...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...
Words: 1501 - Pages: 7
...Video Game Addiction In the 19th century, if you asked a thirteen year-old boy what they did in their spare time, they'd probably talk about helping their parents on the farm. You ask the same question to a teen in the 20th century, and you'll get an earful about baseball, double-dutch, and pick-up sticks. But now we are living in a new millennium, a millennium where 97% of children ages 12-17 would reply 'videogames' to that question. To me, this massive percentage is horrifying (99% of boys and 94% of girls), yet some will sense nothing wrong with it. These people frequently argue, 'But videogames aren't that bad,' 'they're not actually harmful to the body,' or 'some games improve hand-eye coordination and analytical thinking skills.' Granted, video games often appear harmless, but they can be very damaging to children and teens who are lacking in self-control. The dangers of video gaming can be summarized into one word: addiction. Guilty pleasures like video games, television, and candy are tolerable when done in moderation. The problem with video gaming is that unless controlled or limited by a third party, it's both chemically and mentally addictive. Studies have scientifically shown that excitement from playing video games causes the human brain to release an addictive chemical. Psychologically, video game addiction is explained through what is called 'the God effect.' This simply means that players receive the ability to control and manipulate everything in the...
Words: 744 - Pages: 3
...Video games sometimes receives a bad rap when it comes to the effects it takes on the brain. Most people view the effects of video games on the brain as a bad thing, some people view the effects of video games as a good thing. In fact, it has been proven that video games have both effects on the brain. Phsycologist all over the world have created hypothesis and ran tests to see just what effect playing video games has on the brain. In this paper, I will discuss different researcher’s thoughts on whether video games on the brain are helpful, hurtful, or addictive. The effects of video games on the brain can be beneficial to the human body. First, let’s discuss the beneficial effects video games have on behavior. Some video games can enhance certain abilities such as vision, attention, and speed of processing (Bavelier & Green, 2011). Most of these attributes are displayed in video games that display a lot of agility. It makes sense, action games require players to be quick, obtain constant attention, and to be able to stay focuses on one thing for a long period of time. Furthermore, from a more psychological aspect, video...
Words: 495 - Pages: 2
...children 2. How video games affect violence in children 3. The value and/or harm of online relationships for adolescents Each section should include a brief paragraph summarizing what research says about the topic. 1. Follow each of the paragraphs with a bulleted list of facts pertaining to that topic that would be of interest to parents. When a children’s parents divorce, they often times feel pulled into a whirlpool of loneliness, fear and guilt. When one parent makes the decision to leave, the child may fear that the other parent will follow. Even after the parents provide the child with reassurance, the child can still be controlled by the idea that they caused the breakup. In almost every situation, the child worries about what will happen to them; a fear that is very logical. There are many different ways children can react to divorce. Some will show signs of sleeplessness and depression, while others feel anxious that they will be rejected or abandoned by one or the other. Due to the absence of one of the parents, some situations cause the child to feel lonely. Continual broken promises are placed on a level far beyond its genuine importance. In every situation of divorce, a child will be affected in some way. Most of these effects will be dependent on how both parents are able to handle the situation. - Uncontrollable Bad Effects - The Loss of Friends - The Loss of Family - Birthdays and Holidays - Stepfamilies Video game violence highlights...
Words: 555 - Pages: 3
...EN1320 Composition | The Effects of Playing Video Games | Stimulating Minds | | Sean Rock | 2/26/2013 | The positive and negative effects associated with playing video games. | Contrary to popular beliefs, being active in the gaming world, with moderation, can enhance behavioral skills. Throughout the years there have been numerous studies to try to prove that gaming was either beneficial or harmful to children and later to adults. There are skills that can be advanced with the right exposure and restraint to video games. There are some risks involved with lifelong gaming. As adults there are long term damages and ill-effects that can occur. One of the major points in this argument of whether video gaming is favorable is the exposure to violence. The effects overall prove that controlled game play can enhance the players’ lives. Playing video games at a young age has its downfalls and rewards. Research has shown that children who participate in playing video games have to undertake unique activities. This includes increasing their hand-eye coordination and pushing players to improve their coordination skills. (Matthew Anton http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=67460656&trk=tab_pro Webmaster / Internet Marketer). Parents should require a limited play time with video games because the threat of addiction is very real. Excessive game play can lead to anti-social behavior and lack of face-to-face interaction. Though this is a growing hazard, there are...
