Positive Effect Of Video Games

Introduction

In the wake of the new millennium, digitalization has become part and fundamental aspects of near, if not, all fields, welcomed by different generation and industries as driving forces of respective ideals and missions. The most notable filed is entertainment in the form of computer-controlled video games. As described by Kent (2010), video games also referred to as computer-controlled games entail a user interaction on a video display device such as a computer, TV screen as well as a virtual reality headset for entertainment purposes. Over the past decade, the entertainment industry has increasingly shifted and touched more on the coverage of video games (Muriel, and Crawford, 2018). Video games bear a history following the emergence of the Cathode Ray Tube Amazing Device developed in 1947 (Donovan, and Garriott, 2010; King, 2002). The growth of this kind of technology has, for years, received increasing attention following the development smartphones as well as tablets and subsequent penetration into the most societies.

In developed societies, video games have become leading entertainment hub not just for children and youth but also spanning to other generations including the elderly. In contemporary societies, video games have become ubiquitous given that over 97% of the children and adolescents in United States are involved in one or more types of video games (Osmanovic, and Pecchioni, 2016; Mahtani, 2018; Coetzee, 2018). The vast majority of the video game players have attracted the attention of the psychologists who are interested in understanding the possible impacts of video gaming. Some of the advantages of playing video games include social motivation, creativity, and mental health. However, the games have their own disadvantages including violence, depression, and addiction (Mahtani, 2018). Despite criticism of video games as being tools for violence and addiction, it is practical that they still have a positive impact on people and children utmost primarily development and growth.

Computer-controlled video games and cognitive skills

First, video games are used in enhancing people’s cognitive skills as seen with puzzles, perspective correction, and investigation at the same time. Contrary to the conventional beliefs, which point out that video games spark intellectual laziness, studies have demonstrated a positive influence of the games on individuals’ cognitive growth and mental health (Carras et al., 2018; Colder Carras et al., 2018). These have prompted advocacy by some groups for integration of the video games in mental institutions and veteran homes to be used as therapy and mental recovery.

However, it is evident that some of the shooter video game provides an evident platform where people have enhanced the cognitive abilities. This emanates from some of the training studies that would attract naïve gamers before assigning the shooter video games or any other type of the video game (Granic et al. 2014). The latter imparts faster and accurate attention, visual processing as well as improved rotation abilities. A longitudinal case study conducted in the United States indicates that video games have training benefits with significant skills being transferred to spatial tasks beyond the context of video gaming (Bediou et al., 2018; Barr, 2017). Subsequent implications in the same study indicated a positive response in terms of career development and educational achievement.

It is equally evident that breakthroughs in some of the biological researches have offered both the problem-solving as well as spatial skills while observing the scale of creativity (Kowert and Quandt 2015). In 2008, studies in the University of Washington indicated that an online video game, known as Foldit, allowed people to develop a genetic makeup attached to proteins Donald (Donald et al., 2015; Oliveri et al., 2018). Serious gamers would see this as an added advantage they expand their cognitive scope while identifying the benefits games have towards analysis of the real world contexts. However, critiques have come up with different arguments that oppose the fact that video games can enhance people’s cognitive skills (Granic et al. 2014). The argument is that video games are simply controlled training regimes that can deliver motivating behavioural context, which result into brain changes. This means that enhanced cognitive performance cannot be associated to all types of video games or video game genres. Such arguments have expunged or dismissed the fact that puzzle, even role-playing games may have any cognitive effect on people as far as fast-paced moves, and dimensional navigation spaces are put into consideration. The argument is supported by the fact that game mechanics and controls cannot freely be chosen by the gamers unless provided for, or regulated by the developers.

Despite the counterargument, it remains evident that most of the spatial and problem-solving skills emanate from video games (Rutter and Bryce 2006). Game puzzles would be more complex requiring the gamers to extract the quickest path of unravelling the hidden route. Both memorization and analytical skills are always needed in video gaming as far as in-game problems are put into consideration (Bontchev, 2016; Bediou et al., 2018). The ability of exploring wide range of solutions, intuitions, and revitalization of experiences can be realized through digital initiatives such as the one for video games. Therefore, video games offer the advantage of enhancing cognitive skills.

