The Effect of Violent Virtual Avatar Experience on Players' Response Inhibition to Angry Expressions and Its...

Response inhibition may be a flexible resource that is usually in a dormant state but can be awakened in particular contexts, such as angry expressions. Few existing studies have explored the influence of violent video games on players' response inhibition to angry expressions from the perspective of virtual avatars. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of violent virtual avatar experience on players' response inhibition to angry expressions and its cognitive neural mechanisms. Eighty-four players (42 participants each with high and low violent virtual avatar experience) were selected to complete the emotional Go/No-go task, during which participants' EEG were recorded. Results indicated that facing angry expressions players with high violent virtual avatar experience showed a greater No-go P3 effect than those with low violent virtual avatar experience. These results suggest that facing angry expressions players with high violent virtual avatar experience show superiority in response inhibition, and this superiority exists in the later stage of response inhibition, which is closely related to the actual inhibition of the motor system.