So I had to write a research paper for one of my classes, for which I was able to choose the topic. I decided to write about the positive influence of video games, and I thought it would make a good read for some fellow gamers, enjoy!

Not Just Pixels Pong, Super Mario Brothers, Tetris, and World of Warcraft are a few examples of both antiquated and modernized forms of video game entertainment. Initially instituted as commercial forms of amusement, video games have experienced constant growth and expansion throughout the general public. However, in a growing society that constantly demands newer and more efficient forms of electronic entertainment, the positive implications that video games can have on dexterity, education, and rehabilitation should come as no surprise. While there are some negative effects to more commercialized video games, government sponsored as well as various forms of other computerized entertainment yield positive results to many facets of life.

Not all video games yield desirable results for the average person. In fact, possible negative influences include addiction, loss of income, obesity, and social inactivity. Most importantly, people should be especially cautious of possible addiction to video games due to the cause and effect relationship between addiction and other negative influences. For example, in an article written by Katherine Nguyen for The Orange County Register, she quotes a woman speaking in regards to her husband, “I hate knowing that I come in second to a computer game. He has no interest in sex, work, friends, or anything that involves leaving the computer desk." In other extreme cases, death has been a direct result of video game addiction. China enacted strict regulations regarding to online gaming in 2005 after a gamer killed another player in real life for stealing his in-game sword (Massoud).

Even though there are negative influences associated with video games, this does not prevent them from having positive implications as well. Similar to mastering an instrument such as the piano or the violin, video gaming can increase focus and dexterity with the fingers, wrists, and hands. Certain types of video games can have beneficial effects, improving gamers' dexterity as well as their ability to problem-solve, attributes that have proven useful not only to students but to surgeons, according to research discussed at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association (Willenz). Certain types of surgical procedures require use of controller-based machinery, and playing video games increases proficiency with these types of mechanized instruments. For example, in a study involving thirty-three laparoscopic surgeons, it was found that those who played video games were twenty-seven percent faster at advanced surgical procedures and made thirty-seven percent less errors than their counterparts who did not play video games (Willenz). Other medicinal benefits of gaming include possible panaceas to Alzheimer’s, dementia, and senility. In an article written by Jill Duffy in Game Developer Magazine, Dr. Carl Arinoldo, a New York based psychologist with more than thirty years experience, theorizes that synaptic responses, which occur in the brain while playing visual computer games, are what cause these positive results.

The benefits of video games are not limited to the medical field; in fact, when applied correctly to an educational structure, they can yield advantageous results. In a constantly evolving culture, it is no surprise that instructors would choose advanced electronic mediums of education. Students find it easier to connect with subject matter when it is in the form of an enjoyable, yet educational video game. Academic researchers at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) have concluded that educational video games positively influence student achievement and significantly affect student attitudes and self-efficacy toward the study of mathematics (Andrist). Video games not only have positive implications regarding a student’s study of mathematics, but as well as the study of wild life. For instance, a government sponsored video game called Neighborhood Explorers, allows a student to combine online activities with outdoor interactions in an attempt not only to further educate him on wild life, but also to encourage him to go outside and experience it (Diskin).

In addition to having medicinal and educational influences, video games can also have a pleasing effect on specific thought processes. For example, in an article written by Kristi Kawanna for The Daily Vidette, a newspaper for Illinois State University, she created a challenge that asked gamers, activists or any student with a great idea, to propose a web-based video game concept to help raise awareness about HIV or AIDS among fifteen to twenty year-olds in the United States, and to promote personal action in response to the epidemic. Social interactions can also be amiably influenced as a result of video games. For instance, in a mathematics course that utilized video games within its curriculum, the instructor described a better relationship with her students, “[s]tudents find gaming exciting and the mere fact that I was offering it in my classroom made a connection. It made me ‘more cool’ to them” (Andrist).

While video games have the ability to cause destructive behavior such as addiction, this does not stop them from having highly beneficial influences as well. Ranging from educational, to medicinal, and even to social relations, it is no revelation that video games are utilized so well in a technologically progressed culture. The possible implications are practically limitless. If people were meant to advance their intelligence in a ritualistic, antiquated style, graphing calculators would not have the ability to play Super Mario Brothers.

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Nikolai  Post subject: Re: Positive influence of video games, an essay!Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 9:32 pm 

EQMac ModeratorInteresting, albeit not entirely unsurprising, read. Do you happen to remember where you found the "Willenz" reference?

Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2003 11:59 amPosts: 1512

_________________Nikolai Lianfyrr, Khati Sha Feral Lord. GM Tailor (250), GM Smith (250), GM Brewer (250), GM Potter (250), GM Fisherman (200), GM Jeweler (250), Fletcher (220), Chef (200)

07 Apr 2009

THE IMPACT OF THE VIDEO AND COMPUTER GAMES ON THE EDUCATIONAL, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL UNDERSTANDING OG CHILDREN.

1.    Introduction2.    Negative consequences of video and computer games on children3.    Implications of video and computer games in education4.    Recommendations for implication of video games in education5.    Conclusion6.    Bibliography

IntroductionNowadays the development of technologies is so rapid that it involves all layers of society, regardless their social status, economic position,

educational level, or age. As a result the education of children, their psychological, physical and moral development are in the focus of attention and one of a very significant factor that influences their development are video and computer games.At the same time the impact of video and computer games is still obscure and there is no common view on their effect on children. Traditionally both positive and negative effects may be found in the researches dedicated to this problem. On the one hand, there is a strong belief that video and computer games, or at least some of them, can be dangerous for children’s development because such games contribute to their anti-social behaviour.

On the other hand, there are evident advantages video and computer games provide for children and one of the main domain they may be used in is education, which nowadays tends to catch up the gap between its conventional methodology and implementation of sophisticated technological tools in the process of education and the games are one of such tools.This is why it is very important to trace what the effects, both positive and negative, of video and computer games on children are and how they can be applied in educational purposes.

Negative impact of video and computer games on childrenOn the other hand, video and computer games are often criticised as being harmful and even dangerous for children causing different problems from purely psychologically to physical ones. In fact the filed of video and computer games and their negative impact on children is not sufficiently researched but still it is evident that there are some dangerous aspects of playing such games.Firstly, social and emotional well-being may also suffer from playing video and computer games. It is not a secret that violent games provoke aggression and antisocial behaviour of children. As Ballard and Weist (1996) indicate that playing a violante game, such as Mortal Kombat results in psychological arousal and increased aggression. Moreover, aggression provoked and stimulated by violated games may be only one of possible negative consequences. Violent video and computer games, promoting violence, may lead to such negative consequences as desensitisation to violence, disinhibition of violence, a strong believe in a ‘scary world’, acquisition of cognitive schemas supportive of aggression. Naturally, aggression caused by violent video and computer games leads to antisocial behaviour of children and their poor emotional state.Furthermore, physical health of children is really in great danger because a growing number of children are spending more and more time playing video and computer games. As a result, the risk of health problems increases dramatically because children playing video and computer games are involved in sedentary activities that may lead to such illnesses as obesity which acquires epidemic characters nowadays in the US. At this respect, it is quite disturbing that “the

‘average’ American child spends over six hours a day in front of a screen of some kind, be it a television, movie, video game, or computer screen” (Roberts et al 1999, p.274). Consequently, children spent less time playing active games or practicing some sport that would naturally improve their health.Unfortunately, obesity is not the only danger children face playing video and computer games. Notably, a number of studies have documented that “playing video games may trigger epileptic seizures in some children” (Badinand-Hubert et al 1999, p. 424). Consequently, video and computer games can stimulate the progress of certain diseases.Finally, a number of studies reveal a negative correlation between amount of time spent playing video and computer games and school performance. But it should be pointed out that such a trend is observed among children that are ‘heavy player’, i.e. children who spent a lot of time playing video and computer games. Consequently, it is quite natural that children who play more have less time to improve their academic level. Moreover, children who have problems in school are less inclined to do homework, and instead they are more inclined to spend time participating in something they are successful in, for instance, video and computer games.Implications of video and computer games in educationSpeaking about video and computer games, it is necessary to point out that nowadays children start to play them at a very young age and, consequently, their impacts is more significant than probably ever before. In fact some specialists indicate that “it is not unusual for children as young as three to have had some limited experience playing computer games” (Roberts et al 1998, p.263). It is only one way video and computer games may be useful for children and which reveal a great educational potential of the games.Actually, this fact may be assessed as rather positive because due to video and computer games children are introduced to computer technologies at a very young age that open really great horizons before them. It is obvious that playing video and computer games children acquire essential experience that is very useful in their life. The games may help children foster a good level with computers, computer interfaces, and input and output devices. As a result they learn a lot of new things, for instance, they learn such terms as ‘point’ or ‘click’, etc.Moreover, along some basic knowledge of computer technologies children acquire much larger knowledge they used to in the past without access to video and computer games. For instance, specialists argue that video and computer games are “the training wheels for the computer literacy” (Subrahmanyam et al 2000, p.138). However, in actuality, video and computer games also provide children with skills that are beyond traditional literacy skills, such as iconic skill, i.e. image representation and manipulation. Also, video and computer games stimulate the development of such skills, which are similar to measured in nonverbal intelligence test. For instance, in addition to iconic there may be developed spatial and visual attention

