previous research found that violent video game play leads to increased aggression, but many people (mainly habitual violent video game players) still believe that playing violent games releases aggressive feelings and in turn reduces aggressive behavior. Other research has shown that video game play can have a positive impact on the player's mood. Based on the General Aggression Model and mood management theory, we thus hypothesized that habitual violent video game players misinterpret their better mood after game play as a reduction of aggressive feelings and hence believe in the cathartic effects of violent video games. Two studies examined this reasoning in the player's natural habitat. Habitual video game players were surveyed multiple times for a period of 2 weeks before and after each gaming session. Results showed that playing video games improved the participant's mood, which in turn was positively associated with the belief in the cathartic effect of violent video game play. Importantly, this relation held when controlling for the player's actual level of aggressive feelings. Study 1 further showed that playing a violent game tended to lead to a higher level of reported aggressive feelings after playing. In contrast, in Study 2, level of reported aggressive feelings was not related to the violence of the game. Taken together, habitual violent video game players (erroneously) believe in the cathartic effects of violent video games, because they are in a better mood after playing.

中文翻译：

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为什么习惯性的暴力电子游戏玩家相信暴力电子游戏的宣泄效果？将情绪改善误解为攻击性情绪的减少

先前的研究发现，玩暴力游戏会导致攻击性增加，但很多人（主要是习惯性的暴力游戏玩家）仍然认为玩暴力游戏会释放攻击性情绪，进而减少攻击性行为。其他研究表明，玩视频游戏可以对玩家的情绪产生积极影响。因此，基于一般攻击模型和情绪管理理论，我们假设习惯性暴力视频游戏玩家将游戏后更好的情绪误解为攻击性情绪的减少，因此相信暴力视频游戏的宣泄效果。两项研究在玩家的自然栖息地中检验了这种推理。在每次游戏之前和之后，对习惯性视频游戏玩家进行了多次调查，为期 2 周。结果表明，玩电子游戏改善了参与者的情绪，这反过来与对暴力电子游戏宣泄效果的信念呈正相关。重要的是，当控制玩家的实际攻击感受水平时，这种关系仍然存在。研究 1 进一步表明，玩暴力游戏往往会导致游戏后报告的攻击性情绪更高。相比之下，在研究 2 中，报告的攻击性情绪水平与游戏的暴力程度无关。综上所述，习惯性暴力视频游戏玩家（错误地）相信暴力视频游戏的宣泄效果，因为他们玩完后心情更好。重要的是，当控制玩家的实际攻击感受水平时，这种关系仍然存在。研究 1 进一步表明，玩暴力游戏往往会导致游戏后报告的攻击性情绪更高。相比之下，在研究 2 中，报告的攻击性情绪水平与游戏的暴力程度无关。综上所述，习惯性暴力视频游戏玩家（错误地）相信暴力视频游戏的宣泄效果，因为他们玩完后心情更好。重要的是，当控制玩家的实际攻击感受水平时，这种关系仍然存在。研究 1 进一步表明，玩暴力游戏往往会导致游戏后报告的攻击性情绪更高。相比之下，在研究 2 中，报告的攻击性情绪水平与游戏的暴力程度无关。综上所述，习惯性暴力视频游戏玩家（错误地）相信暴力视频游戏的宣泄效果，因为他们玩完后心情更好。