Video Games Negatively Impact College Students’ Performance in School
Introduction
For college students, a high rate of academic performance during school years is strongly associated with future career success. With this objective in mind, college experience supplies students with an environment where they have an opportunity to gain relevant knowledge and acquire related skills, which are likely to contribute to their future career paths. Recent technological advances have changed the way young individuals obtain new information and communicate with their families and peers. In this case changes in their social development are dependent on facilitating access to information, sharing personal data, and promoting communication via the Internet (Lepp 2). Subsequently, positive behaviors indicate students’ higher rates of self-perception, encouraging relationships with families and friends, and lower levels of harmful habits. In this regard, academic performance has an impact on “future educational attainment and income, which, in turn, affect health and quality of life” (Deliens et al. 2).
Moreover, growth of young individuals is characterized by identity exploration when they develop their specific world views, to this extent social networking sites and entertainment media contribute to the impact to the highest degree. Interactive video games to promote physical activity and thus stimulate cognitive processes can contribute to students’ being given higher grades in school. Nonetheless, users perceive traditional video gaming as a means of entertainment and relaxation, and such sedentary behavior poses risks in terms of receiving lower academic grades in college. College-aged individuals prefer to play video games on the Internet or via game consoles on a daily basis (Li et al. 15), which is coupled with instability that refers to students’ changes in their attitude towards education, perception of future work, and relationships with families and peers. Video games are traditionally regarded as a type of sedentary behavior which is certain to have a negative influence on college students’ academic performance, whereas physically-interactive video games can improve youths’ school achievement due to their potential to enhance physical ability.
The capability of desktop, laptop and tablet computers and cell phones to entertain, connect and inform people continues its rapid development, which explicates a steady increase in popularity and use among college students. Many young individuals perceive their cell phones primarily as leisure devices for monitoring social media sites, utilizing software-based applications, surfing the Internet, browsing entertainment, online shopping, watching video streams, and playing video games (Lepp 2, 3, 5; Li et al. 7, 11). A number of new applications make cell phones users become vigorously engaged in leisure activities, which is explained by utilizing them both in the classroom and while completing homework assignments. Furthermore, using video game consoles at home produces similar effects as they relate to leisure activities. Nevertheless, “the suggestion that videogames may negatively affect academic performance has received widespread media attention” (Drummond and Sauer 1). In this case playing video games is considered as sedentary behavior (Deliens et al. 2) which affects college students’ school performance for a number of reasons: devoting less time to home study, reduced sleep quality and quantity, decreased ability to concentrate on academic work, being subject to cyberbullying, problems with class attendance, and internet addiction.
Less Home Study Time
A negative effect of video games refers to college students devoting less time to home study. To support this statement, Drummond and Sauer ascertain that video gaming is common among young individuals in industrialized countries, with prevalence rates higher than 75% (1). In addition to that, Ward claims that “video game playing is relatively more time intensive than many other leisure activities” (2). It should be noted that college students who spend more time playing video games have a tendency to spend less time studying (Deliens et al. 6). As regards peculiarities of such a leisure activity, video games can be played alone or in collaboration with others. In the former case, users utilize video gaming products that target youths by establishing popular music icons and sporting events. Students become fully involved in the subject of their unfailing interest. To this extent, feelings of isolation can dominate if single-players are obsessed with such games, and academic productivity suffers greatly when young individuals overuse video games (Li et al. 13). In the latter case multiplayers devote more time to beat the game and consequently increase the time they spend playing. As a result, additional displacement of homework and school-related activities are highlighted, which specifies deficits in academic achievement (Drummond and Sauer 2).
Poor Sleep
The similar negative consequences of video gaming apply to reduced sleep quality and quantity (Deliens et al. 2). College students are considered to be heavy users of technology before going to sleep, and playing video games via the Internet or video game consoles before bed can raise sleep latency. Accordingly, a poor sleep quality is common among students, which is likely to influence young individuals’ learning capacity. These circumstances can lower youths’ academic grades because of constant feelings of drowsiness and tiredness. Additionally, sleep deprivation, daytime sleepiness, and irregular sleep schedules can serve as obstacles to effective student learning in college. Many college students go to sleep rather late but have to wake up early enough to be on time for classes. In this case young individuals are not alert enough to gain new knowledge and acquire relevant skills, because drowsiness and tiredness prevent youths from responding adequately to daytime activities in the classroom. As Drummond and Sauer ascertain, poorer sleep efficiency causing attentional deficits can plausibly impair academic performance (1).
