The Effects of Video Games
The effects of video games
Kathy Michelle Watson
University Composition and Communication II
February 10, 2013
Jacqueline Smith Lance
The effects of video games
It is time for adults to come out of the closet. When talking about video games most people will picture in their minds an adolescent glued to a screen; while it is true that 92% of American children play video games (Gentile, 2011,75), the average gamer is 35 years old (ESA, 2008). Playing games is an investment of time. The majority of gamers devote between 4-20 hours per week to their favorite games (Gentile, 2011, 75) giving birth to the issue of whether players are receiving any benefits or if they are just wasting time and learning violent behaviors. Is playing video games a good thing or a bad thing? The video gaming industry comes under fire in the press constantly as a scapegoat for violent crimes and bad behavior. However, Video games do have virtuous qualities and teach valuable lessons. Video games enrich cultures by satisfying genuine human needs and improving the players’ daily lives through the use of psychology, cognitive science and sociology.
“Properly controlled training studies have repeatedly demonstrated a causal link between video game playing and enhanced abilities” (Bavelier & Green, 2011, 763). Games challenge people to use their personal strengths, collaborate with others and develop critical thinking skills. Games are cleverly designed to engage players with various skill sets then adapt to higher degrees of difficulty as the players’ skills increase. Players are kept motivated through immediate feedback systems of increasing levels, power-ups, energy boosts and rewards. Gameplay triggers the release of dopamine (Gentile, 2011, 766), a natural feel-good chemical that fuels the player’s desire to compete and empowers him or her to strive to success. This emotional activation to use an individual’s energy on something he or she is good at is accompanied by
Kathy Michelle Watson
University Composition and Communication II
February 10, 2013
Jacqueline Smith Lance
The effects of video games
It is time for adults to come out of the closet. When talking about video games most people will picture in their minds an adolescent glued to a screen; while it is true that 92% of American children play video games (Gentile, 2011,75), the average gamer is 35 years old (ESA, 2008). Playing games is an investment of time. The majority of gamers devote between 4-20 hours per week to their favorite games (Gentile, 2011, 75) giving birth to the issue of whether players are receiving any benefits or if they are just wasting time and learning violent behaviors. Is playing video games a good thing or a bad thing? The video gaming industry comes under fire in the press constantly as a scapegoat for violent crimes and bad behavior. However, Video games do have virtuous qualities and teach valuable lessons. Video games enrich cultures by satisfying genuine human needs and improving the players’ daily lives through the use of psychology, cognitive science and sociology.
“Properly controlled training studies have repeatedly demonstrated a causal link between video game playing and enhanced abilities” (Bavelier & Green, 2011, 763). Games challenge people to use their personal strengths, collaborate with others and develop critical thinking skills. Games are cleverly designed to engage players with various skill sets then adapt to higher degrees of difficulty as the players’ skills increase. Players are kept motivated through immediate feedback systems of increasing levels, power-ups, energy boosts and rewards. Gameplay triggers the release of dopamine (Gentile, 2011, 766), a natural feel-good chemical that fuels the player’s desire to compete and empowers him or her to strive to success. This emotional activation to use an individual’s energy on something he or she is good at is accompanied by
References: Association, E. S. (2008). Essential facts about the computer and video game industry. Washington, DC: Entertainment Software Association. Bavelier, D., Green, C. S., Han, D. H., Renshaw, P. F., Merzenich, M. M., & Gentile, D. A. (December 2011). Brains on video games. Nature Reviews, 12(12), 763-768. Gentile, D. A. (2011). The Multiple Dimensions of Video Game Effects. Child Development Perspectives, 5(2), 75-81. Greitemeyer, T., & Osswald, S. (2010). Effects of Prosocial Video Games on Prosocial Behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 98(2), 211-221. Lieberman, D. A. (2001). Public Communication Campaigns (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality is Broken; Why games make us better and how they can change the world. New York, NY: The Penguin Press. Rosser, Jr., J. C., Lynch, P. J., Cuddihy, L., Gentile, D. A., Klonsky, J., & Merrell, R. (2007). The impact of video games on training surgeons in the 21st century. Archives of Surgery, 142(142), 181-186.