June 2013
Discuss what research studies have told us about the positive effects of computers and/r video games on behaviour (4 + 6 marks)
Green and Bavelier found that some games like Tetris, have been found to improve specific cognitive skills, hand eye co- ordination and some aspects of vision Games with a pro-social theme can effect helping behaviour.
Graham et al found that active Wii fit style games may promote higher levels of physical activity in sedentary individuals, and often people can find these games more helpful than regular exercise, as they claim it to be more interesting, and often use these types of games to motivate themselves to do exercise Social networking sites can promote pro-social behaviours, political change.
However, some research has found that playing violent games can often provoke violent thinking. An example of this is Anderson and Bushman where they gathered 224 participants in two independent groups, one playing a violent video game, one none violent. At a certain point, the game stopped and then they were asked to say ‘what happened next’. Research found that those playing the violent game often had a more violent ending than those that did not. This shows that violent games can cause violent thinking.

June 2011
A local school head teacher wants to produce a leaflet for parents about the possible effects of video games and computers on young people. Suggest what information should be included in the leaflet. Use your knowledge of psychological research in this area to justify your advice

Sims and Mayer found that playing computer gaming can improve certain cognitive skills like Visio-spatial and attention skills. Also to back this up Gentile et al found that games with a pro-social theme can promote helping behaviour in children who play them. These two research suggest that playing games can help improve hand eye coordination, and if they are playing games with a pro social scheme, such as fighting crime (superhero) they can have a pro social affect.
Also with the growing concern of childhood obesity, with Graves et al suggesting that playing video games is a big contributor to this, Mellecker et al suggests that is kids play active games it can use up more energy compared to sitting watching TV.
Also, Valkenburg and Peter suggest that internet communication can help build friendships, helping children who are self-conscious and shy to communicate also helping against stress.
However, although there are many positives, there are also negatives. Anderson et al found that there is some evidence that playing violent games cause aggression in the players and excessive gaming has been linked to aggressive behaviour.
Gentile suggests is that children who have an existing aggressive nature are more likely to be influenced by aggressive games. Parents should then be particularly careful in allowing such children to play violent games. It is also thought that for children who play such games frequently, their judgement about what is real and what is fantasy becomes blurred and can often lose track of the ‘real world’