The Effect of Frequent Video Game Playing on the Brain - Essay Example

? The Effect of Frequent Video Game Playing on the Brain The Effect of Frequent Video Game Playing on the Brain Video games have evolved through time from the first generation home video game console, the Magnavox Odyssey, which was reported to have sold more than 330,000 units in its lifetime commencing in 1972 to the 7th generation releases of Ninetendo (Ninetendo DSi) and Sony (PSP Go) in 2009 (Oneline Education, n.d.). The 8th generation releases, currently being launched include Ninetendo’s Wii and Wii U, Microsoft’s Xbox 720, and Sony’s PlayStation 4 (Swider, 2011). As more and more video games enthusiast become engrossed and even supposedly become addicted to playing them, its effects on the human mind still intrigue various practitioners and professionals from different educational endeavors. In this regard, the current essay contends that the kind of video games played is instrumental in eliciting the positive or negative effects that these games impinge on brain activity, as manifested in behavioral patterns. Violent Video Games and Youth Violence Violent video games were found to have a significant effect on the behavior of people who play them. In a study written by Kardaras (2008), the author disclosed that “the video games do have at least some effect on the behavior of the player. The extent and long range consequences of these behavior changes after one has turned off the video game are not so easily deduced” (Kardaras, 2008, par. 1). In another article, Ferguson (2007) delved into using a meta-analytic review of articles previously published to “examine the impact of violent video games on both aggressive behavior and visuospatial cognition in order to understand the full impact of such games” (Ferguson, 2007, p. 309). Based on the findings, “violent video game exposure is associated with increased visuospatial cognition. However, results of the current meta-analysis did not support a relationship between violent video game exposure and aggressive behavior” (Ferguson, 2007, p. 314). From these initial review, violent video games were noted to have been contributory to aggressive behavior, as a negative effect; and also to visuospatial cognition, as a positive impact. Visuospatial abilities were defined as “those related to understanding and conceptualizing visual representations and spatial relationships in learning and performing a task” (Rosenzweig, 2010, par. 1). The results of the previous study countered the research conducted by Anderson (2004), whose findings were disclosed as establishing a direct link between playing violent video games and “increases in aggressive behaviour, aggressive cognition, aggressive affect, and cardiovascular arousal, and to decreases in helping behavior” (Anderson, 2004, p. 113). In fact, added to the list of negative effects of playing violent video games was increased physiological desensitization to real-life violence (Carnagey, Anderson, & Bushman, 2007) where physiological desensitization was explicitly defined as “showing less physiological arousal to violence in the real world after exposure to video game violence in the virtual world” (Carnagey, Anderson, & Bushman, 2007, p. 489). As players become perennially exposed to violent video games, their senses become apparently numb and virtually regarded as insensitive to violence in the real work setting. Positive Effects of Video Games In terms of positive effects, such as the noted visuospatial cognitive, the study conducted by Ferguson (2007) clearly identified a violent video game, the “Re-Mission, (which) has been demonstrated to lead to greater treatment adherence, quality of life, cancer knowledge and self-efficacy in youths with cancer who were randomized to play the game in comparison to youths who did not play the game” (p. 315). Likewise, Olson and Kutner, co-founders and directors of the Harvard Medical School’s Center for Mental Health and Media, were requested by the U.S. Department of Justice to conduct a study on the effect of video games to adolescents (Smith, 2008). It was thereby founded that there is a “positive and paradoxical dimension of playing video games with violence in them: helping kids to grapple with life’s scariest experiences” (Smith, 2008, par. 35). Therefore, these studies have validated that even violent video games provide positive effects in terms of the development and enhancement of visuospatial abilities and increased abilities to cope and simulate reactions to challenges in life. Video Games and Brain Activity The effect of video games and brain activity was closely evaluated by HopeLab and Stanford University researchers that confirm playing the abovementioned Re-Mission, “a video game about killing cancer in the body, strongly activates brain circuits involved in positive motivation” (Cole, Yoo, & Knutson, 2012, par. 1). Likewise, as evidenced from the research conducted by Ferguson (2007), playing video games result in enhanced visuospatial cognitive skills and identified activation of specified brain regions, to wit: “increases in activation within sensory regions (i.e., primary visual cortex) and motor regions (i.e., primary motor cortex), as well as thalamus, anterior insula, and putamen (i.e., included within the extended culmen focus cluster” (Cole, Yoo, & Knutson: Interactive game play, 2012, par. 1). Age Profile and Effect on Video Games Video games generally are more popularly played by boys and predominantly by adolescents (Ferguson, 2007). As these games have already been identified to spur both negative and positive effects on the players, the study conducted by Nacke, Nacke, and Lindley (2009), have indicated that “logic problem solving challenges within digital games may be associated with positive feelings for the elderly, but associated with negative feelings for the young” (Nacke, Nacke, & Lindley, 2009). Are Video Games Beneficial From the review of related literature on the subject of video games, it was apparently noted that video games, even those that ventured on violent games, provide benefits to users. The advantages and positive effects have been disclosed to range from enhancing cognitive skills and enhanced brain activities in clearly defined regions; in serving as brain training activities for the elderly; as well as in simulating adoptive and responsive behavior in challenges in the real world. As emphasized, “the digital game form does make the tasks more exciting and induces a heightened sense of ?ow in gamers of all ages” (Nacke, Nacke, & Lindley, 2009, p. 138). Anderson’s (2004) study emphasized that the amount and frequency of exposure, termed the risk factor dosage, as well as the effect size should be considered to determine a conclusive and reliable result regarding the supposed link between violent video games and aggressive behavior. As emphasized, “if youths spent only a little time playing violent video games (e.g. less than 30 min per week), or if only a few youths spent a lot of time playing such games (e.g. 1 in 10,000), then the overall cost to society would likely be fairly small” (Anderson, 2004, p. 120). As such, the kind, frequency, and quality of video games played are deemed to be instrumental in eliciting either positive or negative effects that these games elicit on brain activity and exemplified in behavioral patterns. Conclusion The current essay has proffered that video game playing has a significant effect on brain activity and the quality, frequency of playing and kind of support from parents and elderly who watch over their children’s player contribute to the cognitive skills developed and the pattern of current and future behavior that are potentially manifested. As such, violent video games should not be prejudged as to providing purely negative effects and linking it to aggressive behavior; without qualifying other contributory factors that could have influenced behavioral manifestations. Future research could further validate consistency in findings to finally put to rest the controversial effects that video games generate. References Anderson, C. (2004). An update on the effects of playing violent video games. Retrieved May 25, 2012, from inst.eecs.berkeley.edu: http://www-inst.eecs.berkeley.edu/~cs10/fa09/dis/02/extra/update_violence.pdf Carnagey, N., Anderson, C., & Bushman, B. (2007). The eVect of video game violence on physiological desensitization to real-life violence. Retrieved May 25, 2012, from psychology.iastate.edu: http://www.psychology.iastate.edu/faculty/caa/abstracts/2005-2009/07CAB.pdf Cole, S., Yoo, D., & Knutson, B. (2012). nteractivity and Reward-Related Neural Activation During a Serious Videogame. Retrieved May 25, 2012, from PLoS ONE: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0033909 Ferguson, C. (2007). The Good, The Bad and the Ugly: A Meta-analytic Review of Positive and Negative Effects of Violent Video Games. Retrieved May 25, 2012, from Texas A&M International University: http://www.tamiu.edu/~cferguson/videoMeta2.pdf Kardaras, E. (2008). The Effect of Video Games on the Brain. Retrieved May 25, 2012, from Serendip: http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/1742 Nacke, L., Nacke, A., & Lindley, C. (2009). BRAIN TRAINING FOR SILVER GAMERS: EFFECTS OF AGE AND GAME FORM ON EFFECTIVENESS, EFFICIENCY, SELF-ASSESSMENT AND GAME-PLAY EXPERIENCE. Retrieved May 25, 2012, from academia.edu: http://uoit.academia.edu/LennartNacke/Papers/333766/Brain_Training_for_Silver_Gamers_Effects_of_Age_and_Game_Form_on_Effectiveness_Efficiency_Self-Assessment_and_Gameplay_Experience Oneline Education. (n.d.). Video Game Timeline. Retrieved May 25, 2012, from http://www.onlineeducation.net/videogame_timeline Rosenzweig, A. (2010, June 2). Visuospatial Ability. Retrieved May 25, 2012, from about.com: http://alzheimers.about.com/od/glossary/g/Visuospatial_Ability.htm Smith, J. (2008). Playing the Blame Game. Retrieved May 25, 2012, from greatergood.berkeley.edu: http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/playing_blame_game/ Swider, M. (2011, October 5). Guide To the Next Generation of Video Game Consoles: Xbox 720, PlayStation 4, Wii U, and Beyond! Retrieved May 25, 2012, from G4: http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/717083/guide-to-the-next-generation-of-video-game-consoles-xbox-720-playstation-4-wii-u-and-beyond/ Read More