The Truth Behind The Clichés And Myths About Video Games
Video games and the time spent playing them is a topic of primary concern for parents of children and adolescents currently.
There is a real increase in the consumption of video games both in Spain and around the world, which is generating a powerful stressor for parents (and adults in general) due to society’s stigmatization of this type of leisure offer.
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Furthermore, with the rise of the video game sector and the great popularity that the branch of electronic sports or “e-Sports” is acquiring, criticism of this sector is becoming harsher and in some cases, more radical. This produces a strong alarm in parents concerned about their children’s hobby which will make them pay greater attention to information that fits well with their prejudices, resulting from fear of possible harm to their offspring.
The main alarm factor for these parents is possibly the addiction factor. Usually, video game fans tend to dedicate a large part of their free time to them, which generates a strong feeling of disapproval on the part of their parents, in addition to being accused, on many occasions, of being addicted to video games.
It is true that video games can be an addiction, but in the same way, the hobby of cultivating the body in the gym can also be, for example The truth is that human beings have the power to be addicted to many types of hobbies and here, the turning point is education, the way in which the desire to play is self-regulated.
Learn more: “Eight important psychological aspects of video games”
Data and analysis
To shed light on the issue of video games and try to allay fears, we would like to cite the results of an interesting study carried out by Estalló, Masferrer and Aguirre in 2001 in which they carried out a thorough investigation with 321 subjects with an age between 13 years and 33. In this study, personality characteristics, behaviors in daily life and some cognitive variables were compared between two samples, of which one presented a continuous, habitual and abundant use of video games, while the Another sample had a total absence of video game use.
Despite being widely used arguments to disapprove the use of video games, the results of this study clearly showed that the continued and regular use of video games does not represent any relevant change compared to those who do not use them, in aspects such as school adaptation, academic performance, family climate and adaptation, use of toxic substances, physical problems such as obesity or headaches, childhood psychological history or social activities.
Likewise, in clinical variables such as personality patterns, aggressiveness, assertiveness or clinical symptoms and syndromes, There were also no significant differences in relation to the group of non-players (Estló, Masferrer & Aguirre, 2001).
The benefits of playing video game consoles
Video games are not only not the villains that the media sometimes sells us, but they also provide cognitive benefits
As we have seen in one of many examples, empirical evidence shows that the continued and habitual use of video games does not represent a real threat against young people.
In addition to not reaching alarming conclusions, research on health and video games shows that they are a powerful modern tool that can produce benefits in aspects such as cognition, emotions, motivation and social behaviors.
In 2014, Granic, Lobel and Rutger carried out an important review for the APA (American Psychologist Association), on the existing literature in reference to studies that demonstrate the benefits of video games in young people, especially in the areas mentioned above. Since carrying out an analysis of each of the areas goes beyond the objectives of this article, We will only name some benefits of each one, leaving these analyzes for later publications
In terms of cognition, The benefits are very broad since they promote a wide range of cognitive skills Thematic video games have special relevance in this area. shooter since they require a high level of attention and concentration, considerably enhancing spatial resolution in visual processing, rotation of mental skills and attention (Green & Babelier, 2012).
2. Motivation
In the field of motivation, video games play an important role since a large number of them, maintain a very precise adjustment in terms of “effort-reward” which allows young people to be able to develop their skills through effort and be rewarded in a fair and appealing way, thus generating behaviors in favor of a malleable and potentiable intelligence and not a stable and predefined intelligence (Blackwell, Trzesniewski, & Dweck, 2007 ).
3. Emotion management
Regarding the emotional benefits, there are studies that suggest that some of the most intensely positive emotional experiences are associated with the context of video games (McGonigal, 2011) and given the great importance of experiencing positive emotions daily, the benefits generated from this premise are very important.
4. Cooperation
Finally, due to the strong social component of video games today, which reward cooperative, supportive and helpful behaviors, substantial improvements are evident in the prosocial behaviors and skills of players (Ewoldsen et al., 2012).
Video games are not enemies, but allies
The conclusion of this entire review on video games dedicated to fathers and mothers should be their acceptance, of video games as a powerful ally in the education and growth of your children combining them with the discipline and responsibility that we demand of them but that their promotion depends on us.
In this way we could see the benefits that video games can generate or, at least, warn that all those theories that accuse them are unfounded and the result of misinformation. Video games are not to blame for the problems associated with youth.
McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality is broken: Why games make us better and how they can change the world. New York, NY: Penguin Press.
