Video games
As the end of the 19th decade approached, video games were introduced. They were an expected hit. The video games industry is now a multi-billion dollar industry. They established and maintained a high rank in childhood leisure activities due to their abilityto attract children infront of a screen for very high number of hours. The idea of video games was flabbergasting since it developed certain positive characteristics which enhanced youngsters and developed them. However, Children addiction to video games increased overtime which concerned adults. They were worried that violent video games develop the sense of violence in their children. Doctors began their research which linked video games to increase in children’s violence. At first, the research was open to doubt but further research linked violence video games with development of violent characters. Recent research suggests that playing video games may affect some children’s physical functioning. Effects range from causing heart rate to blood pressure changes. However, serious physical effects are limited to a small number of players. Indeed, video games are a double edged sword which has its advantages and disadvantages.
Recent studies showed that games are valuable considering health care. They were proven to be mentally and physically helpful to children as well as adults. Mental health professionals stress on the idea that some children may develop certain positive characteristics when playing video games. These characteristics are said to be very hard and long lasting to attain elsewhere. Some adults prefer their children to play video games since they feature some benefits instead of sitting without any form of interaction in front of the television. These benefits include the development of creativity. Better vision is some of the reported benefits to doctors who perform vision tests. Logical thinking and skills concerning problem solving will increase since children are always engaged with such issues in video games. Phsygological researchers report that youngsters playing video games show higher self confidence than children who don’t/ this self confidence is achieved from they get when they succeed in the game. Furthermore, video games are linked with treating specific diseases. Research studies show that video games are somehow enhanced to treat people suffering from certain phobias. Treatment of fear of the dark and fear of heights has been reported to be the most effective. Doctors expose their patients to their fears through a controlled computerized game to treat them. Moreover, some video games help children develop their learning skills. These games are rather attractive due to their setting. They feature reading and writing tasks to help improve the Childs academic level. The biggest advantage of video games is its ability to entertain a child. When a child is not feeling good or is stressed video games will undoubtedly improve his phsycological state and drive him out of boredom. Children can socialize due to the fact that video games can be played in pairs. It is a great opportunity for kids to make friend by actually playing the game together of discussing the game plot.
Although video games show positive effects on children, video games have various disadvantages. Recent studies link children playing violent video games and behaving rather aggressively. According to NCTV research, 9 of every 12 studies considering violent games feature the idea that children are getting harmed by them. The scene of getting attached to violent video games stresses children and affects their brains. DR. Mathews a doctor in the Indiana University of School and Medicine reports that video games show an increase in emotional arousal and a decrease in the activities of areas which involve self controls, inhibition and attention. Dr. Mathews and his colleagues prove this fact through a simple test. They got 44 players and randomly assigned them to play a game. There were two games. The first one is the adrenaline pumping “Need For Speed”, the second is the violence included point of view shooter game “Medal Of Honor”. The players played the game for the 30 minutes. They were then immediately assigned to take MRI’s of their brains. Negative effects were seen in youngsters playing the violent “Medal Of Honor”. The same effects were not seen in players who played “Need For Speed.” Video games have not been directly linked with mental illness. However, excess violent acts might cause this mental illness. Video games disadvantages are very similar to that of television since children are exposed to the same type of violence. However, researchers say that video games are supposedly more crucial since children are actually involved in violence performed in video games rather than just sitting inactively watching it on television. As technology develops, violence will develop as well since violence is much better portrayed now than 20 years ago through video games due to technology .In some games when a player is bombed, blood and bones are scattered illustrating his death and the effect of being bombed in real life. Children spending many numbers of hours playing video games without getting in contact with no one else suffer from being shy and rather introvert as they see no one but the screen they’re playing on. Certified studies prove that as children encounter these violent acts on television or on video games, they are more likely to perform these acts.
In conclusion, recommendations concerning video games must be conservative. According to researcher Jeanne Funk, a ban on video games is probably not in the child’s best interests. Limiting playing time of video games and monitoring game selection according to developmental level and game content may be as vital as similar parental management of television privileges. Doctors and parents should also seek out inventive ways to increase the acceptance, popularity, and availability of games that are relatively sociable, educational, and fun. Every aspect has its pros and cons so is the law of nature. What we can do is try to uphold a balance and get the finest of what it has to offer, be it nature or technology