skills that are essential in playing video and computer games.Another positive effect of video and computer games is their contribution to the socialisation of children, at least within the family because they can provide occasions for adults and children to play together. Obviously, through such communication children and their parents can better understand each other and the former get socialised.At the same time, video and computer games are entertainment that can be an alternative to negative influence from the outside. In other words, it may be an alternative to a negative social surrounding of a child, for instance when peers are characterised by deviant or anti-social behaviour.Finally, video and computer games contribute to a significant intellectual progress of children through the development of strategic thinking, creativity, analytical skills, etc. that are needed in some games. Consequently, children learn a variety of skills which they traditionally acquire later and often less successful while video and computer games stimulate children to develop the skills mentioned above because a game is natural activity for them, it makes them interested and highly motivated.Recommendations for implication of video and computer games in educationObviously, video and computer games produce a significant impact on children both positive and negative and it is extremely important to use them in education in order to maximize the positive effect of playing such games and minimize their negative impact.Speaking about implementation of video and computer games in the system of education, it is necessary to underline that it may be done either in instructionist or constructionist way. The former implies the use of video and computer games which aim at children’s activity which is directly linked to their school curriculum while the latter suggests children to act relatively independent and such games develop their analyutical thinking imagination, creativity because children are making the rules in such games but not the contrary as in the case of instructionist approach.Anyway, regardless the approach either instructionist or constructionist, it is also very important to take into consideration those who will implement video and computer games with educational purposes. First of all, it is necessary to start with teachers. It is teachers who should learn about both positive and negative effects of playing video and computer games. Naturally they can use a variety of games, which have been worked out, as educational tools, for instance Math Blaster, and others. At the same time video and computer games may be used in education non-directly for many games stimulate children’s strategic and analytical thinking, imagination, creativity, etc.Furthermore, the role of parents is not less important. They also should know about the impact of video and computer games on their children and act correspondingly, i.e. they have to known what sorts of game are useful for their children at a concrete age and they have

to help their children choose appropriate games that would stimulate their development and progress and would cause no harm. Unfortunately, as the research shows, “most parents do not know about, understand, or use the video game ratings to choose what games to allow their children to rent or buy” (Gentile and Walsh 2005, p.233). As a result, children play video and computer games without any restrictions or control from the part of their parents.At the same time, it is very important that producers and distributors of video and computer games also take care about children and also either restricted the access of children to certain games that may be harmful for them, or limited the production of such games, and instead focused on the production and distribution of games that could be used in education or which could be educative by their main characteristics.Another important thing educators should remember about is the fact that children should not be too involved in playing video and computer games that may have negative results in their academic activity. In other words, video and computer games even though they are used in education cannot substitute conventional educational tools absolutely and they should be used rather as motivators and stimuli for further learning.The latter is very important because many children are enthralled by video and computer games. Moreover, there are a lot of games that produce positive impact on children through promotion of useful skills such as strategic thinking, problem solving, cooperation, etc. There are also many simulation games, such as Sim City that make children get used to real life situations and by playing such games they modulate their behaviour in the real life.ConclusionThus, in conclusion, it is possible to say that video and computer games are very influential and they may produce both positive and negative impact on children. At the same time, it is necessary to admit that they possess a great power that can be and should be used in education in order to develop positive qualities of children. On the other hand, children should be prevented from negative impact of games, such as violent games, in order to avoid various problems. Anyway, the problem of the impact of video and computer games on children is not solved and there are still more questions than answers as for the impact of the games on children. This is why the further researches in this field are needed.Custom essay writing services ESSAY-911.com. Buy essays online!

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Hacker News pointed me to an article recently called “Addicted to Fake Achievement“.

That article is about video games, but this one isn’t. The thesis of that article is that some games (it mentions Role Playing Games) don’t actually require skill, just time. You start with a weak character and perform some task that’s almost too easy to fail. You’re rewarded by gaining access to another task that is also almost too easy to fail. The process creates the illusion of achievement. His point is that he’d like to play more skill based games, which he thinks would provide a more “authentic” level of achievement because you have to practice them and master a skill.

