Thursday, January 31, 2013

Advantages of playing video games

              A video game is an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. Gaming both video and computer has become more than a fad, it is a part of life. First generation video game players have now become adult and carry their passion to adulthood. Parents and teachers worry about games having negative effects on children and a great deal has been written about games leading to violent behavior and addiction. However, all is not negative about gaming, studies by leading researchers have shown that video and computer games have many benefits.
                  It has been shown that action video game players have better hand-eye coordination and visuo-motor skills, such as their resistance to distraction, their sensitivity to information in the peripheral vision and their ability to count briefly presented objects, than nonplayers. Researchers found that such enhanced abilities could be acquired by training with action games, involving challenges that switch attention between different locations, but not with games requiring concentration on single objects. It has been suggested by a few studies that online/offline video gaming can be used as a therapeutic tool in the treatment of different mental health concerns. To experience game, the player must first determine the objectives, as well as how to complete them. They must then learn the game controls and how the human-machine interface works, including menus and HUDs. Beyond such skills, which after some time become quite fundamental and are taken for granted by many gamers, video games are based upon the player navigating (and eventually mastering) a highly complex system with many variables. This requires a strong analytical ability, as well as flexibility and adaptability.

                     Indeed, most games require a great deal of patience and focus from the player, and, contrary to the popular perception that games provide instant gratification, games actually delay gratification far longer than other forms of entertainment such as film or even many books. Learning principles found in video games have been identified as possible techniques with which to reform the U.S. education system. It has been noticed that gamers adopt an attitude while playing that is of such high concentration, they do not realize they are learning, and that if the same attitude could be adopted at school, education would enjoy significant benefits. Students are found to be "learning by doing" while playing video games while fostering creative thinking.      

                             However,  there is also conflicting data that suggests video games have no real positive effect, or that they have negative effects on other aspects of cognition, such as attention span. Particularly, the issue with attention is that video games are meant to be engaging and addicting, as this will get the developers more sales. People without any real attention deficit will have an easier time playing video games for hours on end, while at the same time, show symptoms of a decline in attention when subjected to comparatively less engaging tasks, such as academics. Studies conducted in this fashion do not necessarily take into account possible "types" of attention used for video games, and those used in a school.

                  The world of gaming is constantly changing. The internet is replete with articles and tips written by experts on gaming, benefits, and disadvantages, it is important to be informed parents and game players. Read up on games and learn how to choose games that are beneficial. Know what your child is doing at all times. Place your trust in your child but ensure that he or she is able to gauge accurately right from wrong. Conclusively, I strongly agree that advantages of playing video games more than disadvantages.
Written by Michelle - Group 7



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