Secondly, video games have bolstered the healthcare services through health improvement and surgical training at the same time. These can be notable through emotional and motivational support video games have offered to people. Most of the Tailor-made games are an advantage to patients as far as their adherence to the treatment regimens as well as management of the clinical situations is put into consideration (Nebel et al., 2017; Jackson, and Games, 2015). Video games, especially the serious games, have been considered for both training as well as educational purposes. Their strategic function has however been revealed more at the centre of the issues patients face on their way to recovery (Kato 2010). The mechanism revolves around the ability to motivate that is a preferable factor for patients who are undergoing critical procedures. Study conducted on patients in the UK hospitals found that adult patients could choose at least 25 different games on the Atari 800XL computer system (Phillips et al., 2018; Astin, and Cook, 2015). Based on this case study, video games played a significant role in offering standard relaxation training among a group of cancer patients.

Video game distraction, as used in relaxation training, has made it possible for patients to take shorter periods recover full (Griffiths 2005; Fung et al., 2010). The motivational benefit can equally be accredited to the wizards of engagement, a character that has been assigned to game designers for their creativity and their capacity to understand the applicability of different types of video games. According to Malloy and Milling (2010), video games offer a key lesson of perseverance, which is a key component among patients facing long-term treatment plans. Moreover, studies have noted that that commercially developed video games are good for therapeutic purposes (Kato 2010). Even with such positive outcomes, critiques have argued that the recovery of patients using video games sometimes happens by chance. This means that there is no guarantee that a patient would be well after introducing video games. Although recovery using video games may not apply to patients in critical conditions. As pointed by Nøhr and Aarts (2010), some of the patients are likely to go weak to an extent of having no strength to hold the gadgets in addition of not being in position to think or solve the puzzles (Granic et al. 2014). This puts video gaming into questions as to whether a significant impact would be felt from it or not.

Lastly, video games have a positive effect on children in terms of the mental growth, way of thinking as well as accuracy of observation. According to the research conducted by Dweck and Molden (2005), children have a tendency of developing beliefs around their abilities and intelligence, beliefs that could easily be attached to the motivational styles as well as achievement. This is evident among children that are raised based on their traits than their own efforts. The entity theory notes that intelligence is always an innate trait. However, intelligence can still be cultivated through time and effort as noted by the incremental theory (Rutter and Bryce 2006). Video games, among children, serve as a reward to the continual effort. The psychoanalytic theorists have come to believe that video games make children to experience catharsis and would end up releasing their fears and tension. This gives children a chance of understanding the social world as seen with the role-playing games (Hollingdale and Greitemeyer 2014). Most of them would stand thinking along social roles in the society as they learn more and understand viewpoints and feelings at the same time.

Through video games, children can easily adopt significant social skills, psychosocial functioning as seen with self-confidence, achievement motivation, relaxation, self-esteem, and even happiness as s/he masters the game and rules. Video games could still be associated to cognitive skills such as spatial reasoning, creativity, and attention and planning (Kowert and Quandt 2015; Olson, 2010). However, critics argue that mental capacity or thinking ability is innate than it would be adjusted by any external factors. In addition to defining one environment that include encouraging team work, patience, and determination, video games have been found to allow gamers to listen and learn from others as well as creativity in solving puzzles and challenges.

In conclusion, video games and their impact on people and children form an area that has attracted an endless debate. However, the discussion has taken note of three significant areas that have seen video games influence the life of people and children in a positive way. The three areas include cognitive skills and development, healthcare and health improvement, as well as enhancing the abilities and intelligence of children. Critiques have equally argued that video games are of no good. Despite the counterargument, video games still have a place in healthcare services and health improvement. This goes alongside the instillation of the spirit of persistence and perseverance, which is mostly needed in most of the long-term conditions. Evidently, video games have a positive impact on people’s life and children.

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