Effects of Computer Games on Children

Computer games are a huge money-making industry, generating $21.3 billion in sales in 2008, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, and children make up a large percentage of that market. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 83 percent of children ages 8 to 18 have a computer game system in their household. The prevalence of computer games in society has brought them under heavy scrutiny, like other media giants (television and movies) before it. Researchers have conducted studies to examine the effects that computer games have on children and, like television and movies, have found both positive and negative effects.

Aggression

• One of the more prominent concerns that parents and researchers have with computer games is their influence of violence on children. According to a study in the American Journal of Forensic Psychiatry, the Columbine killers went on a shooting spree because they were denied access to their computers. A study that appeared in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology showed that computer games affect cognitive development in children by priming aggressive thoughts in the brain. Children learn to react to real-life situations in an aggressive manner by playing violent games. Repeated exposure leads to changes in personality. Violence in computer games is even more dangerous in influencing aggressive behaviors than violent television and movies, and is particularly more dangerous now due to more realistic graphic violence. Delinquency, fighting at school and more serious issues like assault and robbery have been linked to high levels of violent computer game exposure.

Obesity

• Children spend more time playing computer games than performing any other activity in their lives except for sleeping. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 30.3 percent of children ages 6 to 11 are overweight and 15.3 percent are obese. Heavy computer game use is directly related to obesity, according to researchers from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University Hospital Zurich. Computer game use, a sedentary activity, is inversely associated with the amount of time devoted to physical activity. Dr. Nicolas Stettler, a pediatric nutrition specialist at The Children' s Hospital of Philadelphia, says computer game use should be limited to prevent obesity, which is hard to combat once established.

Eyesight

• According to a study at Tel Aviv University, computer game use improves eyesight in children. Computer games force the brain's cerebral cortex to adapt to stimuli. There was a 58-percent improvement in contrast sensitivity to those playing games in the study. They were able to better discriminate contrasts in color and shades of gray.

Learning

• Computer game use can have a positive effect on learning and motor skill function in children. Many games require the user to solve problems. Playing action games improves visual attention, coordination and contrast sensitivity. According to the National Institute on Media and The Family, computer games can be highly educational. For example, some help children learn how to take care of their asthma and diabetes. Others help children learn math and science concepts by teaching them in an interesting manner.

Socialization

• Contrary to popular belief, computer games are not socially isolating, according to MIT professor Henry Jenkins. A majority of gamers play with friends, and a lot of games are designed specifically to be played socially. According to a report in the International Journal of Computer Game Research, computer games are usually integrated into peer relationships. They actually bring children together and reinforce existing bonds.