I Hate the Enemy! Violent Video Game Effects on Hate and Opinions towards US Foreign Policy

Is playing violent video games associated with an increased level of felt hate towards the “enemy” depicted in the game? Does the emotion of hate lead to support for foreign policies directed towards the target group in real-life settings? This study examines the impact of two violent video games, The Hong Kong Massacre and Mother Russia Bleeds, on players’ emotional experience and opinions about immigration, economic, and military policies directed towards China and Russia. We argue that the storytelling of violent video games emphasizes the competitiveness and conflicts between the player(s) and NPC enemies, which serves as the foundation for the emotion of hate and further affects attitudes towards the target group in real-world settings. The felt hate may, in turn, shape opinions towards foreign policies directed at the target group. Our proposed research fills the gap in violent video game research by examining outcomes less costly than aggressive behaviors and crimes. Moreover, we expand current literature related to hate and policy attitudes by investigating the impact of entertainment media rather than news. Lastly, we examine emotion and policy attitudes towards China and Russia, which is timely and relevant to the current state of US foreign relations.