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Effects of video games on children
Influence of violent video games on children
Educational benefits of playing video games
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Recommended: Effects of video games on children
Imagine that you are sitting peacefully in your living room, reading a book or maybe drinking some coffee in front of a crackling fire. Calm, isn’t it? Now imagine there is a loud BANG, followed by gunshots and screaming and yelling and explosions. What could be making all of this racket? Some kids playing video games.
Video games have become extremely popular over the years as technology has advanced. However, with this rise in popularity also comes a growing concern in parents how the games may be affecting their children. Because of this, video games have gotten a bad reputation for increased violence or aggressive behavior in teens, antisocial behavior, laziness, and have even been linked to some crimes in the past. This has lead many adults to think that video games can only be bad for kids, however recent studies has suggested that the games may have potentially positive effects to them. In fact, some of these studies suggest that the positive effects of virtual gaming may outweigh the negative.
One of the biggest benefits that video games provide is an increase in intelligence, mainly in the area of problem solving. This is because one of the main aspects to almost all games is puzzles. Without at least a small challenge, gamers wouldn’t really find an interest in the games and get bored easily. However, its because of these challenges gamers have shown an increased ability to think outside of the proverbial box and have acquired better problem solving skills. Last year, a study at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development led by Simon Kuhn showed that kids who played the platforming game Super Mario 64 for 30 minutes a day had a significant increase in grey matter around the brain compared to kids who did not play t...
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...as adults.” Penelope Trunk. Home Schooling, 11 April, 2013. Web. 26 Jan. 2014. http://homeschooling.penelopetrunk.com/2013/04/11/kids-who-play-video-games-do-better-as-adults/ Fleming, Nic. “Why video games may be good for you.” BBC. In Depth, 26 Aug. 2012. Web. 26 Jan. 2014. http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20130826-can-video-games-be-good-for-you/all Hamilton, Jeff. “Treating ADHD with Video Games.” Psychology Today. Pills Don’t Teach Skills, 17 Aug. 2011. Web. 26 Jan. 2014. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/pills-dont-teach-skills/201108/treating-adhd-video-games Reilly, Rachel. “Violent video games such as Grand Theft Auto DON'T harm children - and could actually be therapeutic.” Daily Mail. Health, 28 Aug. 2013. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2403032/Violent-video-games-like-Grand-Theft-Auto-DONT-harm-children--therapeutic.html
At this day in age we bask in the luxury of having easy access to advanced technology at our disposal. From the World Wide Web, to cell phones, music, movies and video games the human race has thought of any and everything to keep us entertained. Over the years studies have shown reasonable concerns regarding the long-term effects of video games. These games can desensitize gamers to real life violence, which is usually seen in the younger crowd. The studies especially hit on the games containing player-on-player violence. Though these games are extremely entertaining and can get kids to settle down for a while, if not properly supervised, they can produce adverse effects. Other studies have shown that video games can be used as way to yield positive outcomes such as, good problem solving skills, cooperation in a group and the ability to flow. Although there has been psychological research on children learning through the actions of others some believe that children are automatically able to distinguish between what is just a game and what is reality. The longer they are allowed on their game system the more they become convinced that their games are real. Some researchers believe violent video games can channel the aggression of the child but the parents are to blame for what happens to the child after playing an excessive amount over a period of time. Children can become preoccupied with these violent video games which have been proven to be the cause of poor social skills, uncontrollable aggression and a false reality.
Video games. They provide an escape from reality to explore worlds and realms beyond our own. However there is a lot of controversy surrounding wether or not video games are good for you, many people are under the impression that video games turn kids and adults alike into mindless zombies hellbent on violence but in this essay I aim to convince you that not only is this untrue but that video games are actually beneficial. I’d also like to mention that too much of anything is bad for your health,for example extremely high quantities of broccoli can be toxic.
Children that play violent video games at such a young age will have a bad effect on them. “Not everybody who plays these games will become murderers, just as not everybody who smoke gets cancer” (Quittner, J). Every day people play with these games will have an effect on the way they look at things, they will begin to have aggressive thoughts, and they will begin to have a change in behavior. On average boys spend thirteen hours per week and girls spend five hours on video games. This amount of time a week will have a major effect of these children minds. “Violent video games effect people. They increase aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, and physical arousal symptoms.”(Rollins 1)
Video games have improved a lot since they were first introduced. They have also made a lot of impacts in our generation by making gamers more social, teaching children through educational video games, and how video games can improve our health. Furthermore, the articles show many different ways that proves that video games aren’t bad for you physically and emotionally. Since video games were introduced they have changed our society.
Also, how the result of violent gaming affects the actions of the children shortly after the finish playing. Overviewing the work of physiological professor Helen Fisher, Sauer concludes that playing a mass variety of games can have different effects on a child. Documented by Sauer, “To the extent that this task is representative of real-world risk taking in a driving context, Fischer et al. found that racing games can have negative effects on traffic safety: increasing risk-taking behavior, risk-promoting cognitions, and positive attitudes toward reckless driving” (Sauer 206). A child does not have to shoot a gun in a game such as Call of Duty or rob a bank in GTA V, the end result is that the child would think these things are accepted in society.
