Adverse effects of video games on adolescence
IMPACT OF VIDEO GAMES ON ADOLESCENCE 2
The Impact of Video Games on Adolescence
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Running head: IMPACT OF VIDEO GAMES ON ADOLESCENCE 1
Abstract
For the past couple of years, computers and video games are among the most preferred and desired activities for relief and leisure. Psychological researchers have been in a long time been striving to ascertain the impact, originating from personal and inherent influencers on behavior among youth, in comparison to surrounding influencers. With continued research, interest and desire grew towards the capacity of the media, including video games, have in the blossoming behavioral changes among the youth. With higher weight on the effect of violent media in the shaping of hostile behavior and nature among adolescents.
Not long ago, research conducted has been able to determine and establish the adverse effects, violent games have influenced adolescents. Recently, violent video games have been reported to impact prosocial behaviors such as empathy, self-control, etc. negatively and positively affect hostile behavior among adolescents. In an effort by researchers to determine the effect of playing video games on the aggressive nature and prosocial behavior, video games had a substantial direct and indirect impact on individual behaviors. The findings yielded in various prevention and intervention approaches to curtail hostile behavior and encourage prosocial behavior.
Introduction
Video games provide the opportunity for participants to feel part of the gaming script. New games with the advancement in technology, have become complicated, requiring more and constant attention on particular video games. In comparison to series, TV shows, players tend to relate more emotionally and physically towards the video games. Video games affect positively and negatively the teens. In the modern era of technology video games are considered complementary to adolescents. Research depicts the majority of youth play video games approximately on daily basis.
Video games availed in the more recent past, have raised concern on whether they are suitable for consumption for the teens and adolescents. Some nations, have even participated in monitoring and regulating of violent and offensive video games. Violent video games have recently gained popularity among the youth, with research experts blaming violent content in video games regarding the adopted aggressive nature among the youth observed lately. The current situation among the increasing cases of violence between the adolescents cannot solely blamed on the violent video games, mental health and various social influences have been found potential contributors (Gentile & Thomas, 2016, pp. 39).
Notwithstanding the extensive research carried out, no consensus established on whether youth hostility is direct as a result of engaging in violent video games. Various cynics have spotted correlation between aggressive behavior among the youth could be possible from influencers such as mental health and other social influencers. Also, despite the accusations regarding the negative influence of video games on academic excellence, such findings have been found inadequate. On research conducted recently in respect of the above statement, the disparities among academic performance were almost insignificant in relation to the frequency of video gaming (Boxer & Docherty, 2015, pp 672).
More recently, there has been an emergence of interest in games supporting learning, positive attitude development, skill development, etc. Roughly about half youth were acclaimed to prefer games with violent content, while a smaller portion preferred educational video games with less violent content. In this paper, we will examine both positive and negative impacts that accrue among adolescents and young adults.
Majority of adolescents and teens have argued that video games create and avail the opportunity to break away from the various occurrences within their life cycle. A large portion of adolescents tends to get rid of their issues lingering on their minds through the assassination of fictional characters. Also, violent games have made the youth more tolerable to violence. Teacher reports have also shown cases of difficulties in concentration and poor sleeping patterns. Video games that promote prosocial characteristics, the young adults tend to be more helpful and express empathy. However, video games with violent content have shown to be significant influencers of violence among adolescents. The reoccurrence of extreme patterns has proven a useful tool to enhance violent behavior among youths.
Beginning with the positive effects;
Positive effects of video games on adolescence
To the surprise of many, video games do possess positive impact on teens and youths. Among the most recognized favorable results towards teen include; the ability to enhance manual dexterity and enhance computer literacy. Here are some of the positive impacts;
Enhance learning capabilities; Contradicting the previous perception, video games are more likely to strengthen and improve on memory, visual comprehension, better concentration, better decision making through limiting distractions etc. In recent research, video games avail favorable effects also derived from academic courses, as it enhances the capability of the teen to be able to think through various phenomenon critically.
Eye and hand symbiosis; In respect to the shooter type of video gaming console, they aid in the development and coordination of the players’ eyes and hands. There are games, to be proficient in them require absolute mastery of such coordination of the eyes and hands. According to the shooter of games, accurate tracking and precision of speed, and focus are of utmost importance and require mastery. The brain performs a vital role in organizing, collecting the data, and making the right moves using the hands.
Accurate intelligence; While playing video games, it entails mainly making decisions and best ones to that fact to aid in desirable results. Some of the choices are required within split seconds, as every second count and to be yield desirable outcome thus require split second accuracy. Constant attention goes hand in hand with accurate thinking, undivided attention aid in mastery of any slight changes that would influence your decision making (Coyne & Stockdale, 2018).
Capability to derive solutions for difficulties; As earlier discussed majority of videogames require decision-making procedures. Games that entail speed, aim, and precision, require accurate and critically thought out decisions while maintaining undivided attention. Right decisions provide a solution to difficulties presented during various levels. Adolescents when they engage and participate in strategic games, it massively aids in the skill that assists in solving of challenges presented in each level.
To ward off restlessness and improve on mood; In comparison to violent games, there are games which will enhance the mood and help in containing anxiety; such games include angry birds. Recent research termed it an essential emotional benefit, teens derive happiness when engaging in video games. The games involve various levels, which in turn require different levels of skill and attention, upon failure, one can retry, in turn, enable youths to cope with failures even in real life.
Enhance the theory of progressive thinking; In conjunction with developing learning abilities as discussed earlier, teens who participate in games that entail great thinking, for example, puzzles, promote the ideology of incremental intelligence. Through engaging in different engaging problems, adolescents can gain mastery and more knowledge with endeavor and time.
Video games enable the development of creativity. Research has been able to correlate greater creativity with video gaming, in spite of age, race, and gender. Every human being have needs, including psychological needs, teens who play video games tend to derive happiness as they engage in gaming activities. Additionally, he/he can gain mastery and share accomplishment over the online platform, if the teen participates in multiplayer gaming media. Due to competitiveness, he derives satisfaction and the feeling of being an accomplisher (Verheijen & Cillessen, 2019, pp.301).
Some games also provide good work out sessions. Such video games include Nintendo Wii Boxing. They give a regular workout similar to walking several miles. Video games also aid in development of eyesight to some extent. According to research conducted, it established through playing games the brain can train the eyes to take keen note of small changes, details, and slight light temperatures. With further studies, video games enhanced the structure of the brain. Videogamer minds, when examined, and portion involved in attention were found more efficient and parts correlated to visuospatial skills were also improved and worked efficiently. In contrary to misperception of the majority, video games are not significantly contributing to rise in mental illnesses, rather they act as a preventive element, mostly towards peer relationship issues among teens.
Resource management and planning, video gamers utilize resources which are limited and make appropriate decisions on how to exploit such resources. Example of such games includes Railroad Tycoon. In research conducted by, The American Planning Association, established majority of SimCity players were inspired to pursue a career in urban planning and architecture. Positive effects regarding video games are rooted in the type of genre of video games chosen. Violent games tend to possess more adverse effects than pleasant ones.
Adverse effects of video games on adolescence
As discussed earlier, video games possess both positive and negative impact on the development of young adults. Adverse effects, on the other hand, is mainly correlated with the amount of effort and time put on the…
