Video Games Are Not the Problem - Essay Example

Ahmed AlsafwaniandVirender Singh Dr. Wei Zhang English Composition 26 November Video Games are not the Problem: People are the Problem Over the course of human history, many different factors have been considered in the discussion of their overall effect on human? behavior. one of the factors that has been considered in great depth recently related to the behavior of young people is the impact of video games. . Sadly, much of the analysis on this topic has not been scholarly in terms of its scope and/or rigor of presentation (Prot et al. 359). This fact notwithstanding, the following discussion will seek to provide a scholarly discussion on the behavioral impact that video games have upon the individual. This will be predicated specifically upon peer-reviewed scholarly and scientific literature that has analyzed, utilizing the scientific method, the issues pertaining to thebehavioral impact of video games. As the discussion will reveal, the most relevant finding was that no discernible impact of violent behavior and the linkage to violent video games has been found to exist. However, other clear connections concerning health, activity levels, and the impact upon social skills and behavior in social settings have been definitively proven to exist (Ahmed). In keeping with the discussion provided within the introduction, it must first be understood that even though there has long been a level of expectation that video games of a violent nature correspond to violent behavior on the part of the individual, especially the youth, exhaustive research and a series of scientific inquiries have not been able to substantiate such a claim. Some authors in stark contrast to our common perceptions,clearly denoted that video games, violent or not, potentially decreased the rate of of violent behavior in young people (Tear and Nielson 7). This argument lies in the fact that such individuals tend to spend a larger amount of their time indoors playing a videogame as compared to engaging with society and potentially becoming involved in trouble some or violent circumstances. This finding is especially importantat this time and era when the news media continue to promote the false perceptionthat violent video games are tantamount to the exhibition of violent behavior within the young generation (Ahmed). However, a correlation exists between an increasingly sedentary lifestyle practiced by individuals who spend an inordinately high percentage of their time playing video games and the health of these individuals. Behavioral researchers have indicated that the average amount of time spent outdoors among the youth has been on a slow and steady decline over the past few decades, which correlates with the increased rates of television watching andadolescent game-playingthat deprived a young person the time to spend time socializing and engaging with their peers(Espinosa and Clemente 67). Rather than blaming videogames entirely, the reader should instead engage with the understanding that the underlying causal factors associated with a decrease in social behavior that video games have encouraged is ultimately the result of a complex series of factors as have been described above.(Ahmed) In much the same way that Internet addiction, and the influences of more and more forms of communication and interaction being handled via cyberspace, videogames usage, at least in its abstract sense, further reduces the potential of the individual to be a social creature. Many scholars have argued against this particular point; however, the fact of the matter is that any amount of time that a young individual is spending self absorbed or away from interaction of either adults or individuals their own age is decreasing their overall socialization and potentially having an indirect and negative impact upon their subsequent behavior (Engelhardt and Mazurek 535).(Ahmed) However, it is oftentimes the case that extremes of video game dependence and usage are represented. When carried to the extreme, behavior is strongly influenced by videogames in a situation in which the individual player suffers from a condition known as videogames addiction. As laughable as this might seem, many psychologists have come to identify with this particular term as indicative of a psychological disorder exhibited by more and more young people in today’s society (Prot et al. 363). Naturally, this level of videogames addiction is obviously the most harmful behavior element that has thus far been identified, due to the fact that it can be classified as an actual addiction and is effectively an all-consuming passion that diminishes any other types of behavior or motivation exhibited within the life of the individual(Singh). Thus far, the analysis has been concentric upon the negative types of behavior that can be exhibited in terms of young people that play a high percentage of videogames. Nevertheless, this is something of an unfair approach, partly due to the fact that there are many different types of videogames. For instance, research by Stenico and Greitemeyer have demonstrated that certain types of negative behavior increases in games in which interaction and cooperation between players allows for successful mission fulfillment. In much the same way that group work within schools or teamwork within the professional setting requires a level of engagement and cooperation to effect, many scholars argued that such games that require the same level of cooperation are ultimately beneficial in helping to prepare them for the way in which cooperation within real life will ultimately take place. The underlying argument behind all of this is of course the fact that play is an essential element in developing a child’s mind and preparing them for relevant challenges that will await them in the coming years (Tear and Nielson 5). From the information that has thus far been presented, it is clear and apparent that there are a variety of different perspectives existing within scholarly research regarding the way in which videogames impact upon behavior. For the most part, the impact is negative; indicative of a situation in which a lack of activity, potential addiction, and lack of social engagement can take place (Ahmed). There are clear and definitive cases in which videogames provide positive benefits. The best approach is for all videogames to be age-appropriate and promote a healthful overall level of playing time; so that a potential for videogames addiction does not result. In much the same way that any hobby or fascination within the child’s mind should not be encouraged to the point that it becomes a fixation of their daily life, videogames should also be understood in terms of their potentially addictive nature and parents and stakeholder should be on guard against the potentially negative determinants that are an outgrowth of this level of addiction(Singh). Works Cited Engelhardt, Christopher R, and Micah O Mazurek. "Video Game Access, Parental Rules, And Problem Behavior: A Study Of Boys With Autism Spectrum Disorder." Autism: The International Journal Of Research & Practice 18.5 (2014): 529-537. Print. Espinosa, Pablo, and Miguel Clemente. "Self-Transcendence And Self-Oriented Perspective As Mediators Between Video Game Playing And Aggressive Behaviour In Teenagers." Journal Of Community & Applied Social Psychology 23.1 (2013): 68-80. Print. Prot, Sara, et al. "Long-Term Relations Among Prosocial-Media Use, Empathy, And Prosocial Behavior." Psychological Science (Sage Publications Inc.) 25.2 (2014): 358-368. Print. Stenico, Christian, and Tobias Greitemeyer. "The Others Will Help: The Presence Of Multiple Video Game Characters Reduces Helping After The Game Is Over." Journal Of Social Psychology 154.2 (2014): 101-104. Print. Tear, Morgan J., and Mark Nielsen. "Failure To Demonstrate That Playing Violent Video Games Diminishes Prosocial Behavior."Plos ONE 8.7 (2013): 1-7. Print. Read More