Video games are widely popular as a form of entertainment for young children and teenagers in the United States, and many of these games contain forms of violence. Because this causes exposure to such graphic images for many children, there has been a concern that these violent forms of entertainment affect these children. Numerous studies conducted by groups of psychologists have been directed on this particular issue, leading to evidence both for and against this claim. This is an issue which parents should acknowledge, as it greatly impacts their children. Therefore, parents must become aware of the issue of violence in video games and monitor their children’s access to such games because history as well as numerous studies and statistics to have shown that they have negative effects on children, causing desensitization due to the exposure to such intense images.
Video games are almost always present in any house that is home to an adolescent child. While video games are popular among people of all ages, adolescent children are usually the most involved. An article was developed by three members of the Psychopathology department at a university in the Netherlands. While addressing the use of video games the statement was made that “Today, in the United States, 91% of children between the ages of 2 and 17 play video games”(Granic, Lobel, Engels). Children may spend countless hours sitting in from of a television screen, participating in the electronic activities. While there are many different genres of video games, perhaps among the most popular are those that contain a high level of violence and hostility. Along with the violent content and commentary, these videogames create a hostile mindset. Video games have the ability to cause negative effects in the way young people think and act socially.
In today’s society, highly addicting video games involving strong violence and language, explicit sexuality and crime often lead to inappropriate behaviors. Role playing games or RPGs allow us to step into a virtual world, cutting ourselves off from worldly distractions. Nowadays, the age range for people who play these extremely graphic games are anywhere from six to eighteen and are surprisingly hazardous to young children’s health. A study gave a group of players playing a violent video game the chance to blast a painful sound into their opponent's ear in order to get the upper advantage. They also gave another group playing non violent games, the same opportunity. The study showed that overall the gamers playing violent video games were more prone to inflict more pain on their enemies, unlike the other group who inflicted considerably less pain. Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D who did this study agrees, “violent video games desensitize players to violence, and makes them more violent in real life" (McGonigal). Young adults are exposed to these terrifying images, harming their mental health. In recent events, a young eight year old boy shot his grandmother after playing Grand Theft Auto. This game is the epitome of why young people should not be playing these games. It is comprised of murder, drug and alcohol abuse, criminal behavior, violence and general disrespect for women, and foul language. In summary, young people should not be playing these games in order to save their mental health. Furthermore, television contributes to desensitizing society with it’s ...
One way in which video games can be beneficial is by supporting individuals’ intellectual development in the areas of problem solving and logic. Games like Cut the Rope, Angry Birds and The Incredible Machine require players to solve a puzzle under time limited conditions. When people are playing these games, they practice their critical thinking skills and creativity, which are both important components of intelligence.
By far the largest concern of technology today is video games. There have been so many experiments and studies to try and figure out if video games have a negative or positive effect on our children. A growing body of research is linking violent video game play to aggressive cognitive, attitudes and behaviors (D.A. Gentile, 2004). Video games can obviously be dangerous for our children causing aggression, bad performances in school and obesity. Although we cant blame all of these problems on the use of video game...
Study shows that video games might be bad for your brain. Some of you might have heard that video games can help your mind stay sharp as we get older. Think again. It seems that new evidence shows the exact opposite might be true.
Over the past 30 years, playing video games has become one of the most popular hobbies worldwide. Not only has the video game industry become a multi-billion dollar industry, but it has attracted people from all age types. While video games today are played by both kids and adults, there are many issues being raised regarding the effects of video games. More particular, is the effect that violent video games may be having on children. Some critics argue that video games are direct indicators of child aggression while video game supporters argue that there is no direct link between child aggression and violent video games. While many people have their own personal stances, this issue is unique because it is unfolding everyday. Scientists and researchers all over the world are continuously doing research regarding the effects of video games on children. Even though this remains a field of uncertainty for researchers, parents should definitely be involved in being aware of what it is that they’re children are playing when they play video games.
Violence is Not a Game: The Harmful Effects of Violent Video Games Grand Theft Auto, a game filled with horrendous murder sprees, unparalleled crimes, and overall unspeakable violence earned $800 million dollars 24 hours after its release date.(Shackford 28) These “shooting” games are taking over almost every child's game console, from possible ages of 9 to 17 years old. While children play these gruesome video games for hours, more and more harmful effects are being presented to them. Data provided in studies show the hostility shown in games, can contribute to hostile perspectives and aggressive actions in children. Positive attitudes towards negative content, dangerous observational learning and lack of parental approval are all risks
Several years ago, technology and child’s play were not such as extremely developed as today. Thousands of teenagers have video game as their primary form of entertainment at home. The disagreement about violent video games is because they focus on several subjects such as violence scenes, pornographic content, racism and other resources. For many years, researchers have been debating if video games can cause dependence or not. However, an expert, Jack Flanagan believes video games have a really negative effect on a person’s life and even for children. Jack states that video game addiction exists, and can have the same effects as drugs and alcohol (Netzley 36-37). This shows that video game addiction can be like other addictions
"Video game play may provide learning, health, social benefits." American Psychological Association. February 2014, Vol 45, No. 2