Interactive Video and Computer Games - Annotated Bibliography Example

Media – Annotated Bibliography Order ID – 430549 Introduction In these contemporary times, online gaming is considered to be more of a social activity than anything else. While on the one hand, gaming is believed to be useful in many ways, there are others who think that it is detrimental and a waste of time. Gaming therefore is one of the highly debated topics in social media and one that needs our immediate attention, especially where children and the youth are concerned. In this research, an investigation of the media format is going to be made on the topic titled “Interactive Video and Computer Games” and an attempt to explore, analyze and draw the right conclusions about this media would go a long way in clearing the mystery that surrounds it. Cultural Theory A. Dubbleman Teun. (2011) Playing the Hero: How Games take the concept of Storytelling from Representation to Presentation. Journal of Media Practice. Vol. 12, No. 2, Article, Intellect Ltd. Dubbleman (2011) in his study on narrative media with regard to video gaming explains his theory involving the distinction between representation and presentation. In recent times, new ways of storytelling have become a popular feature with regard to the culture of entertainment. People have moved away from all that is traditional and have introduced new ways to represent the narrative. They make use of different cultural artifacts in their bid to give us a first hand experience such as Live Action Role Playing (LARP) (Dubberman, 2011) B. –Ivory Adrienne Holz and Kaestle E. Christine. The Effects of Profanity in Violent Video Games on Player’s Hostile Expectations, Aggressive Thoughts and Feelings, and other responses. BEA, Routledge Ivory and team in their research on the media of video gaming found that profanity used in many of the games had an adverse effect on individuals from a cultural viewpoint, because they are prone to make use of such profane language even in real life. Profanity or verbal aggression “is present in many popular games, and often frequently”. (Ivory et al., p. 225, 2009) A study of profanity conducted on 321 male and female students in the age group of 16 to 32 years, showed that profanity influenced aggressive feelings in players and affected enjoyment due to its psychological impact and increased their hostile expectations. C. Krcmar Marina and Farrar Kirstie. Retaliatory Aggression and the Effects of Point of View and Blood in Violent Video Games. Mass Communication and Society Division. Routledge. Krcmar and Kirstie in their study on violence and aggression in video gaming found that games involving blood and gore had an adverse impact on gamers as it made them more physically and verbally abusive than those of the same age who did not indulge in such games. Study findings showed that those who indulged in retaliatory aggression and violence in games were more hostile and aggressive because it had a bad impact on their cognition. When compared to passive game watching on television, video gaming had a greater impact because the gamer identifies himself with the media character (hero), which would eventually reflect in his everyday life. (p. 117) Toronto Theory Study A – Best L. Michael, Long J. William, Etherton John, Smyth Thomas (2011) Rich Digital Media as a Tool in Post- conflict Truth and Reconciliation.. Media, War and Conflict. Journals of Permission. 4 (3) 231 – 249, Sagepub. Best (2011) and his team in their study used rich digital media as a potent tool for the purpose of peace building and healing during times of conflict. The study comprised of a survey of more than 100 Liberians of Monrovita, post the civil conflict and the use of modern digital media greatly helped in enhancing their feelings of efficacy. This attribute was not found in the controlled group. The study proved that increased self efficacy enabled them to handle stressful situations effectively, thus leading to reconciliation and post- conflict healing. B. Daniel Ashton (2009) Thinking with Games: Exploring Digital Gaming Imaginaries and values in Higher Education. Journal of Media Practice. Vol. 10, Number 1. Article. Intellect Ltd. According to the McLuhan’s Toronto theoretical viewpoint, “communication systems create psychological and social states”. In his empirical research on media gaming, Daniel Ashton (2009) explores the possibilities of helping to transition students from being gamers to becoming designers. The study showed that by motivating students on the values of theory and design and engaging them with specific game mechanics, students made a smooth transition from players to designers and this resulted in a huge number games design courses being offered due to the increasing number of designers. C Lemos Andre. Pervassive Computer Games and Processes of Spatialization: Informational Territories and Mobile Technologies. Canadian Journal of Communication. Vol. 36 (2) Lemos’ research is a combination of location – based systems and digital mobile technology that creates physical spaces by using an interface in gaming. This set up has the potential of producing ‘spatialization’ that is made use of in global systems for mobile communication such as GSM and GPRS etc. and making use of such technology creates a new information layer connecting physical spaces with digital spaces widely used in social networking and new forms of entertainment. Columbia Theory Study A - Golos B. Debbie. Deaf Children’s Engagement in an Educational Video in American Sign Language. Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education. Utah State University, Logan. This study conducted by Golos targeted the blind children and explored the possibilities of their skills in education through interactive teaching and learning. The study observed the behavior of 25 pre-schoolers while engaging them in videos on American Sign Language. The study showed that multiple viewings had increased their engagement behavior and improved their skills of signing irrespective of the child’s age. The study also found that repetitive reinforcement resulted in positive outcomes with children taking an active part in counting, imitating, copying and answering questions. B. Mohamad Shalleh Bin Suja’ee. Designing Interactive Learning: Lessons from Video Games. Ministry of Education, Singapore. Mohamad Suja’ee in his study on interactive learning through video games explains how with great advancement made with the improvement of digital technology, educators are not far behind in observing that interactive learning by students is a major possibility that needs to be taken advantage of in the field of education. Traditional media is fixed comprising of a linear text sequence that is no longer attractive for children who have grown up in the computer era and therefore the shift to interactive video gaming with an algorithmic structure is a good solution to make education interactive because it keeps children engaged in active learning while helping them to achieve their goal through rewards and penalties for right and wrong moves they make. C - Sandvik Kietil (2006) Evaluation of Quality in Computer Games. Nordicom Review 27, 2, pp. 269 – 284. This theory involves computational thinking which is closely connected to software, hardware and programming making use of digital media. The study by Sandvik covers the specific characteristics related to computer gaming media and the important role played in an individual’s social environment. The author explains that the main characteristic of computer games is that it is interactive and therefore enhances communication and at the same time it is a work of art that though fictional, facilitates the recipient to use the skill of computational thinking in the real environment. Critical Theory Study A – Apperley H Thomas and Jayemane Daeshana. Game Studies’ Material Turn. The University of Melbourne. The chief premise of the Critical Theory is based on critiquing the society using knowledge, in a bid to bring about relevant change. Apperley and Jeyemane in their study on gaming pass their criticism on the re-imaging of digital games. They highlight the fact, that the relationship shared between the digital media of the games, the community of players and the owners as being very complex and how this complexity is seen reflected in the gaming experience. B Ford William. The Law and Science of Video Game Violence: What was Lost in Translation. Cardozo Arts and Entertainment. Vol. 31: 297 Ford conducted a study that showed how violent video games impacted on children and criticized the same for encouraging children to become harsh and aggressive in every day life. However, Ford brings to our notice the tug-of-war that takes place between the courts and the government policy makers when it comes to litigation involving minors and their access to violent video games. Ford explains that research has shown, that there is a connection between violent video gaming and aggressive behavior in children. He criticizes the courts for their inadequacy to initiate justifiable laws that restrict minor’s access to video games that have violence. C. Lachlan A. Kenneth and Maloney K. Erin. Game Player Characteristics and Interactive Content: Exploring the Role of Personality and Telepresence on Video Game Violence. Lachlan and Maloney conducted a study that explored the role of personality and Telepresence of those engaging in violent video games. The study comprised of 160 participants who were given video games to play after completing a personality check. The data collected was analyzed by making use of coding techniques. Results of the findings showed that player characteristics and tendencies of Telepresence came in to play making the content highly variable among players. Social critics argue that violent video games impact upon the personality leading to aggressive behavior. They also criticize our attitude and the manner in which we conceptualize violent content that is interactive. Read More

