A Study of the Effects of Computer/video Games on Children in the United States

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With reference to the positive effects, when children and adolescents play computer/video games, they exercise the brain to a large extent, learning the skills required to win, involve abstract and high level thinking, strategizing and developing behavioural skills that are seldom taught at school. (Tumbokon, Chacha, 2014). Many of the positive effects of playing computer/video games centers around enhanced mental skills. This paper will review the benefits of playing computer/video games, focusing on four key areas: cognitive (e.g. think, read, learn, remember, reason, and pay attention), motivational (e.g., work towards achieving goals, keeping at it until you win), emotional (e.g. manage, express and control moods, including anger, sadness, excitement, anxiety and joy), and social (e.g. interaction and communication with others, prosocial behaviour) benefits. An analysis of these probable benefits is pertinent as computer/video games has evolved in the last decade, becoming “increasingly complex, diverse, realistic, and social in nature”. (Granic I., Lobel[a] A. et al, 2014.)

Cognitive: Playing computer/video games promotes a wide range of cognitive skills; improves problem solving and logic; train the brain to conceptualize creative ways to solve challenges in a timed environment. There is much study to support the cognitive benefits of computer video games. Strategy games could use a “time-based element that speeds up the action and requires thinking on the fly. Even classic strategy games such as Mahjong have been proven to improve brain power for those with dementia." (Hall-Stigerts L, 2015). Research indicates that many of the violent computer/video games that parents’ fear influences violent behaviour, on the contrary, encourages improved cognitive skills in children and adolescents. “First Person Shooters are often regarded as games that feature cognitive development” (http://www.videogames.org.au/cognitive-development/, 2016). Neuroscientific research with rats suggests “specific brain mechanisms that help explain how play fighting in particular leads to the development of social competence”. (Pellis & Pellis, 2007). Due to the similarity between humans and animals in forms of play, it can be derived that these developmental skills will be also identified in children and adolescents who play video games, e.g. “dominance, nurturance, anxiety, and growth are all explored in video games, allowing for important cognitive skills”. (Granic I., Lobel[b] A. et al, 2014. Playing computer/video games also assists in “Following instructions, Hand-eye coordination, fine motor and spatial skills, Planning, resource management and logistics, Multitasking, simultaneous tracking of many shifting variables and managing multiple objectives. (Granic I., Lobel[c] A. et al, 2014). All these examples of cognitive skills support the positive effects computer/video games can have on children and adolescents. Such benefits are also supported by research done Bavelier et al., 2011, stating that “Video games are controlled training regimens delivered in highly motivating behavioural contexts . . . because behavioural changes arise from brain changes, it is also no surprise that performance improvements are paralleled by enduring physical and functional neurological remodelling”

Granic, I Lobel A et al 2014 also cites cognitive researcher Bavelier 2012, University of Rochester as highlighting the benefits of playing diverse computer/video games in helping one learn, focus and multitask. The research also confirms other cognitive benefits such as “Quick thinking, making fast analysis and decisions, Accuracy, Strategy and anticipation, Situational Awareness, Teamwork and cooperation when played with others, developing reading and math skills, Perseverance, Memory, Concentration, Improved ability to rapidly and accurately recognize visual information”.(Bavelier 2012). These benefits come about because video games simulate stressful, fast-past events requiring quick decision making and quick action, to be probable when children and adolescents play computer/video games. Bavelier suggests such benefits are more prevalent in action games. James Paul Gee, professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison supports the idea that playing video games increase “inductive reasoning and hypothesis testing” stating that “playing a video game is similar to working through a science problem….the gamer must come up with a hypothesis. For example, the gamer must constantly try out combinations of weapons and powers to use to defeat an enemy. If one does not work, he changes hypothesis and try the next one.” As has been presented here and supported by the research cited, the benefit of enhanced cognitive skills in playing, even the violent shooter/action computer/video games cannot be dismissed.

Motivational: Researchers in support of the positive benefits of playing computer/video games agree that there is sufficient evidence to back the notion that playing these games encourages an increase in drive to succeed in the virtual realm and by extension the real world. Granic, I Lobel A et al, 2014, in an article notes that “Psychologist motivational styles characterized by persistence and continuous effortful engagement are key contributors to success and achievement (Dweck & Molden, 2005).” The authors note that according to the research done by Dweck et al, “children and adolescents develop beliefs about their intelligence and abilities, beliefs that underlie specific motivational styles and directly affect achievement.” Similarly a research conducted by Alshawi W., May 2016, indicates that using the Keller’s ARCS Model on motivation which addresses “attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction”, concludes that video games allowed for a “learning experience that allows for appropriate challenges, specific goals, control over the pace of the content and clear and relevant feedback, all of which would in turn intrinsically motivate the learner.” (Brad 2005). This paper purports that the more regularly children and adolescent play computer/ video games, the more they develop motivational skills. It more so builds “persistence in the face of failure reaps valued rewards” (Ventura, Shute, & Zhao, 2013). When children lose a game, they have an increased desire to fall right back in that game to try to win, no matter how many times they have to try or how many different techniques they need to utilize in order to achieve the goal of winning. In summary, the motivational benefits for children and adolescents when the play computer/video games are valid. As demonstrated in the research cited, the games set a goal for the player to achieve, and once achieved, a reward is in store. The player will work through techniques, try again and again and not give