Words: 753 - Pages: 4
...Just Video Games "Man dies in Taiwan after 3-day online gaming binge" (Hunt, 2015). One of the most significant things that are constantly and rapidly evolving is technology. Technology has a direct impact on the social, economic, political, and cultural life. Nobody these days can do the daily responsibilities without using transportation or without their phone. Technology has become part of everything in the life. This rapid development has many advantages, but unfortunately it also has some disadvantages. Currently, the most important advantages is using technology in the educational process. On the other hand, technology has also some negative impacts especially on the kids. The worst disadvantage of using technology is that...
Words: 1340 - Pages: 6
...Forrester Discernment and Discourse 1313 5 May 2014 Sexism Sells: The Male Dominated Video Game Industry Only 4% of video game titles released in the past 10 years feature a playable female character as the leading role, and there are even fewer female protagonists on the list of the top grossing video games (ESA). This trend of male dominated storylines is evident in other forms of media as well: movies and television shows tend to be centered around men, but video games show the least diversity in protagonists and often have regressive views on women and their position in society. Women make up 20% of console video game players and 46% of computer and mobile game players in this 20 billion dollar a year industry, meaning they are contributing a large amount of profits (ESA). Despite their significant purchasing power, they are not represented equally as characters in games, and continue to be used as a plot device or sexual being to attract the male target audience. Neither are they allowed to be a compelling character with a story arc and personal growth as we see with the male protagonist. Female characters, when included, tend to be one dimensional and only valued for typically how they fit into traditional gender roles by being submissive and innocent. This narrow portrayal of women comes from the fact that the developers of video games are predominantly men. Only 11% of game designers are women and only 3% of programmers, even though it is one of the fastest growing...
Words: 4263 - Pages: 18
...------------------------------------------------- Video Games and Children Video games was introduce goes far back in the early 1940s-1950s when researchers, scholars and entrepreneur began producing and designing simple games, simulation and artificial intelligence (AI) as part of computer research programs and had become child hood leisure activities and even for adults. (Totilo, 2010) Video gaming didn’t reach mainstream popularity until the 1970s and 1980s. Adults and parents become concern on the possible ill effects on children but early research found out the results unclear. Back then in the 1980s video games sales boost up when the Nintendo system was first release and with its better and more colorful graphics. When Sega, Nintendo, Sony and other videogame console release bigger and better consoles in the early 2000 followed by Microsoft Xbox in 2001, video game skyrocket even more and there start what gamers called “console wars”. (Rice, 2013) As of today there are two consoles leading up the video game market; Sony Playstaion 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One. Many of the fan boys(loyal to their console ownership) had a lot of arguments and debate which one is better with each consoles unique and fancy features it is still undecided which one is the best and it is all about the matter of taste of the people. (Rice, 2013) A lot of American children...
Words: 1263 - Pages: 6
...We have all played video games at least a few times in our life and moms have always said, “Those video games will rot your brain out,” but will they actually “rot” the brain? Studies are showing that moms could be wrong when she says “video games will rot your brain out,” and they could actually be beneficial to the brain. But what about violent video games? Surely they cannot be good for you, right? Even violent video games can help develop some areas of the brain (Jaeger), though they may not be the most optimal type of game to be playing if you want to increase your brain as much as you can, but they still help. Video games have both positive and negative effects on the human body. Video games have many benefits on the brain, including better problem solving, more logic, increased hand-eye coordination, improved fine motor skills and more (“The Positive and Negative”). This is just a small chunk of what video games can help the human brain to expand. The human brain is a very complex organ, in fact, it is the most complex organ in the body. The brain has the ability to change, so every time it learns new information then it grows (Jenkins), so when humans play video games the brain can grow in many areas like visual-spatial capacity, visual activity, task sustaining, decision making,...
Words: 1198 - Pages: 5
...Why Take Away Peoples Get Away? Imagine you just had a bad day at school or work and just want to strangle something. So you go and play your favorite violent video game and all of your anger gets put into the game and not your family or friends. For many people this is how they get away from all of their anger, they use it for their games and not committing violent crimes. So do not take these games from our kids, because they help them stay away from doing crimes, not cause them to do crimes. Many use violent video games for relief or a way to use their anger in a non-harmful way, that way others do not get hurt. Economist Steve Levitt says “Violent video games may of decreased violent crimes because they are keeping the kids busy.” So...
