Recent research has begun to examine whether contextual features of video game play, such as the cooperative versus competitive nature of interaction between game play participants, can mitigate aggressive responses related to violent video game play, or even lead to prosocial responses such as generosity. This research provided the foundation for the current dissertation that sought to (a) examine the effect of cooperative play on generosity and (b) associate cooperative game play with increased production of oxytocin, a neuromodulating hormone related to bonding, trust, and social interaction. The potential negative effects of video game play have been a central focus of psychological and communicological research, with the majority of studies using competitive, aggressive games as their stimulus materials. By utilizing a non-aggressive game, examining the role of cooperative versus solo play in that game, and assessing changes in oxytocin production and associating those changes with post-game play generosity, the current study provides an opportunity for determining potential prosocial effects of non-aggressive video game play and linking those effects with an endocrinological mechanism.A random assignment (solo versus cooperative play) experiment with an offset control condition was conducted using a guitar-music video game as stimuli. Prior to and after game play oxytocin was measured using salivary samples. Following the final salivary sample, participants completed an ultimatum game designed to assess generosity. Contrary to expectations, playing the game solo increased generosity and playing cooperatively with another person decreased generosity compared to the offset control. This evidence suggests the controversial potential that playing a non-aggressive game cooperatively can exert an antisocial influence under certain game-play contexts, as well as the possibility that playing such a game alone can have a prosocial influence.The unexpected findings were explained as resulting from the combination of two potential mechanisms: ego depletion and synchrony. Together the ego depletion and synchrony explanations suggest that solo play in a non-aggressive video game increases generosity due to increased levels of synchrony while cooperative play with a co-present partner in a non-aggressive game reduces generosity due to increased levels of ego depletion. A sudden, and unexpected issue with the lab contracted to analyze the salivary samples prevented their inclusion from the current study. However, the samples have been stored to allow for their inclusion at a future date.The paper concludes by integrating the proposed mechanisms with previous studies and discussing the broader implications with regards to why and when (a) solo game play should increase and (b) cooperative game play should reduce generosity. The explanation offered provides a more nuanced and complete understanding of the role of cooperative video game play on prosocial behaviors by demonstrating findings that contradict previous research and providing hypothetical mechanisms for future research. Implications of the study suggest that in addition to the content and context of game play influencing outcomes, the interaction of video game content and context can fundamentally alter research findings and their interpretations.
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