The Impact of Computer Games in the UK

1573 Words4 Pages

High technology has conquered our world and it cannot not to have any impact on people who use it. Children are those who may suffer most because they are “screen addicted” from a very early age. According to Thomas (2011) an average modern child spends four hours thirty minutes in front of the TV or computer each day which includes one hour fifty minutes online and two hours forty minutes watching television. However, Trybus (2014) claims that gaming technology may help significantly in the education area. This essay concentrates on such part of modern technology as computer games. It will focus on the most popular games analysis at the beginning, then look at their effects and finally cover useful application of computer games. Analysis of the most popular games As far as children are concerned, Parfitt (2012) reports that they spend approximately eight and a half hours a day during holidays playing different games on computers or other electronic devices. What is noticeable, out of 5 the most popular games 3 are violent according to the “UK top 20 video games chart” and a total number of 7 violent games is in this chart (The Guardian, 2013). According to Thornhill (2013) they are so attractive because of two reasons. The main one is that a gamer fells like ‘playing God’ who is able to control the environment around him or her and the destiny of other characters. The other cause is the fact that the decision has to be made very quickly. As a consequence, the player experiences an adrenalin rush which is similar to what our ancestry felt hunting wild animals. Violent games’ effects on children As for effects that hours of playing bring about, video games hurt mainly two areas which are mental health and behaviour. As for effe... ... middle of paper ... ... hunting wild animals that were forgotten during the modornisation, but also the opportunity to train the brain that become used to monotone work. However, the time spent in front of the screen must not be wasted because the longer one stares at it the more his or her health suffers. This research has not shown the long-term effects on children behaviour and has been not looking at violent games’ effects in isolation from the life problems that might have affected the study. Hence, it would be wise for the further research to find similar in terms of the life situation young people and explore how different computer games (e.g. violent games with a positive or negative goal, teaching applications, time wasters and so on) will affect their behaviour and moral conditions.

Open Document