The skill, of course, being mashing buttons in a particular way.

Which brings me to my thesis, which is that he didn’t go nearly far enough.

The article is surprisingly interesting, and his point cogent, but there’s a whole meta discussion that he seems to have missed: regardless of whether the video game you’re playing is skill based or treadmill based, it’s still a video game. Far be it for me to judge a person’s choice in entertainment media, but no one who watches reality TV labors under the illusion that they are achieving anything substantial. Any achievement in a video game is a “fake achievement.” And video games aren’t alone.

The Social Pathology of Fake Achievement

The game article, and the meta discussion surrounding it is actually part of an even larger discussion that affects more than just video gamers. Games are just a minor symptom of a systemic disease:

1. Our society is set up to make us feel as though we must always achieve and grow. That’s true because individuals growing tend to bolster the power and creature comforts of the groups they belong to with inventions, innovations, and impressive grandstanding (Go Team!).

2. Because of this pressure to grow, there’s another incentive to make growth easier. More perversely, to make growth seem easier.

Why work hard for achievements, when you could relax and achieve the same? That’s not pathological, that’s how exponential progress works.

But why achieve at all when you can plug into any number of “achievement games” and get the same personal satisfaction? That’s when it becomes pathological.

Misaligned Incentives

Two days ago I got a call from the vice principle of my 5th grade son’s school.

My little guy can be a handful, but at school he’s an angel. Teachers love him, he always behaves. Except this time: he stole $10 out of a classmate’s backpack. So he’ll be getting punished, but there’s a line I need to walk here. I punish him for stealing to disincent him from stealing. But the true effect is to disincent him from getting caught stealing. His options for that are to actually stop (which I want), or just get better at it (which I don’t want). So the trick is to figure out a punishment that will make him think twice about stealing, but not one that will just make him more savvy.

Similarly, by creating profound pressure to achieve, our society has sprouted ways to exploit that insatiable drive by setting up “games” that simulate achievement, but that are actually meaningless.

Examples of Games

Gradubation

One salient example is our education system. Like a role playing video game, one educational challenge leads to the next, with each challenge being trivial for the people who are at the right level to undertake it. After years on a treadmill that’s too easy to fail at, players—students, in this case—are acclimated to the game of education, rather to real achievement. Their work for those years is not valuable at all, and often doesn’t even simulate what valuable work would be like: they have only managed to repeat patterns they’ve been shown back at the educators. This is the game. One possible side effect of this system is learning.

Even learning, when it really does happen, is not itself an achievement. Learning just tends to promote achievement because a prerequisite for many achievements is knowledge.

The only saving grace of the system is that education, while not directly fostering learning (which doesn’t directly foster meaningful achievement), tends to promote both as one of the possible side effects.

Another great example of a game that has an achievement side effect is money. People are rewarded for acquiring money, because money acquisition tends to promote achievement. Achievement doesn’t necessarily lead to money, and just because someone has money doesn’t necessarily mean they achieved anything. Again, achievement just a correlation—a possible side effect—of money.

How to Recognize Fake Achievement Treadmills

The good news is that these little “achievement games” are fairly easy to recognize once you realize what’s going on. The bad news is that more are cropping up at an alarming rate, sped largely by the intertubes.

Games fast becoming standard are the “followers” and “friends” games for example. Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn, et al, all have their own ostensible raison d’etre, but the psychological underpinning they all share is this treadmill of achievement. This accumulation of points that’s correlated with whatever the intended benefit of the service is.

This explosive growth in “achievement porn” is why it’s more important than ever to get your mind right about what you’re doing with your life and why you’re doing it.

Is this activity making a positive, tangible difference in my life or anyone else’s life?

The easy part to culling the bullshit is to ask yourself: Is this activity making a positive, tangible difference in my life or anyone else’s life? Is it a real, true prerequisite for a tangibly effective activity? Alternatively, am I totally okay with doing this just because I like doing it, laboring under no illusion that it benefits me or anyone else?

The hard part is ignoring the voice in your head that will definitely crop up should you discover that you’re on a meaningless treadmill. That voice will tell you all the really great benefits of your bullshit treadmill in an attempt to convince you that it’s meaningful.

