Introduction.
The home video industry has been in existence for over three decades now. The promise of video games and computers as teachers gained recognition in the 1980s during the push of computers and teaching of technology into the modern classrooms (Bushman and Anderson, 2002). After the introduction, researchers found out that educational software also provided games that could have several positive and negative effects on the academic lives of learners. Over time, parents introduced computers into their homes, and this meant introduction of video games. Children begun spending most of their time on these games and this led to the development of the question on the impacts that these games have on the children.
Similar to studies conducted about television, the results on children watching video games correlate on risk factors or effects, health matters, social effects, and health. Video games are deemed as natural teachers as they motivate, are interactive in nature, engage children, and provide practice (Din and Calao, 2001). However, watching violent games may lead to increased aggressive thoughts, physiological arousal, development of aggressive behavior, and decreased prosocial helping (Gunter, 1998). Some of these results may be intended by the designers of these videos while others result from the psychological effects to children.
Researchers, scientists, and psychologists argue that video games have both positive and negative effects on children. However, the degree of impact depends on the time used in watching the videos, interaction procedures of children, and the psychological development stages amongst the children (Bushman and Anderson, 2002). The extent to which video games affect children either in a positive or negative manner, however, still remains a debate. This is derived from the fact that watching these videos has both pros and cons to children development.
SOCIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF WATCHING VIDEO GAMES.
Playing video games is a socializing event where children interact with peers and parents. It allows parents and children to be together and provide a bonding environment. They allow parents to understand their children’s skills and talents, and assess their thinking abilities. They boost a child’s decision making ability and accuracy, which enhances decision making even while confronted with difficulties (Gunter, 1998).
However, the amount of time spent on video games may affect the sociological cycle of the child (Gentile and Anderson, 2008). The child spends most of the time supposedly for interaction on these videos. The implication is that most children become more social to gaming than with their peers. Most of the children find it difficult to socialize with their peers while others view it as not resourceful. The impact is lack of interpersonal and communication skills, essential for development of relationships, which make them anti-social or prosocial (Din and Calao, 2001).
Some hardly cope with their peers as they lack social and relating skills. In most instances, video gaming changes the mind set of children in viewing peers as competitors. The children grow in an environment that tends to dictate ‘win-win situations’ in every circumstance. These children become difficult to cope and relate with their peers as they would like to dictate everything even while playing and relating. They become the decision makers and opinion leaders without considering the opinions or ideas of other members of their peer groups (Russell and Newton, 2008). This makes it difficult for their peers to relate with them. The effects are that these children become anti-social, and prefer spending all their time watching videos which make them addictive (Gunter, 1998).
Most video games are violent and aggressive in nature where violence, vengeance and aggression are rewarded. Non-violent solutions or negotiating for solutions are never seen as options in these games. Further, some of them portray some gender as being weak, helpless or sexually provocative. This teaches the children wrong values, which affect their future (Bushman and Anderson, 2002). The children grow viewing such genders as weak and unreasonable, and snob every decision that comes from that gender. This may be attributed to the increased rates of gender violence amongst women and men.
Socializing is a crucial part of a child’s development. The social cognitive theory depicts that socializing is essential to a child’s behavior development. A child learns more from peers that from teachers or parents as most of them spend more time with their age mates than they spend with their parents and teachers (Gentile and Anderson, 2008). This way they learn on physical developments, sexual differences, and talent development among others. Spending time on video games, therefore, implies that these children skip the socializing stage, and this might affect their socializing behavior even when they become adults.
PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS.
Video games increases a child’s self esteem and confidence. In many games, the levels of difficulties are adjustable. As a beginner, a child begins at an easy level and slowly builds skills by constant practicing. This increases his confidence even to face difficult challenges without the fear of making mistakes. The child gains the confidence to take risks and explore real life challenges (Clark and Scott, 2009). Transferring this attitude to real life makes a child confident to face life challenges. It makes a child psychologically ready to face life difficulties and turn them into opportunities. It boost’s a child’s esteem, and this makes them socially acceptable.
According to psychological development theories, a child’s mind absorbs observed behavior. A child develops behavior from what is observed and perceives that as the moral behavior (Din and Calao, 2001). The aggressiveness in most video games subjects children into aggression. Most of them develop aggressive behavior, thoughts, actions and thoughts. They tend to practice what they perceive as ‘moral’ from what they observe on these games. This leads to difficulties in relating with their peers and makes them antisocial (J
amieson and Romer, 2008). Some of these children become lonely as their peers withdraw from them, and this may affect their psychological development.
Gaming plays a similar role as any other hobby with an intention of releasing pent-up aggression, stress or frustration. Just like watching or playing soccer, when a child vents his frustration or anger on gaming, his stress is diffused (Gentile and Anderson, 2008). Video games, therefore, provide a positive aggression or frustration outlet where a child releases stress, tension and aggression.
Video games are fantasized with an intention of making them interesting or entertaining. The designers complement reality with fantasies with an intention of making their products appealing and exciting. Most children, however, do not view them as fantasies rather as realities. Gunter (1998) feels that, as a result, children fail to make out the difference between realities of life and fantasies from gaming. They perceive what they watch as reality, and end up applying the fantasized solutions in real life cases. For instance, in an effort to revenge, a character may end up killing another. If this is turned into reality, some children end up being criminals and drug addicts.
