This page is dedicated to the research essay of phase 3
Andres Zacarias
ENGL 11000
Professor Moran
3-28-2023
Research Essay
I know growing up a lot of individuals played video games. In fact in todays generation or modern world its basically the biggest thing right about now. Many will say that they bring a lot of good benefits to people such as social skills, developing skills to improve their learning. On the other hand, others may say that video games may bring negative impacts onto peoples lives such as social interaction issues physical health and mental health issues, violence and causing video game addiction. Furthermore, I believe video games are a good thing in todays generation.
Video games have been a controversial topic on whether they are good or not. Well to tell you the truth they have good effects on people specifically towards their health. When it comes to the youth. In the article written by the Cleveland clinic shows that children who have played for more than 21 hours a week have performed more higher than individuals who are considered non gamers when they are tested for impulsive behavior and memorization associated with the brains that are connected to the attention and memory within these individuals. The brain can as well be helped in ways a child is struggling to learn. The Cleveland clinic says that the brains plasticity (the ability to change response to learning) can be positively affected if the brain is exposed to the use of attentional control and reward processing thus meaning that the more you are committed to completing a certain objective the more you are stimulated (increase of physiological/nervous activity) and the more your brain can adapt. Visuomotor abilities ( the coordination of movement and visual perception by the brain) like hand eye coordination can as well help those who do not have a fast reaction time. For example, in games like resident evil and tomb raider there’s something called quick time events where you have to be quick to press a button to match the one that’s showing on your screen within a limited amount of time for something to happen, I mean who wouldn’t want to be fast and swift?
Nowadays some video game developers seek to create these games where the younger generation such as children who are in the ages between 5-12 can have a huge amount of impact on their educational journey. In an article published by nativist they mentioned that young children who play these educational games can improve their mathematical, spelling, problem solving involving the world and learning animals and countries. With these games occupying the mind of the children parents can help their children in their education while playing games at the same time. When it comes to the academic literature exploring the advantages of game-based learning is expanding. It is increasingly evident that video games possess significant potential as effective tools for teaching and learning. Interestingly, games do not necessarily need to be explicitly labeled as “educational” to aid in the development of problem-solving skills for both children and adults. Numerous studies have demonstrated that playing video games can contribute to the exercise of various cognitive abilities. As players navigate through increasingly challenging puzzles and problems within the games, they gain a deeper understanding of the underlying logic behind these challenges and acquire the skills necessary to solve them as stated be netivist.
Though there are reasons to be concerned if an individual are playing video games all the time. In an article called 8 Negative Effects of Video Games: Gaming Addiction by Juliya Smith, she explains physical health issues, insomnia, lack of concentration, poor academic performance are prime examples of why video games are not healthy nor good for society. Engaging in prolonged sessions of online video game playing has negative implications for physical well-being. Presently, a significant concern among children is the prevalence of obesity due to excessive technological involvement. Many children are frequently found indoors, engrossed in playing games and similar activities. Consequently, they experience discomfort such as body aches, headaches, and adopt poor body postures. Video games also have an adverse impact on sleep patterns, with video gamers often experiencing difficulties in getting sufficient rest. Children and teenagers who stay up late, sometimes even until midnight, struggle with establishing a healthy bedtime routine. For instance, if an individual is an avid player and decides to abstain from gaming for a day or right before bedtime, they may find it challenging to fall asleep on that particular day, requiring extra effort to achieve rest. But in some cases when you play video games more than a normal amount of time, the more challenging it becomes to concentrate on other activities. Gaming demands complete focus, and even during periods of non-play, one’s thoughts and mental energy may still revolve around video games. This heightened attention and concentration on gaming can detract from other important aspects of life, including studying, eating, and even sleeping. Consequently, the ability to concentrate on academic work may suffer, potentially impacting future career prospects and adult life. Juliya Smith also mentions that almost most of the time, if a child spends extensive hours engaged in video games, resulting in prolonged screen time, it is likely that their academic performance will be negatively affected. Their focus and attention become absorbed by gaming, leaving them with limited concentration for schoolwork and assignments. Therefore, their academic performance may suffer due to their preoccupation with video games.
But perhaps the most interesting study on why video games aren’t so good for society is because they can be the main source for causing violence. In an article called “Do violent video games lead to violence?” written by Philip M. Boffey, depicts that video games influence the player to individuals by letting them play horrific parts in the games. Within these video games, the characters who fall victim endure gruesome deaths inflicted by a wide array of weapons, such as machine guns, clubs, hammers, chainsaws, and more. The depictions include dismemberment, decapitation, disembowelment, immolation, and the brutal fragmentation of bodies. These victims express agonized cries and plead for mercy. The portrayal of blood is vivid, with gushing, splattering, and pooling being prominently shown. Graphic visuals include severed body parts and explicit depictions of human remains. It may be a big problem if the player decided to reenact these scenes in real life which will cause the government to act and cease the production of these games.
The production of violent video games are not so well suited for minors as said by author Leroy Triggs who wrote an article called “violent video games can lead to violent behavior”. The distinction lies in the fact that children who engage in online first-person shooter games are actively interacting with real individuals, which sets them apart. This virtual environment, facilitated by computer or video game screens, often exposes them to offensive language, including profanity and racial slurs. At that particular age, the human mind is not inherently equipped to effectively process and manage the multitude of stimuli it encounters. The influx of dopamine and exposure to intense combat scenarios can significantly impact young individuals, potentially leading to heightened irritability and agitation.
In conclusion, some individuals may express concerns about the potential negative impacts of video games on people’s lives, including issues related to social interaction, physical health, mental health, the promotion of violence, and the risk of video game addiction. However, it is important to note that there are also proponents who believe that video games have positive effects and are beneficial in today’s generation regardless of all the negative downsides are still a good impact to the world. It is commonly argued that video games offer numerous advantages to individuals, including the enhancement of social skills and the development of abilities that can positively many lives.
Work cited
- Bigleyj. (2023, February 8). Are video games good for you?. Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-video-games-good-for-you/
- “Pros and Cons of Video Games: Should Kids Play Them?” Netivist.Org, netivist.org/debate/pros-and-cons-of-video-games. Accessed 23 May 2023.
- Juliya Smith. (2020, August 31). 8 negative effects of video games: Gaming addiction. fenced.ai. https://fenced.ai/blogs/negative-effects-of-video-games/
- Penttila, N. (2019, October 30). Do violent video games lead to violence?. Dana Foundation. https://dana.org/article/do-violent-video-games-lead-to-violence/
- Triggs, L. (2022, September 19). Violent video games can lead to violent behavior. https://www.ksnblocal4.com. https://www.ksnblocal4.com/2022/09/19/violent-video-games-can-lead-violent-behavior/