I know that voice will pop up because like every bullshit treadmill that exists, it exists because it’s correlated with something we consider “good”. Just like punishment is correlated with good behavior, education is correlated with scientific advancement, and money is correlated with value, your treadmill of choice is correlated with something good too:

With Facebook it’s “reconnecting” or “staying in touch.” With Twitter it’s “influence.”

With WarCraft it’s “forming friendships.”

The fact is that each of these correlations are pretty much true, but none of them are necessary, and they are almost never optimal. People had influence before Twitter existed. In fact, Twitter influence is a sorry substitute for robust influence over devoted followers. Close friendships formed before World of WarCraft came out, and the fact is that there are far better ways to connect with people for the purposes of forming friendship.

If you like these things because they entertain you and relax you, fine, more power to you. I have a 110″ inch screen in my media room that I play games on a couple hours a week, because I think they are fun. But don’t delude yourself: they are bullshit. They are treadmills that are impossible to fail at, that exploit our deep-rooted desire to achieve, and that are sorry substitutes for whatever you’re trying to convince yourself they are good for, friendship, connections, influence, or otherwise.

Get off the treadmill. Go for a walk.

If you want more like this, you should sign up for my updates. If you know someone who would like this, share it with them.

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The Positive And Educational Effects Of Video Games Submitted by: thespecialone Date Submitted: 03/03/2009

Category: Miscellaneous

Words: 1276

Pages: 6

Views: 353

Popularity Rank: 13654

The effects of Video Games Well Spent Pastime Or Waste of time? Brian Bennett Word Count 4000 Abstract I really enjoy playing video games. I have been a hardcore gamer for about ten to eleven years, and throughout most of that time I have heard people curse video game playing to the fullest, especially at home. I happen to own many of my life accomplishments thus far to playing video games. This paper started out as my freshmen term paper, only amounting to a little over 1200 words, as some sort of proof to my mom that she was not wasting her money on junk. The effects of video games is a highly controversial topic depending mostly on people’s perception of key factors such as violence and fun. Many people see video game players, gamers for short, as people who waste their lives away in front of the television screen, but they are wrong. For the most part gamers do more thinking sitting in front of that television screen

then most people do during other activities. For the most part gamers enhance their ability to read maps, comprehend what they have read, and make logical decisions quickly following some variation of the scientific method. Granted there are some “bad” things that may happen because of excessive video game play such as waiting to the last minute to write you research paper because you wanted to get Horus the Black Flame Dragon Lv 8 to put into your dragon deck, reference to YU-GI-OH. As far as violent behavior is concerned children who exert violent behavior wanted to without any help form the game, but in the case of mimicry video game may be the ones to blame. For this understandable reason many people ignorant of the faults of others have slapped on the label of “lack of something else better to do” onto video game. Impressionable children are impressionable so anything that might influence them too much is the parents job to monitor. Table of Contents The effects of video games on the brain is a research area that has been gaining much...

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Effects Of Video Games To The Academic Performance Of Second Year High School Students Of Miraculous Medal School: Introduction

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Effects Of Video Games To The Academic Performance Of Second Year High School Students Of Miraculous Medal School: Introduction

Effects of Video Games to the Academic Performance of Second year High School Students of Miraculous Medal School, School Year 2010-2011

The Problem and its Setting

Introduction

A video game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. Different platforms can be used to play video games, an example is personal computers. Video games typically use other ways of providing interaction and information to the players allowing them to feel like they’re really in to the game allowing it to be more addictive and fun. Video games, like most other media, may be categorized into genres based on many factors such as method of game play, types of goals, art style and more. Because genres are dependent on content for definition, genres have changed and evolved as newer styles of video games have come into existence. Ever advancing technology and production values related to video game development have fostered more life-like and complex games which have in turn introduced or enhanced genre possibilities (e.g., virtual pets), pushed the boundaries of existing video gaming or in some cases add new possibilities in play (such as that seen with titles specifically designed for devices like Sony's Eye Toy). Some genres represent combinations of others, such as massively multiplayer online role-playing games, or, more commonly, MMORPGs. It is also common to see higher level genre terms that are collective in nature across all other genres such as with action, music/rhythm or horror-themed video games. (Wikipedia)

In the past, academic performance was often measured more by ear than today. Teachers' observations made up the bulk of the assessment, and today's summation, or numerical, method of determining how well a student is performing is a fairly recent invention. Grading systems came into existence in America in the late Victorian period, and were initially criticized due to high...

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Submitted by: stevenore Date Submitted: 08/28/2010 05:26 AM

Category: Video Games

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