Attentional Deficits
Attentional deficits function as another negative impact of video games on college students’ academic performance. The fast-paced nature of many video games on the Internet or via game consoles is strongly associated with college students’ ability to concentrate less on academic work. In particular, games distract young individuals from successfully completing academic assignments, since their attention decreases while studying (Lepp 7). The problems are linked to the fact that computers and cell phones function as modern multi-function devices utilized for specific applications: streaming videos and playing video games among other things. What is more, entertainment and relaxation are primary objectives which youths pursue when using game consoles. It should be noted that these activities are regarded to be sedentary behaviors, like eating and drinking, watching television, and using the computer. Misuse or overuse of the activities affects college students’ health and quality of life, and consequently negatively impacts their academic performance (Deliens et al. 2). In addition, sedentary behaviors relate to changes in weight, dieting status, unhealthy eating, alcohol consumption, and smoking, which negatively predict student learning capacity (Deliens et al. 5, 8). On the whole, increased levels of playing video games considered as sedentary behavior relate to student attention problems which are strongly associated with decreased rates of academic achievement in college.
Cyberbullying
If students prefer online video games, they can become vulnerable to cyberbullying as another problem influencing students’ school performance. College students become addicted to frequently playing video games via game consoles, in addition to online video games as a result of extensive use of the Internet. Ward claims that “a typical game may take 40 hours of game play before it has been beaten” (2). While being heavily engaged in online violent games, youths can be subject to cyberbullying, which causes different problems among victimized young individuals. Aggressive behavior online can have psychological and social effects among students, which subsequently influences their school performance in a negative way. If truth be told, cyberbulling can transform into traditional bullying in school, and victims are likely to maintain aggressive behavior in real-life college settings. Explanation for this is also proved by the fact that such college students tend to suffer from stress, which has a negative impact on their school achievement.
Problems with class attendance are connected with youths’ suffering from poor sleep and cyberbullying consistent with less home study time and attentional deficits. If college students spend a lot of time playing video games, this can induce some gamers to stay away from school (Ward 15). Accordingly, youths spend less time on home study (Drummond and Sauer 1) and also miss exam questions embracing material covered that day (Ward 4). If video games are rated high enough and thus considered to be better than others on the market, young individuals tend to make more purchases of them. Consequently, youths are inclined to devote more time playing video games at the expense of their academic studies. This situation is especially characteristic of gamers from lower income families, and such college students are more associated with relatively lower retention rates (Ward 5). In this case youths get behind college classes, because additional video game playing time tends to crowd out time attending them (Ward 2). What is more, Ward explicates decreases in students’ school attendance due to video game playing by less parental oversight in the home environment (4). Thus, poor class attendance, which can be typical of students from lower income families, affects their academic achievement in college.
Addiction
A severe aftereffect of playing video games heavily on the Internet is associated with disorders which inevitably produce a negative impact on college students’ academic performance. Utilizing extensively online video games can refer to symptoms of Internet Addiction. Li et al. suggest that men are more likely to play video games excessively and develop problems such as video gaming addiction than women (15). The symptoms refer to preoccupation with gaming activities, increasing tolerance, development of psychological dependency and withdrawal symptoms, inability to reduce levels of game play, playing video games to cope with negative moods and reduce stress, and replacing other activities with frequent game play despite awareness of the harmful effects (Li et al. 2). The addiction activity is a serious problem, because a number of young individuals experience negative outcomes of playing video games.
Furthermore, excessive addiction to online video gaming can be transformed into Internet Gaming Disorder, which requires clinicians’ deliberate attention. Pathological video gambling interferes with school and indicates decreased academic ability. Such a disorder also leads to less self-esteem, diminished rates of social interaction, and health-related problems. The consequences, which relate to obsession about internet gaming, translate into youths’ inability to obtain educational attainment because of deprived sleep, raised levels of stress, increased aggression, imbalance of relationship quality with parents and friends, lowered rates of well-being, and intensified feelings of loneliness. As a result, playing video games heavily is linked to college students’ deteriorated academic performance.
Positive Impacts of Video Games on College Students’ Academic Performance
Excessive playing of video games is strongly associated with negative effects on college students’ academic performance. However, low levels of video game playing are characterized by improved academic achievement. Successful academic performance is characterized by college students’ motivation, discipline, and time management skills (Deliens et al. 6). Another approach to augmented school performance embraces interactive video games which enhance physical activity and create the specific environment for young individuals to improve their cognitive processes. Also, improved academic performance is consistent with policies by parents as well as educators and administrators with a view to enable college students to maintain good levels of school performance.
Enhanced Physical Activity
Traditional video games played on the Internet or via game consoles are identified as common sedentary behaviors which posit negative correlations with levels of physical activity. To mitigate such effects, manufacturers have recently developed specific video game platforms which assist in promoting interactive activity during game play. In this respect regular physical activity enables college students to reduce sedentary behaviors and therefore create conditions for augmented school performance. Video game consoles with embedded fitness-related video games establish active games which extend the traditional view of workout videos by their interactivity. In addition to the potential of beneficial weight loss, the intervention platforms impact young individuals’ academic achievement. Adversely, participation in sedentary activities, or non-active video systems, is linked to a lack of physical activity and can promote obesity.
