...Benefits of Video Games English 223 D 12/5/2012 Intro I have played video games since I was five years old, they have been a huge part of my life. They have made me the person I am today for better or worse, but I believe for the better. They have helped me significantly in my social life. They helped me make friends, and have allowed me to have a common ground with people I would other wise never have anything in common with. It allows me to meet new people and keep in touch with friends in far off places. The challenges that video games have presented me have taught me how to analyze the situation quickly so I can react just as fast. Also I have learned a lot of random facts from video games about the real world. Many of the situations in video games have connections to the real world and thanks to the simulations of real life in video games I know how to react to certain situations or perform certain task appropriately with out actually ever doing them before. I believe video games have many benefits to offer everyone, they have been great to me and I am sure they can help everyone. Video games are deemed as toys with no apparent value but to waste time. This is very untrue, video games can be very beneficial if used properly. They can increase analysis and problem solving skills, they allow people the ability to keep in touch with their friends from all around the world and even make new ones because they have a shared interest, and they can...
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...The Benefits of Video Games Although video games may seem like a waste of time, there are many benefits to playing them. In the paragraphs below I will be talking about how they can benefit you physically, mentally and socially. It might surprise you the good video games can bring. Physically, video games can benefit you in many ways. Here are just a few. First off, in video games, when you have to have a fast reaction time your fingers will have to build up dexterity to keep up. Also, your fingers will gain strength from all the typing and and clicking. Lastly, your reflexes will increase because you have to make fast decisions sometimes without thinking. Those are most of the physical benefits of video games. Mentally, the benefits are numerous. Many times in video games I find myself needing to make fast decisions that can make or break that game so I NEED to be decisive, playing video games is one way that can help you be a more decisive person. Another important mental ability that you gain from playing video games is focus, without focus I would lose games that I play probably 75% of the time. In real life focus is needed for pretty much everything that you do, the more focus the better. Video games can also help your logic skills, one game in particular that I play has similar logic to chess and requires logical fast thinking. By playing games like the one I play and many others you can build up your logic skills. Those are just a few of the many possible...
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...The Benefits of Video Games In today's frantic and stressful society, a desire to escape sometimes is imminent. There are piles of work to do, constant headaches, and relationship tensions are rising. In this current condition one may be aware that it will be impossible to get anything accomplished. What one really needs is a chance to get away from it all, to replenish the mind and release all of their apprehension. A relaxing vacation to a secluded private island would do the trick, but of course this is impractical. Instead, at no cost one can fully immerse into a lush, stunning virtual paradise oozing with beauty and serenity. This is the magnificence of the modern video game world; it lets a person be somebody they could only dream of, construct amazing structures and inventions, or can even provide relief and fulfillment. However, stress relief and personal enjoyment are not the sole advantages. Video games should be more widely accepted and integrated into the daily and professional lives of individuals because of the many positive effects they create, which include: self satisfaction, educational and economic opportunities, advances in technology and science, and the spawning of creativity and ingenuity. One of the age old attacks against video games is the statement that they contain an addictive allure that grabs hold of students and chokes the academic life out of them; well, according to recent studies, quite the opposite may be observed. In a study of young...
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...The Harmful Effects of Video Games Vs. The Benefits Aaron Winterstein October 14, 2012 The Harmful Affects of Video Games Vs. The Benefits There are many questions about video games and how they affect children. I believe that video games are harmful to children in many ways. Many studies have tried to prove that they are harmful, as well that they are also beneficial to children. It is difficult to understand which argument is the truth behind the research. I believe that the harmful effects are greater than the benefits. The benefits that the children can learn through video games can also be taught to them other ways besides just video games. Video games are not the only way to teach the children values and how to live properly. Video games are damaging the way that our children think and act, as well as harming their bodies by teaching them wrong morals about themselves and others. The first way that video games are harming our youth is psychologically. There was a study published in the Journal of personality and Social Psychology that children that were playing video games were reported to be more aggressive than those of children that do not play video games. Previous research has documented that playing violent video games has various negative effects on social behavior in that it causes an increase in aggressive behavior and a decrease in prosocial behavior...
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...has been a lot of negative attention in the media towards video games. Enough that most parents don't want their young children being subjected to the violence and aggression that most video games have. While there are many arguments that oppose video games, they are also many that claim the opposite. In fact, science has proven that video games are actually beneficial to the cognitive development of human beings. There are many studies that show an enhanced development in children who play video games. In the United States, an astounding 97% of all children play video games for an hour a day. While that may seem counterproductive to their social development, it's actually helping them...
