_ Effects of
Video Games
“Recent mass shooting culprits, including the Newton, Connecticut shooter, have a background playing murderous, violent video games” (Korte). Video games have been under fire gaining an unpleasant wrap for the past years. The continuous question stands and remains the same. Do video games have a positive or negative effect on people and more importantly our children? With video games working both positively and negatively, this question continues to be unanswered. Video games have clearly been helpful to kids with disabilities, but with these violent video games being tied to massacre men, is the cost just too high? Video games fail to have a black and white, good or bad view upon them; the outcome for the game user is based on the underlying condition of the user.
In many cases, video games are slammed with negative reviews and, even more importantly, they are highlighted for their harmful effects. The most common effect is said to be caused by video games is aggression. Studies show either losing or performing badly, both when playing violent and non-violent video games, causes people to react uncontrollably (Kardaras). This is only a short-term effect, a short lash out at the television or possibly a thrown game controller. As for long term effects people can struggle with permanent aggressive thoughts, feeling and behaviors for life. What is said for a person that already struggles with aggression? Can video games make that aggression worse? In the articles The Positive and Negative Effects of Video Games, writer C. Shawn Green expresses the danger in already aggressive people playing violent games. The violence is too much for a person to handle resulting in an outburst of even more hostility. The list of complaints against video games continues. From video games isolating people, to games being an unhealthy past time and even as far as games having a harmful effect on the brain.
The brain is one the most effected parts of the body by video games. Professor Akio Mori recently performed a study observing the effects of video games on brain activity. A test group whom played video games two to seven hours a day, four days a week showed after playing gamers hardly used the frontal regions of their brains (Kardaras). When the use of the frontal regions is lacking, people generally lose concentration, get aggravated more easily, and do not communicate with friends as well. These three effects can become much worse when specific parts of the brain are continually unused. Not only does video games playing effect the frontal regions but as well as the autonomic nerves. When intense video games are being played one's heart rate and breathing increases, which both of these are controlled by autonomic nerves; a body response to real danger by reacting the same way(Kardaras). This shows the brain does not differentiate between games and real life, which can subsequently lead to further problems. Video games have proven to cause both long-term and short-term damage to the brain.
Very rarely are video games on the winning side of gaming effect arguments, but that does not mean they are lacking in positives as well. Video games are very popular tools when helping young children learn. With the great interaction they provide for children, learning basic numbers, colors, and shapes is found to be helpful in children learning more rapidly. According to a study done by the University of Rochester, video games train the brain to respond not only faster but also without losing accuracy. (Green) The brain receiving this intense workout only strengthens its abilities. Other popular brainteaser games such as Angry Birds or Tetris have shown to improve problem solving and logic skills. Video games have been found to improve even the simplest of tasks, for example following directions. In many video games in order to reach further levels the gamer must follow the tasks assigned correctly. Video games have even been being incorporated into teaching real-world situations.
With video games gaining so much popularity, the uses of them have become more broadened. Writer Art Markman shares in his article, The Positive Effects of Video Games, how video games have been proven to increase the speed of visual processing. When learning how to fly a plane, drive a vehicle, or even how to react in military combat missions video game simulators are becoming used more recently. Giving people an opportunity to have a more life-like experience before attempting a real situation is overall a much safer way to learn. Games are able to mimic these stressful situations in order to handle them properly. Flying, driving and combat all require fast analysis and quick thinking. These characteristics cannot be taught in a classroom using a book. What better ways to teach someone than letting them learn and experience, safely, on their own.
Video games have multiple views upon them, some being positive and others negative; the effects video games have on its user are determined by the original condition of the user. The effects of video games have most certainly impacted people in unfortunate ways. It is a shame that parents of children with aggression problems cannot monitor video games more properly. Keeping their children from becoming more angered and potentially in worse case scenarios, injure themselves and others. Video games have been a life changer for disabled children that struggle with learning. In addition, video games have been an amazing addition to flight training and other training facilities. How can something that is viewed so bad for people, and more importantly children, also be so helpful to others? There will never be a clear answer to the question of video games being good or bad. Video games will continue to affect people both negatively and positively with hope that they may someday only have a beneficial effect.