Michael, Long J. William, Etherton John, Smyth Thomas (2011) Rich Digital Media as a Tool in Post- conflict Truth and Reconciliation.. Media, War and Conflict. Journals of Permission. 4 (3) 231 – 249, Sagepub. Best (2011) and his team in their study used rich digital media as a potent tool for the purpose of peace building and healing during times of conflict. The study comprised of a survey of more than 100 Liberians of Monrovita, post the civil conflict and the use of modern digital media greatly helped in enhancing their feelings of efficacy.

This attribute was not found in the controlled group. The study proved that increased self efficacy enabled them to handle stressful situations effectively, thus leading to reconciliation and post- conflict healing. B. Daniel Ashton (2009) Thinking with Games: Exploring Digital Gaming Imaginaries and values in Higher Education. Journal of Media Practice. Vol. 10, Number 1. Article. Intellect Ltd. According to the McLuhan’s Toronto theoretical viewpoint, “communication systems create psychological and social states”.

In his empirical research on media gaming, Daniel Ashton (2009) explores the possibilities of helping to transition students from being gamers to becoming designers. The study showed that by motivating students on the values of theory and design and engaging them with specific game mechanics, students made a smooth transition from players to designers and this resulted in a huge number games design courses being offered due to the increasing number of designers. C Lemos Andre. Pervassive Computer Games and Processes of Spatialization: Informational Territories and Mobile Technologies.

Canadian Journal of Communication. Vol. 36 (2) Lemos’ research is a combination of location – based systems and digital mobile technology that creates physical spaces by using an interface in gaming. This set up has the potential of producing ‘spatialization’ that is made use of in global systems for mobile communication such as GSM and GPRS etc. and making use of such technology creates a new information layer connecting physical spaces with digital spaces widely used in social networking and new forms of entertainment.

Columbia Theory Study A - Golos B. Debbie. Deaf Children’s Engagement in an Educational Video in American Sign Language. Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education. Utah State University, Logan. This study conducted by Golos targeted the blind children and explored the possibilities of their skills in education through interactive teaching and learning. The study observed the behavior of 25 pre-schoolers while engaging them in videos on American Sign Language. The study showed that multiple viewings had increased their engagement behavior and improved their skills of signing irrespective of the child’s age.

The study also found that repetitive reinforcement resulted in positive outcomes with children taking an active part in counting, imitating, copying and answering questions. B. Mohamad Shalleh Bin Suja’ee. Designing Interactive Learning: Lessons from Video Games. Ministry of Education, Singapore. Mohamad Suja’ee in his study on interactive learning through video games explains how with great advancement made with the improvement of digital technology, educators are not far behind in observing that interactive learning by students is a major possibility that needs to be taken advantage of in the field of education.

Traditional media is fixed comprising of a linear text sequence that is no longer attractive for children who have grown up in the computer era and therefore the shift to interactive video gaming with an algorithmic structure is a good solution to make education interactive because it keeps children engaged in active learning while helping them to achieve their goal through rewards and penalties for right and wrong moves they make. C - Sandvik Kietil (2006) Evaluation of Quality in Computer Games.

Nordicom Review 27, 2, pp.

Read More