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...Mental Destruction: Video Games Video games have a detrimental effect on the minds of our youth. Individuals should limit their use of video games to ensure that they have the mental capacity to succeed in life outside of a virtual world. The effect of these visual stimulations goes further than the standard aggressive behavior due to the violent content in some of these games. Additionally it affects the mental levels that hinder a child's mind from benefitting from academic activities such as reading a novel or studying for an exam. Some say that these games offer children a safe release; a world to cause destruction where no one is being harmed. The truth is they are harming themselves severely. The gaming content is a huge factor that influences adolescents to commit violent crimes. Although violence isn’t the most common outcome, the quick satisfaction in the game play causes children to become unfocused on one subject for more than a few minutes. This is one of the more long term effects that video games have on an individual. Games such as Saints Row, Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto promote themes of violence, resulting in the answers to their problems. The player must make decisions that affect the fate of the characters in the game, usually involving killing the character as an option, which, usually, is the more favorable decision within the game. For some, the decisions that players make can transcend into real life. There are numerous news reports...
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...Going Outside According to Peak Fitness an everyday fitness and health website research, eighty seven percent of Americans spend their time in an enclosed space throughout the day and will rarely ever leave their workspace even when they go on break (Mercola). While playing video games is very fun and are played by many to relax after school or work or to simply have fun sitting in a chair or on your bed kicking back and playing as your favorite character to unwind. However, an alternate activity that is just as accessible and fun as playing video games, but has much more benefits. Although playing video games is enjoyed by many people as a fun activity, a more beneficial way to spend your free time is to go outside. As an activity that...
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...Benefits of Gaming Paden Muesse ITT-Tech Houston West Despite what most parents would tell you, video games can be beneficial to one’s health and child development. Video games can improve cognitive functions, such as hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, and multi-tasking. They can also aid in the treatment of conditions like lazy-eye and dyslexia. Certain types of games, such as MMORPGs, encourage social interaction and teamwork. However, the opposition to these beliefs would say that gaming can cause addiction, social isolation, insomnia, and even weight gain and migraines. Yet even accredited psychologists believe that gaming can be beneficial for one’s health. Now not to say that all video games proved the same benefits, but different genres of games provide different ones. First Person Shooters, or FPSs, such as Call of Duty and Battlefield, help develop one’s sense of spatial awareness “in three dimensions just as well as academic courses designed to enhance these same skills.” (Bowen) Other types of games such as MMORPGs and MOBAs, like World of Warcraft and League of Legends, “requires essentially the same skills as making friends in the real world.” (Gray) Even games such as Angry Birds and other mobile time-killer games “can improve players' moods, promote relaxation and ward off anxiety.” (Bowen) Now, many parents would claim that video games are nothing but detrimental to one’s health and children’s development. It can cause problems such as insomnia...
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...English 1010 13 October 2014 The Brain on Video Games Are video games just for entertainment purposes? Although many believe that video games are for passing the time and entertainment. Many people I’ve ask said they “corrupt the brain, ruins the attention span and worsen the social skills” In the media we see headlines saying how video games are damaging our brains, but are they really damaging anything? A negative always has to have a positive. I am going to show you that gaming has benefits for your brain. Not only is it entertaining, it also has benefits for the brain During my middle school years, I played a lot of Grand Theft Auto (GTA). While playing GTA I learn there was more to it than committing crimes and making my avatar number one. While playing you need to memorize several game patterns such as the weapon specification and also many maps. The players are also put to unraveling a complicated puzzle that requires you to process enormous amounts of data. There are resources inside the game, those resources are key to survival; players have to constantly manage these in the most effective manner. Rather than rotting my brain I was doing the opposite. With playing GTA I have improved my memory, my problem solving and my resource management. I’ve also improved my hand-eye coordination, fine motor and spatial skills. GTA isn’t the only game that I found out was helpful, but it was the most surprising to me since it was a game that most people blamed for their own violent...
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...THE VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY By Team 1: Nintendo TABLE OF CONTENTS History of the Video Game Industry P. 3 - 7 Twenty-First Century Trends P. 7 - 8 United States Market P. 8 - 10 Regional Markets P. 10 Industry Players P. 10 - 13 Consumers P. 13 - 15 Regulations P. 15 - 16 Overall P. 16 Exhibits P. 17 - 19 Appendices P. 20 - 33 Endnotes P. 34 References P. 35 - 36 The video game industry includes a broad spectrum of operations including: gaming consoles, games made for consoles, and online games which make up the retail segment of the industry. The majority share of the market is the development and manufacturing of games, consoles and accessories. This report goes through a history of the video game industry; trends to look for in the 21st century; the United States markets and the four segments (games and software, consoles, online games and software, and accessories); regional markets by segment; the major competitors in the video game industry; consumers of the industry, and the minimal regulations that affect the industry. The Appendices provide profiles for the major companies in the video game industry including Nintendo Co. Ltd., Microsoft Corporation, Sony Corporation, Electronic Arts Inc., and GameStop Corp. History of the Video Game Industry Though the history of video games goes back to the 1950s with...