Playing physically-interactive video games is recognized as exergaming. The term of exergaming is referred to a new type of entertainment which combines both physical activity and video gaming. Although active video games have existed for over thirty years, the term of exergaming appeared only a few years ago. Accordingly, exergaming is unlike non-interactive video games which are relevant to sedentary behavior. One of commercially successful platforms is Nintendo Wii which positions itself as an interactive system to put forward exergaming opportunities. The Nintendo Wii proposes such widespread physically active programs as the Wii Sports and Wii Fit games designed to mimic sport or exercise respectively. The Nintendo Wii offers an enjoyable alternative to non-active screen-viewing games by promoting active behavior, and the social environment can assist in modifying young individuals’ attitude towards exertion and subsequently academic performance.
Improved Academic Ability
Regular gamers may tend to become used to the activity, thus mitigating negative effects on everyday functioning (Drummond and Sauer 2). It is possible that some young individuals might be good at games which require specific attentional abilities. Moreover, training on action video games enhances functions of vision and attention, and health behaviors attained by means of physical activity participation influence cognitive performances (Deliens et al. 2). To support this idea, Deliens et al. acknowledge enhancement of brain function and cognition which positively influence academic performance (6). Additionally, enhanced physical activity contributes to improved academic performance. In this respect, obtaining physical activity is associated with health behaviors which are supported by the specifically created social and physical environment. If this environment is enjoyable for young individuals, they may prefer exergaming to general physical activities. On the other hand, there is a possibility that college students heavily engaged in exercising can spend less time on their academic work, which posits negative effects (Deliens et al. 6).
Policy
As regards parents, they can foster the education of their children by imposing restrictions on video game usage on the Internet and via game consoles. This constraint is similar to the evolution of parental control over youths’ television viewing times (Ward 16). Although gaming on weekdays negatively predicts school performance, computer activities on weekend days can show a trend towards significance (Deliens et al. 6). If college students themselves become aware of negative effects from video gaming, they may choose not to play, or there is a possibility that they might decrease the gaming time (Drummond and Sauer 2). Moreover, it is vital for educators and administrators in college to carefully consider policies regarding cell phone use in different learning settings. In particular, stakeholders must be aware of situations where cell phones can contribute to effective student learning. Discovering conditions where cell phones should be forbidden is of vital importance (Lepp 7). Mandatory attendance policy is likely to increase levels of attendance and overall academic performance, and incentives to do homework can also improve academic achievement (Ward 4).
Conclusion
The continuous development of new technologies has produced an increasing assortment of leisure activities (Ward 16), among which video gaming on the Internet or via game consoles is increasingly popular. College students play traditional video games at the expense of their educational activities, so such sedentary behavior inevitably affects their academic performance. First, devoting less time to home study is associated with spending more time playing video games alone or in collaboration with others. Second, reduced sleep quality and quantity derive from sleep deprivation, daytime sleepiness, and irregular sleep schedules which cause drowsiness and tiredness. Third, decreased ability to concentrate on academic work is consistent with distraction from successfully completing academic assignments. Fourth, heavy engagement in online violent games is likely to produce aggressive behavior on the Internet and in college as a result of cyberbullying. Fifth, problems with class attendance typical of students from lower income families affect their academic achievement in college. Lastly, severe aftereffects of playing online video games heavily are associated with disorders which inevitably produce a negative impact on college students’ academic performance: Internet Addiction and Internet Gaming Disorder. On the other hand, physically-interactive video games can improve youths’ school achievement due to their potential to enhance physical ability. Namely, exergaming as a type of entertainment to combine physical activity and video gaming does not only improve college students’ physical ability, but also enhances functions of vision and attention, and influences cognitive performances. As a result, playing video games should be restricted by parents, and schools must consider policies regarding cell phone use and attendance.
Works Cited
Deliens, Tom, et al. “Weight, Socio-demographics, and Health Behaviour Related Correlates of Academic Performance in First Year University Students.” Nutrition Journal 12.162 (2013): 1-9. Web. 30 May 2016.
Drummond, Aaron, and James D. Sauer. “Video-Games Do Not Negatively Impact Adolescent Academic Performance in Science, Mathematics or Reading. “ PLoS ONE 9.4 (2014): 1-5. Web. 30 May 2016.
Garn, Alex C., et al. “What Are the Benefits of a Commercial Exergaming Platform for College Students? Examining Physical Activity, Enjoyment, and Future Intentions.” Journal of Physical Activity and Health 9 (2012): 311-318. Web. 30 May 2016.
Lepp, Andrew, et al. “The Relationship between Cell Phone Use and Academic Performance in a Sample of U.S. College Students”. SAGE Open January-March (2015): 1-9. Web. 30 May 2016.
Li et al. “Characteristics of Internet Addiction/Pathological Internet Use in U.S. University Students: A Qualitative-Method Investigation.” PLoS ONE 10.2 (2015): 1-19. Web. 30 May 2016.
Ward, Michael R. “Cutting Class to Play Video Games.” Social Science Research Network July 1 (2015): 1-31. Web. 30 May 2016.
