The Effects of Video Games on Kids

Video games are a popular form of entertainment among children, which raises questions about how the medium affects them. Many concerns focus on video games' often-violent content as well as how a video game can both positively and negatively affect a child's brain.

History

• Since the first home video game console commercially debuted in 1972, video games have grown in popularity. In particular, successful products from Atari and Nintendo have made video game consoles a mainstay in many households.

Positives

• The Creative Teaching Site suggests several benefits to playing video games. Simulation, adventure and role-playing games often require using logic and problem-solving skills to advance in a game, thus forcing players to utilize these skills.

Negatives

• Because many games require a player to play alone, children can become isolated and spend more time playing games than doing other activities, including homework and socializing. Video games can divert a student's attention to the point where grades are adversely affected.

Violence

• Violent video games in particular are a source of controversy, as players are often rewarded for inflicting harm in the game, leading to a debate about whether playing these games results in violent behavior. While many claim that evidence is inconsistent, Craig A. Anderson, writing for the American Psychological Association, claims that video game violence does increase aggression in players.

Limits to the Violence Debate

• Anderson acknowledges that there are not enough studies that show long-term effects of video game violence to make such claims conclusive.