Most people who have encountered computer games have either a negative or a positive opinion about this pastime. Indifferent, in general, a little. And for many years now, disputes between opponents and supporters of computer games have not subsided, and the most diverse arguments are given. Sometimes you wonder what kind of logical chains they build. And basically, both sides rest on moments related to the psyche, society, and personal development. Let's try to figure out what psychologists think about video games.
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In the US, 99% of boys and 94% of girls play video games regularly. Of these, 97% spend at least an hour a day on it. The total revenue of the gaming industry exceeded $25 billion a year five years ago, and the games themselves have long become an integral part of pop culture.
Video games have been looked at, perhaps, since their inception. For many decades, they have been credited with all sorts of harm to the bodies and minds of children and adolescents. With the release of Wolfenstein 3D, followed by the first Doom, the people's love for 3D shooters, which continues to this day, began to gain momentum. As a result, propaganda of violence and bloodthirstiness have been added to the list of sins of computer games. It is also generally accepted that excessive passion for games can cause psychological dependence, and sometimes depression, when the player empathizes too much with some not too joyful plot moves. Games are also blamed for the fact that some mentally unbalanced teenagers from time to time arrange shootings in American schools. In this country, there are even programs aimed at distracting children from video games. But, despite this, the children there play almost without exception and are intoxicated.
So are games really harmful? And if so, by how much?
Researchers have been asking this question for several decades, but the results of various tests and observations turn out to be rather contradictory. In the end, psychologists increasingly began to say that it would be time to pay attention not only to the negative, but also to the positive aspects of passion for video games, which are usually ignored, because researchers initially set themselves the goal of finding the negative. But games have changed a lot in recent years, they have become much more complicated, more realistic, more socially oriented. It must have some effect. And the results of some research conducted in the last five years suggest that the games are not so bad. Psychologists note that modern video games can contribute to the development of social and cognitive skills, provide new emotional experiences, and even sometimes contribute to the overall improvement of the psyche.
Research in developmental and evolutionary psychology has long underestimated the positive impact of play, especially in childhood and adolescence. Playing social games, children not only try out different scenarios of interaction with other people, but also learn how to resolve conflict situations that may arise in real life. Games allow you to safely "rehearse" power and dominance, aggression, pain and breakups. Sometimes it is better to delegate homework to https://cheappaperwriting.com/ and rest playing a game.
Some time ago, researchers found that in rats during playful brawls, growth factors are produced in areas of the brain responsible for social activity. As a result, the medial prefrontal zone receives additional stimulation and develops better over time. And given the great similarity of some social games in animals and humans, it can be assumed that games can have a similar effect on the brain of our children.
But is it possible to consider that video games can also help the younger generation to "pump skills"? According to one of the authors of popular essay writing source, yes, this kind of social interaction can provide players with the same benefits as "offline" games. Any gamer knows very well that video games not only provide unique opportunities for interacting with the in-game system that are not available with more passive forms of entertainment (cinema, television), but also allow you to compete online with hundreds and thousands of other people.
Skills developed by video games
Cognitive abilities
Action fans have improved spatial imagination, the ability to mentally rotate three-dimensional objects, they can switch their attention faster and more accurately, they visualize processes with higher spatial resolution. Orientation in space improves rather quickly, and often the result is no worse than after undergoing special physical training. Video games promote more active and efficient interaction of neurons, which increases the ability to concentrate and recognize patterns. Fans of shooters fared best, while puzzle and RPG fans saw the least improvement. Although it should be noted that modern games are often very complex, which makes it very difficult to make any verdicts about their impact on anyone.
Threading abilities
Online games help children and teenagers learn how to solve problem situations by forcing them to use different approaches. Interactive games can also stimulate creativity and ingenuity. Although it is not yet completely clear on the correlation of skills acquired in games with real life situations, the available data is still encouraging.
Motivation
When solving specific gaming tasks, despite the obstacles, young people can grow self-confidence, they will understand the value of perseverance and perseverance. With immediate problem-solving feedback, players gain visual insights into their abilities and intelligence levels they might not have known they had. Games help children realize that intelligence is incremental, that is, it can increase over time with effort.
In addition, immediate feedback allows players to be in the “zone of proximal development”. As the complexity of the game increases, the level of skill of the players also increases, as well as as a result of prolonged practice. And with the help of periodic reinforcements, games stimulate not to give up, despite new and more difficult challenges. So, give yourself time to switch from studies, use https://eduboard.com/service/research-paper-writing-service/ and spend some time playing without self-flagellation.
As in the previous section, so far there is little evidence that the motivation gained during games can be transferred to real life. Although many virtual problem solving skills can be applied in everyday situations. In addition, the character of the player, his individual characteristics, is of great importance.
Emotions
Most people play video games for fun, to improve their mood. In addition to escapism (this is especially important for teenagers), successful play helps reduce irritability and relaxation. Many players report a feeling of pride, and deep immersion in the game gives a feeling of control, in which you completely forget about yourself. This mental state, described by the players, corresponds to the concept of "flow". According to psychologists, the state of "flow" contributes to the growth of self-confidence and self-confidence, which, theoretically, can positively affect the state of mind.
The positive emotions that result from regular deep immersion in the game can also increase perception and make you look at your life in a new way. Barbara Frederickson, author of the broaden-and-build theory of psychology, believes that positive emotions expand the range of desirable behaviors and build social bonds that help achieve goals and cope with failure. It is not yet clear whether the emotions that arise during the course of video games fit into this theory, but most gamers highly value the emotional return they receive.
Social skills
Modern video games are more than ever aimed at intense social activity. Despite the stereotypical perception of gamers as unsociable introverts, over 70% of gamers actively interact in virtual worlds with their friends, playing with them in teams or competing with them. Thanks to social activity during games, young people learn to communicate with other people, which can be projected onto real life.
Despite the aggressive plot of many games, they still teach players to work in a team, paying attention to the interaction with each of the participants. According to the results of the study, if you play a shooter in the company of friends, then the level of hostility and aggressiveness decreases more than if you play the same game alone. Given the criticism from a concerned public, more research is worth doing in this area. But we can say with some certainty that playing together improves social skills and reduces the level of aggression.
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