The Benefits and Detriments of Video Games, Internet and TV as Leisure Activities - Essay Example

Benefits and detriments of video games, internet, TV as leisure activities The use of video games, internet, and television as leisure activities is widely used across all ages from as low as two year onwards because of the technological advancement of the current century. It’s estimated that 97% of the children and adolescents spends more than one hour playing games worldwide. By watching TV, comes third from video game and internet carries the day as their numbers are spreading with time. It is through this widespread usage that the essay displays its advantages and its disadvantages. Use of video games has led to the development of problem solving skills as well as spatial skills (Prensky, 2012). Irrespective of the genre of video game, they are all associated with problem solving. According to Prensky (2012), exposing the young children and adolescents to some types of games as well as some types of online learning has led to them growing up as “digital natives”. Instead of this group learning using the manual methods, they solve their problem using trial and error. They do this using experimentation on the collected data and information. Cognitive benefit and creativity has been associated with use of video game. Recent research has proved use of any type of video game leads to enhanced children creativity. According to research by Jackson et al. (2012), a sample of 5000 pupils with an age of 12 years proved that use of video game has an impact on enhancing creativity. Other forms of technology such as computer and phone was not associated enhancing the children creativity. Ambiguity occurred due to lack of clear guideline whether creativity was enhanced by playing video game or it was the creative people who preferred video games. When faced with failure, being more persistence leads to great rewards (Venture et al., 2013). In event of a failure, players work hard due to motivation of winning. The players are highly motivated to reach their goal (McGonigal, 2011). Developing the persistent motivation may lead to developing of a lasting excellence in education (Ventura et al., 2013). Use of games has been taken as one of the most effective method by which the children gains positive feelings. Research has shown that playing the preferred games leads to improved mood and desirable emotion (Russoniello et al., 2009). Gaming has been related with increase of emotional well being (McGonigal, 2011). Having good and emotions leads to wellbeing as well as inspiration and social connectivity. Considering that gaming leads to emotional well being, this makes it an important benefit to consider. Through gaming, the players become capable of acquiring pre social skills. This comes from playing games that help in rewarding cooperation, supportive behaviors and offers support effectively (Ewoldsen et al., 2012). Some of the research has proved that players who participate in violent games which encourage cooperation online have the possibility of showing positive gaming behaviors than those who participate in nonviolent games (Ferguson & Garza, 2011). Participating in games as a group helps in eliminating hostile behaviors than playing alone. There are several advantages which can be associated with spending leisure watching television. Apart from the TV commercials, there are several programs that are aired where people learn and interact through them. Watching television has been associated with promoted performance which is a means of portraying learning (Shahid, 2012). It’s important to understand that failure to display a certain behavior cannot be associated with lack of learning. This is due to fact that a certain behavior may not be exhibited to the researcher despite its existence. Attitudes, beliefs and values has been claimed to be affected through watching TV by a research. The effects of watching TV is exerted on all viewers and contains both factual and fictional information. There has been little research done based on the effect of TV in relation to learning. The main known use of television has been its contribution to formation and the change in concept of gender related roles in children. Also, it has also been proved that food commercials influence the children knowledge on some types of food and their notion on what good diet is composed of (Shahid, 2012). Watching television boosts our cognitive skills. There are varieties of ways in which television, both in relation to its formal features or cinematic codes and content, can influence cognitive skills. It enables us to think through what we see and realities of life (McGonigal, 2011). It has been proved that spatial abilities, creativity and task endurance of the viewers are affected by watching TV. Mostly evidenced when a person watches a documentary on the business minded people who use whatever little they have to make an economic impact. Through these programs, the viewer can collect gauge himself or herself to develop his or her future, leading to an economic impact on the lives of the viewer (Shahid, 2012). Television programs promote social status of the viewer through interactive programs. These programs like the Oprah Winfrey interact with the viewers and audience on topics affecting our lives. These topics can be marriage partners, infidelity and challenges of life people face (Shahid, 2012). However, these programs viewers are educated and the best social practices and how well they can influence their environment. Viewers are brought closer through this and end up changing their lives. Televisions channels also bring an economic impact. Programs are paid by the channel providers creating employment. When viewers call though the programs the telecommunication channel is used, charges are incurred and the money is used to employ individuals and support the program. This economic impact brings an advantage to the living standards of the viewer population (David et al 2009). Internet leisure activities exist alongside the traditional one as sport fields. The internet creates a virtual environment where people can escape and relax at the same time (David et al, 2009). An example is the online games attract over 20 million people creating billion of dollars through subscription of the players. The economy is boosted and creates employment for the game programmers and developers all over the world. They in turn bring about competition among themselves. Social networks are another example of internet recreational activity. It brings the world together as one by connecting people from all occupations. Through this charting and texting, people meet new friends of different geographical locations and learn from each other (Anderson et al., 2010). The internet brings about economic importance through online shopping, booking of flights and hotels. Systems nowadays are digitized and almost every company has a website that supports online activities in almost all fields (McGonigal, 2011). These virtual leisure activities promote social interactions, bring about active entertainment, and promote sensory stimulation development of self-identity. All these are needed for the well-being of an individual towards the social, economic environment. According to Anderson et al., (2010), gaming lead to aggression, depression and addiction. Attraction to variety of games depends on individual taste, mood and individual assessment among others (Tamborini et al., 2010). The type of game being played affects the player motivation, emotional well being and social relations. In addition, most of the games that are being developed are complex and dynamic leading to the player gaming behaviors to change depending on the changes in the game. The player has to change and adapt as the game context changes. Social based games which have multiple partners contribute to a variety of experiences based on the type of player being encountered in the game (Anderson et al., 2010). The main disadvantage of internet leisure activities is that it brings about laziness of the body leading to obesity and weight gain. Mainly because a person always sits and is glued on the computer screen all the time without proper exercise despite his or her feeding style. The result is laziness of the body as we are recommended to exercise and produce sweat for efficient excretion of the body. Due to this factor the person gains weight leading d become obese leading to developing health difficulties (David et al., 2009). Another disadvantage is that the internet contains lots of wrong information. Anyone can post anything on the internet most of it is garbage. The internet also harbors hackers who want to destroy genuine internet users. These highly skilled internet users utilize the internet for their selfish interests. Internet also brings about addiction and leads to problems with interacting loved ones and friends. Internet can also display pornographic content to the young children very easy. Unscrupulous businesses exist on the internet that takes advantage of people. Hackers also create viruses that can ruin one’s data once they get into their personal computers (David et al., 2009). The disadvantages of watching television as leisure activities also resemble the internet and may lead to weight gain and obesity. This factor is mainly attributed to the immobility of the body with increased or constant feeding (Shahid, 2012). Television has been known to waste valuable time. TV’s also can air false news or fake advertisements. This may make the viewer chose the wrong product. Television can also air inappropriate content. Parents are extremely advised to be very careful on what the children see and watch. In conclusion, the benefit of video games, internet, and television as leisure activities outweighs the demerits (Jackson et al., 2012). From the essay, the drastic changes in technology and its advancement have triggered new revolution of ideas and ways of incorporating education and entertainment. From the essay, many educational forums are being relayed through various entertainments leading socioeconomic development of individuals. References Anderson, C. A., Shibuya, A., Ihori, N., Swing, E. L., Bushman, B. J.,Sakamoto, A., & Saleem, M. (2010). Violent video game effects on aggression, empathy, and prosocial behavior in Eastern and Western countries: A meta-analytic review. 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