Video games that pit players against human-looking
characters may be more likely to provoke violent thoughts and words than games
where monstrous creatures are the enemy, according to a new study by
researchers at the University of Connecticut and Wake Forest University.
“The Perception of Human Appearance in Video Games: Toward
an Understanding of the Effects of Player Perceptions of Game Features,”
published in the May 2013 issue of Mass Communication and Society, comes as
lawmakers and the public are freshly debating the possible risks that violent
games may pose to impressionable players.