Words: 683 - Pages: 3
...Video Games and Sociological Theory July 22, 2012 Video games have become as pervasive an aspect of our society as television, with many people spending more time playing video games than watching television. There are many perspectives with which to gauge videos games’ effect on society, from a functionalist, conflict or interactionist perspective. (Schaefer, 2011) Each of these sociological theories can provide a different view of video games, how they affect society and the subcultures that develop around them. The functionalist perspective would emphasize the way in which the parts of a society are structured to maintain its stability. (Schaefer, 2011) A functionalist may point out the manifest functions of video games as a facilitator of social interaction among friends, or the function of educational games in younger children. The functionalist may also observe latent functions, such as improving hand-eye coordination, or even unintended educational aspect of video games not intended for children (such as police coming and arresting the player character when crimes are committed in games, mirroring the real-life consequences of one’s actions) A functionalist can also characterize video games as a dysfunction I n society, with individuals neglecting other responsibilities in favor of playing the games, or stating that the games encourage violent or antisocial behaviors. The conflict theory would focus on tensions between groups (Schaefer, 2011), so someone analyzing...
Words: 611 - Pages: 3
...Society and Video Games Video games are still a very new form of media. Compared to other forms of entertainment like books, television, or movies, video games are still new and very misunderstood. As video games rise in popularity many people like to blame them for the problems of modern society, although other forms of entertainment involve common elements. Video games need to be seen just as equal to a fan of movies or books. They do not always have to be mindless entertainment and can also be helpful in your daily life. Just like how people do not judge all television shows based on The Jersey Shore or Teen Mom, video games should not be judged by popular games like Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto which are at times just mindless entertainment but not harmful. If you do not know what these are then just think about the most popular things amongst your favorite form of media or hobby. A common argument that parents and people unfamiliar to video games like to address is how unhealthy they can be. In a sense this can be very true but enjoy it in moderation, too much of anything can be a bad thing. Other studies have found an association between compulsive gaming and being overweight, introverted and prone to depression. The studies didn't compare the benefits of gaming with such downsides. (Hotz. 2012) I come from a family of people who enjoy video games very often and none of us are considered overweight or have any signs of health problems but we may be...
Words: 2239 - Pages: 9
...of Playing Video Games | Stimulating Minds | Sean Rock 3/7/2013 | Contrary to popular beliefs being active in the gaming world with moderation can enhance behavioral skills. Throughout the years there have been numerous studies to try to prove that gaming was either beneficial or harmful to children and later to adults. There are skills that can be advanced with the right exposure and restraint of video games. There are some risks involved with lifelong gaming. As adults there are long-term damages and ill-effects that can occur. One of the major points in the argument of whether video gaming is favorable is the exposure to violence. The effects over all obviously prove that controlled game play can enhance the players’ lives. Playing video games at a young age has its downfalls and rewards. Research has shown that children who participate in playing video games have to undertake unique activities. This increases their hand-eye coordination and forces the players to improve their coordination skills. (Matthew Anton http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=67460656&trk=tab_pro Webmaster / Internet Marketer) Parents should require a limit play time with video games, because the threat of addiction is very real. Excessive game play can lead to anti-social behavior and lack of face-to-face interaction. There are health concerns that are connected with excessive game play. Seizures, eyestrain, discomfort in parts of your body can all occur with game play. (Microsoft...
Words: 658 - Pages: 3
...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...
Words: 2516 - Pages: 11
...Video games linked to violence Juan Gonzalez South Plains College “Video games are at the center of a debate over what is helpful or harmful to children and adolescents, and there is research to substantiate both sides. The existing research suggests that there are at least 5 dimensions on which video games can affect players: the amount of play, the content of play, the game context, the structure of the game, and the mechanics of game play.” (Gentile, et al., 2011, pg.75). Over the past few years, there have been many debates as to whether video games are the main cause for violence in children and teens. “An extensive body of research indicates that violent video games can increase aggressive behaviors, thoughts, and feelings.” (Anderson & Bushman, 2001; Anderson, Shibuya, Ihori et al., 2010; Ivory & Kaestle, et al., 2013, pg.224). But is it the type of game play, or just the video game itself? Video games have a rating system which ranges from kid games to more violent games which contain blood, gore, profanity and drug use; these games fall under the category rating for mature audiences. Increasing the total amount of time played has various adverse effects on a person. Several factors including low school performance, risk of obesity, and several physical health problems can be related to the total amount of time played. (Gentile, et al., 2011) “Other health issues have also been linked to amount of game play. There are cases of children...
Words: 878 - Pages: 4
