Video Games are a source of entertainment and addiction for most of the kids. In the recent times, they have become quite popular among school kids of all age. Parents have categorised them as time wasters and distractors for the kids. Some of the scientist and psychologists have different views about video games.
They also talk about some of the advantages of playing video games.
Good Effects
The following are some of the good effects of Video Games:
1. Brain boosters
Video games act as brain boosters because while trying his/ her best to win the game, the child applies the brain and high level of thinking. It is almost all through the game that the brain is used and applies.
Some of such instances are:
· When the player is asked to read and understand the instructions of the game.
· When logic is to be applied in problem solving
· When there are limited resources (powers, generally) and the child has to make the right decision and allocation of the resources.
· Multitasking also happens at various levels in the game.
· Fast thinking and important decision making.
· Understanding maps and directions
· Strategy formulation and execution
· Mathematical skills
· Intuitive thinking and inductive reasoning.
· Understanding the pattern of thee game and anticipating the flow of the game.
2. The World of Computer
Video games are a means by which most of the children are introduced to the world of computers. These games make them feel comfortable with the computers. Thus they learn the other computer application faster.
3. Bonding
Video game is generally a group activity that is done by kids from the same neighbourhood, cousins and school friends. Along with the fun that the kids have, they also develop strong bonding with friends and family.
This is the time when that is spend with the kids of the same age group.
4. Learning games
There are some learning based games that make the learning of the kids faster and easier. Some of the puzzles and word games etc. are the best ways in which the kid learns what he learns in the textbook otherwise.
Games have the motivational elements in them which further increase the involvement of the kids.
5. Release anger and aggression
Most of the kids now a days prefer violence based games over others. This is a way in which by the means of the games, the kids can pen out the aggressive feeling that they have. The anger and the frustration of the kid is thus released in an unreal environment.
This is a better way of taking out the aggression than taking out in real.
Bad Effects
In spite of the above advantages and benefits, most of the parents do not let their children to play too much of video games. The following are the reasons:
1. Bad Habits
It is assumed that most of the bad habits that the child has springs from the way that he or she spends. It is believed that playing of the violent games increases the tendencies of the children to have aggressive and violent feelings.
When most of the time is spend by the child in playing such games, then the mind is also occupied by such energies and thought. A lot of violence and crime that has been observed among young children is blamed upon playing too much of video games.
All the kicking, boxing, hitting and shooting sometime makes the child feel that the real world is also quite similar.
2. Isolation
Spending too much time playing video games isolates the child from the real world where he should spend time in socialising. Most of the children who are video games addict do not have too many friends and later on in life they have problem adjusting with people and also in socialising in events and gatherings.
It is also believed that video games kill the imagination and the thinking of the child. After too much of playing, he cannot really think creatively.
3. Value system
Most of the games, preach the wrong set of values to the kid. In the games, physical violence is encouraged. Women are also shown as sexually provocative and weaker characters. All of this sometimes looks so convincing to the child, that he quite forgets the difference between the real world and the world of the video games.
Most of the bad and the foul language that the kid learns has a source in the games that he plays.