Bibliography
Green, C. Shawn. "The Positive and Negative Effects of Video Games." Raise Smart Kid. Raise Smart Kid, 5 Dec. 2011. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
Kardaras, Eleni. "The Effect of Video Games on the Brain." Serendip Studio. Biology 202, 7 Jan. 2008. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
Korte, Travis. "Violent Video Games, Blamed For Promoting Violence, May Benefit Brain." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 16 Jan. 2013. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
Markman, Art. "The Positive Effects of Action Video Games." Psychology Today. Sussex Publishers, 8 Jan. 2010. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
“Recent mass shooting culprits, including the Newton, Connecticut shooter, have a background playing murderous, violent video games” (Korte). Video games have been under fire gaining an unpleasant wrap for the past years. The continuous question stands and remains the same. Do video games have a positive or negative effect on people and more importantly our children? With video games working both positively and negatively, this question continues to be unanswered. Video games have clearly been helpful to kids with disabilities, but with these violent video games being tied to massacre men, is the cost just too high? Video games fail to have a black and white, good or bad view upon them; the outcome for the game user is based on the underlying condition of the user.
In many cases, video games are slammed with negative reviews and, even more importantly, they are highlighted for their harmful effects. The most common effect is said to be caused by video games is aggression. Studies show either losing or performing badly, both when playing violent and non-violent video games, causes people to react uncontrollably (Kardaras). This is only a short-term effect, a short lash out at the television or possibly a thrown game controller. As for long term effects people can struggle with permanent aggressive thoughts, feeling and behaviors for life. What is said for a person that already struggles with aggression? Can video games make that aggression worse? In the articles The Positive and Negative Effects of Video Games, writer C. Shawn Green expresses the danger in already aggressive people playing violent games. The violence is too much for a person to handle resulting in an outburst of even more hostility. The list of complaints against video games continues. From video games isolating people, to games being an unhealthy past time and even as far as games having a harmful effect on the brain.
The brain is one the most effected parts of the body by video games. Professor Akio Mori recently performed a study observing the effects of video games on brain activity. A test group whom played video games two to seven hours a day, four days a week showed after playing gamers hardly used the frontal regions of their brains (Kardaras). When the use of the frontal regions is lacking, people generally lose concentration, get aggravated more easily, and do not communicate with friends as well. These three effects can become much worse when specific parts of the brain are continually unused. Not only does video games playing effect the frontal regions but as well as the autonomic nerves. When intense video games are being played one's heart rate and breathing increases, which both of these are controlled by autonomic nerves; a body response to real danger by reacting the same way(Kardaras). This shows the brain does not differentiate between games and real life, which can subsequently lead to further problems. Video games have proven to cause both long-term and short-term damage to the brain.
Very rarely are video games on the winning side of gaming effect arguments, but that does not mean they are lacking in positives as well. Video games are very popular tools when helping young children learn. With the great interaction they provide for children, learning basic numbers, colors, and shapes is found to be helpful in children learning more rapidly. According to a study done by the University of Rochester, video games train the brain to respond not only faster but also without losing accuracy. (Green) The brain receiving this intense workout only strengthens its abilities. Other popular brainteaser games such as Angry Birds or Tetris have shown to improve problem solving and logic skills. Video games have been found to improve even the simplest of tasks, for example following directions. In many video games in order to reach further levels the gamer must follow the tasks assigned correctly. Video games have even been being incorporated into teaching real-world situations.
With video games gaining so much popularity, the uses of them have become more broadened. Writer Art Markman shares in his article, The Positive Effects of Video Games, how video games have been proven to increase the speed of visual processing. When learning how to fly a plane, drive a vehicle, or even how to react in military combat missions video game simulators are becoming used more recently. Giving people an opportunity to have a more life-like experience before attempting a real situation is overall a much safer way to learn. Games are able to mimic these stressful situations in order to handle them properly. Flying, driving and combat all require fast analysis and quick thinking. These characteristics cannot be taught in a classroom using a book. What better ways to teach someone than letting them learn and experience, safely, on their own.
Video games have multiple views upon them, some being positive and others negative; the effects video games have on its user are determined by the original condition of the user. The effects of video games have most certainly impacted people in unfortunate ways. It is a shame that parents of children with aggression problems cannot monitor video games more properly. Keeping their children from becoming more angered and potentially in worse case scenarios, injure themselves and others. Video games have been a life changer for disabled children that struggle with learning. In addition, video games have been an amazing addition to flight training and other training facilities. How can something that is viewed so bad for people, and more importantly children, also be so helpful to others? There will never be a clear answer to the question of video games being good or bad. Video games will continue to affect people both negatively and positively with hope that they may someday only have a beneficial effect.
Bibliography
Green, C. Shawn. "The Positive and Negative Effects of Video Games." Raise Smart Kid. Raise Smart Kid, 5 Dec. 2011. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
Kardaras, Eleni. "The Effect of Video Games on the Brain." Serendip Studio. Biology 202, 7 Jan. 2008. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
Korte, Travis. "Violent Video Games, Blamed For Promoting Violence, May Benefit Brain." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 16 Jan. 2013. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
Markman, Art. "The Positive Effects of Action Video Games." Psychology Today. Sussex Publishers, 8 Jan. 2010. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.