HEALTH EFFECTS.
Playing videos is safer than having children engage into antisocial behavior such as drugs, street racing and alcohol. It restrains children from unhealthy habits such as smoking, which are developed from peers. It also requires a child to be active both physically and psychologically, which is essential for health and development (Clark and Scott, 2009). When playing active games, for instance, a child spends energy that may exceed that produced by spending the same time in a trend mill. This promotes active development and healthy living.
However, most video games require concentration that limits physical exercise or movements (Gunter, 1998). They require that one stays at a single posture so that no single part is missed out. This may affect a child’s physical development in terms of muscular and skeletal disorders, nerve compression, tendonitis or even development of carpal tunnel syndrome. In extreme cases, these postures and lack of enough exercise leads to epileptic seizures.
Additionally, gaming limits the time spent on exercise. This may lead to accumulation of calories, fats and sugars, which may trigger cases of diabetes and hypertension. Some unconfirmed studies also reveal that gaming is associated to eating a lot with less exercise. This also affects a child’s weight levels and in some cases may lead to cases of obesity.
EFFECTS ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.
Video games are a platform in introducing a child to computer technology and to the online world. Video games make a child adapt and be comfortable with computing, and in improving their interest into technology. It acts as a platform in introducing children into the high tech and sophisticated world. When a child plays these games, they give his brain a work out related to life experiences (Smallwood and Western Michigan University, 2007). Most of the games require skills and high level thinking to win. Some of these skills such as spatial skills and hand-eye coordination skills are not taught in schools (Din and Calao, 2001).
Gaming makes learning fun and appealing to children, and these results to improved interests in academics. The colors, animations, eye candy, interactivity, as well as challenges and rewards of winning makes learning fun and exciting to children. They get the urge to learn by being motivated to practice, which enables them to learn differentiated skills (Russell and Newton, 2008). Video games also make some subjects such as Mathematics, which seem difficult in class, easier that when done theoretically.
Gaming boosts creativity in problem solving and decision making. It encourages players to work cooperatively and collaboratively to achieve the intended goals. Children’s ability to listen to others, work as a team, formulate plans and distribute tasks based on ability and skills is improved (Clark and Scott, 2009). This fosters team work and group discussions in learning. Additionally, it allows players to improve on concentration and memory, which improves on class performance. Watching videos also increases a child’s information processing, which may lead to increased speed in decision making and memory boost (Gentile and Anderson, 2008). This also plays a crucial part in learning and academic improvements.
However, class performance may be affected due to the amount of time spent on these videos. Addiction and spending most of time gaming reduce the amount of time spent on academics (J
amieson and Romer, 2008). Some children opt to watch these videos and fail to work on their class work and assignments (Bushman and Anderson, 2002). Video games have been rated among the key contributors of children’s poor performance in academics due to their addictive effects. Although some studies suggest that gaming increases a child’s concentration, others indicate that they affect a child’s attention by improving the ability to concentrate on short bursts but damaging the children’s long term concentration.
HOW PARENTS CAN AVOID THE EFFECTS THAT VIDEO GAMES HAVE ON CHILDREN.
Parents should also monitor the effects that video games have on their children. This can be done through observing a child’s behavior (Clark and Scott, 2009). If it appears that a child becomes aggressive during that period that he is playing video games, then a parent should stop him from watching the videos. If this is done at an early stage, it reduces the chances of the child growing to be aggressive, rude, impatient and antisocial.
Parents should also limit the time spent on gaming if they observe less time spent on class work and getting low grades. The time should also be limited if the child develops a sedentary lifestyle and does not engage in any physical exercise. Parents should also be keen in checking the ratings and themes of the games that they buy for their children (Gunter, 1998). They should be considerate on a child’s maturity level before buying the videos. This ensures that children watch games suitable for their age and with the suitable theme required for the intended learning experience.
Playing video games is a learning experience in itself (J
amieson and Romer, 2008). However, giving a child a variety of videos and other entertaining things reduces the chances of a child been addicted to one thing (Din and Calao, 2001). For instance, giving a child story books, taking him out for sports, or assisting him interact with other kids reduces the chances of the child becoming addicted to video games. Parents should ensure that children do not spend most of their time in watching videos (Gentile and Anderson, 2008). This can only be achieved by introducing them to other varieties of social life with learning experiences.
Conclusion.
Video games have become a popular activity in the current generation. It is a multibillion industry that brings more money to the art and entertainment industry than movies and DVDs. This indicates that gaming is here to stay, and it is close to impossible to eliminate them from society. The question as to whether video games are “good” or “bad” is in most cases oversimplified. Playing violent video games may differ in effect as playing social and interactive games such as soccer. While some games have learning and educational experiences, most of the popular games have a negative content that affects behavioral development. The effects differ as some children may develop aggressive behavior others may improve on their performance while others do not change. It is the role of parents and teachers to recognize the effects that video games have on children, and set limits accordingly. This way, there will be the realization of potential advantages while minimizing potential harms.
Reference.
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