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...The Benefits of Playing Video Games Isabela Granic, Adam Lobel, and Rutger C. M. E. Engels Radboud University Nijmegen Video games are a ubiquitous part of almost all children’s and adolescents’ lives, with 97% playing for at least one hour per day in the United States. The vast majority of research by psychologists on the effects of “gaming” has been on its negative impact: the potential harm related to violence, addiction, and depression. We recognize the value of that research; however, we argue that a more balanced perspective is needed, one that considers not only the possible negative effects but also the benefits of playing these games. Considering these potential benefits is important, in part, because the nature of these games has changed dramatically in the last decade, becoming increasingly complex, diverse, realistic, and social in nature. A small but significant body of research has begun to emerge, mostly in the last five years, documenting these benefits. In this article, we summarize the research on the positive effects of playing video games, focusing on four main domains: cognitive, motivational, emotional, and social. By integrating insights from developmental, positive, and social psychology, as well as media psychology, we propose some candidate mechanisms by which playing video games may foster real-world psychosocial benefits. Our aim is to provide strong enough evidence and a theoretical rationale to inspire new programs of research on the largely unexplored...
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...Do Video Games Benefit Children? Video games are the fastest growing entertainment in the world, becoming more lifelike, complex and common in nature. Today, 91% of children between the ages of 2-17 play video games (NPD Group, 2011). Engaging in video games have several benefits such as, cognitive skills, social skills, motivation skills, and emotional skills. However, research shows that there may be long-term effects as well. The Debate of video games has been going on for roughly 35 years now. The controversy began in 1976 when the arcade game “Death Race” came out (based on the movie Death Race 2000). The game consisted of players running over “gremlins” (what was later found out to be pedestrians) while they yelled and sobbed. In 1992, one of the most controversial games “Mortal Combat” came to our screens with gory graphics such as severed heads, ripping out spines and hearts. It was one of the most popular game of all time. In 2007, “Bioshock” was criticized for allowing players to murder little girls that were turned into mutated monsters to get points. In 2011, “Bulletstorm” was introduced and said to be one of the worst games in the world. There’s an excess amount of profanity and is very gruesome as body parts splat all over the screen (Gross, CNN. 2013). Although there has been negative controversy about these games, research also shows the benefits and adverse effects of games in the same categories, (e.g., shooterames). Several training and research studies...
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...Video Games: Learning Process In this modern age, society is overrun by the latest entertainment available, video games. Across the world, many people find their time consumed by a game on their phone, computer, or television. Video games have been in daily lives since 1958, although not being as extreme as it is today. Nowadays, these games are associated with violence, gore, and anger; however it shouldn’t be stereotyped because of one genre. Like movies, video games have different genres (action, adventure, puzzle, simulation, etc…). In a way, video games are movies with a few exceptions: there's a controller, the player is in control, and in some cases, there aren’t any characters. Essentially, the player is the main character, but with extra perks. Video games provide players of all ages to learn and adapt to surroundings to proceed to the next level. Video games give people an improved perception, develop cognitive abilities, and help disabilities. Video games as stated before, came out in 1958 with a simple table tennis game. This game just provided entertainment to college students and helped innovate programming as society knows it. Many companies wanted to gain profit in video games during the 1980’s, producing many different devices and genres to entertain society. A company known as Nintendo gathered the first copyright for the games they were producing, causing other businesses to shut down because of lack of creativity. Different genres started popping up, and...
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...Virtual Gaming Video games are a universally part of almost all children’s and adolescents lives. And most of the research done by Psychologist is on its negative impact and has less information regarding its possible positive effects. And still, after decades of research into the negative effects of video games, the result remains controversial (Vitelli, 2014) but is video game playing necessarily harmful? Now, multiple of reviews suggest that we need to look at the positive aspects of virtual games, as well as the negative. Granic, Lobel,& Engels (2013) agreed that in order to understand the impact of video games on children’s and adolescents’ development, a more balanced perspective is needed, one that considers not only the possible negative...
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...Exploratory: Do Video Games Have Negative Effects on Users? The form of entertainment is always changing with the shift in culture and advances in technology. One of the most popular forms of entertainment today is the use of video games. Video games have gotten more and more popular over the years. The use of them over a period of time can have a timely effect on the user just like any drug someone uses or any sport someone plays. Can they be positive effects or negative effects? Some people believe that video games are a bad influence and do nothing but harm to the gamer, which is the person who is playing the video game. Media in the news usually focuses on the negatives of video game use, completely leaving out the positives of it. If someone were to go up and ask ten parents if they think video games were bad or good for children or adolescents they would probably say bad, but there is actually some benefits to playing video games that can be determined. In a blog called “10 benefits of Playing Video Games” it shows a list of the ten benefits a person can get from playing video games such as boost cognitive health, improve hand eye coordination, and have sharper image (http://www.tastyhuman.com/10-benefits-of-playing-video-games/). I was very surprised to see such a long convincing list of benefits from video games. The reason why video games help cognitive health is because the majority of games require players to think tactically and make quick decisions. The article...
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