Essay About Influence Of Video Games And Children Of All Ages

Influence of Video Games on Youth
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Video games have become one of the favorite past times with children of all ages, and even
some adults. What is not normally thought about when buying a new game console or game is: Do video
games influence a child’s psychological development and make them more aggressive and violent? Do
video games affect a child’s grades? These will be some of the topics we will be discussing.
Some parents have the concern that video games, among other outlets, affect their children and
cause them to be more aggressive and violent with other children their age and elders, also. Parents
have the right to limit the time spent playing video games and partaking in the other outlets available such
as media.
According to Anderson and Gentile, [Parents have an important role to play. Psychologists have
found that when parents limit the amount of time as well as the types of games their children play,
children are less likely to show aggressive behaviors (Anderson et al., under review; Gentile et al., 2004).
Other research suggests that active parental involvement in childrens media usage-including discussing
the inappropriateness of violent solutions to real life conflicts, reducing time spent on violent media, and
generating alternative nonviolent solutions to problems-all can reduce the impact of media violence on
children and youth (Anderson et al., 2003).]
On the contrary, as according to Anderson and Gentile, [Dr. Anderson and colleagues have
shown that playing a lot of violent video games is related to having more aggressive thoughts, feelings,
and behaviors (Anderson & Bushman, 2001). Furthermore, playing violent games is also related to
children being less willing to be caring and helpful towards their peers. Importantly, research has
shown that these effects happen just as much for non-aggressive children as they do for children
who already have aggressive tendencies.]
Some studies have been done about the habits of children. Some of the studies showed that
although children love to play video games alone, they prefer to play them more within groups. Parents,
as well as teachers, have found that with some games, where reading, doing mathematical problems, and
following instructions are needed, that their children’s grades have improved.
The BBC (2002) stated, “Computer games could become part of the school curriculum after
researchers found they had significant educational value. The UK study concluded that simulation and
adventure games – such as Sim City and RollerCoaster Tycoon, where players create societies or build
theme parks, developed childrens strategic thinking and planning skills. Parents and teachers also
thought their childrens mathematics, reading and spelling improved. The investigation into the habits of
700 children aged seven to 16 also found that, far from being a solitary activity, children preferred to play
games in pairs or small groups. ” (para. 1-4)
Video games can help develop the brain’s response time when the games used are dealing with
with variables, teaching a specific skill or problem solving. Games have been used by several websites
by politicians teaching politics and by the Nobel Prize Foundation to teach history.
The Wikipedia () stated, “Video games can aid the development of proficiency by allowing users to
interact with objects and manipulate variables. They are said to be particularly effective when designed to
address a specific problem or teach a certain skill in curriculum subjects, where specific objectives can be
stated and when deployed selectively within a context relevant to the learning activity and goal.
Simple types of games can be designed to address specific learning outcomes such as recall of
factual content. For instance, the Nobel Prize Foundation website uses on-line games to aid children in
understanding the discoveries made by its laureates by embedding the scientific knowledge as part of the
game environment.
Video games have historically received more criticism than other forms of recreational learning
because they are often perceived as or associated with issues such as mindless entertainment,
enhanced social recluse, sexism and consumerism. However, a shift from pure entertainment to
educational tool has emerged in recent times. Children growing up today can benefit from educational
video games because they are already exposed to a society that is increasingly dependent on digital
technology.
The medium of educational games provides an opportunity for teachers to introduce educational
and playful elements into the learning environment. With computer-aided learning programs, teachers