Although I've been looking more into how similar the internet is to regular life, I don't feel as if I have much to go on. On the other hand, I'm very interested in problems that arise emotionally and socially, especially in regards to internet use and video games. This topic actually has a place in my heart, as I have had some serious interaction with these ideas through my own experiences and what I have observed in others. However, the idea of the real affect of digital interaction didn't truly hit home until a SFL class at Brigham Young University. I have taken a few of these, as the home is something that primarily interests me, and one in particular focused on the effects of digital culture on the home and family.
Growing up, I played video games to no end. One of the coolest days of my childhood was when my brother purchased a N64 with me so that we could both play Zelda: ocarina of Time. Let me just say, that game is absolutely fantastic. I stray from my focus, however. In addition to Zelda, I came to love WarCraft II, Roller Coaster Tycoon, and other computer games. One day, however, I apparently threw a stool at my sister for some silly thing. She deduced that my time on WarCraft - granted, I did love the game, but I was by no means addicted - had made me more violent somehow. I thought it was crazy then, and for a long time after, but I think more and more that she had a point.
I struggled with "gaming" for a long time, but it never seemed to cause major issues. I have an xbox - the old version with classic Halo - the old N64, and a wii, all of which I thoroughly enjoyed, but increasingly came to realize, over the course of years, that they simply were not worth my time no matter how much fun they are. I still play occasionally, but it's become more of a waste of time than anything else. You know what? I've noticed dramatic differences. I can't really explain it, but just ceasing that time glued to a screen changed how I viewed the world.
I look at friends of mine who have "gamed" far more than I and I see the same trend in every one. There is a disconnect between them and society. It is often subtle, but for one who was once among their ranks, it's easy to see. I have one friend, though we hardly talk now, who had ceased playing xbox for a few months. We had so much fun together and he was really a great guy, but then he broke out his xbox. For months - and it still continues, hence the hardly talking - I could tell every time he played xbox. He'd be moody or sullen. He couldn't reach out to others the same way. He tried to stop...didn't happen.
Why would I argue that video games cause emotional problems? Some people don't see the harm. Meghan Vivo wrote an article on addiction to video games which discusses this an also mentions a study by Brigham young University which I was vaguely aware of:
http://www.video-game-addiction.org/video-game-addiction-articles/game-over-video-games-strain-relationships-with-friends-and-family.htm
It is difficult to see the emotional and social issues brought on by gaming, but when we look for it, it's obvious. I hope to delve deeper into this in further posts, including the whys and hows. I also see value in our digital age, and can see why people see no harm in gaming, especially when it brings people together. This is something else I want to flesh out. Is it good that I can play Mario Kart with my nephews and nieces across the country? yes. Is skype a wonderful tool to connect people? Yes. Can certain video games improve brain function and athleticism? I hope to find out.
Basically, although I can see how damaging video games and online influences can be, I am also a firm believer in the good it can do. I do not see any real harm in playing a few games, but I've seen what a few games can quickly lead to, and it's not all fun and games.
This is a great post. You speak the truth and I have experienced some similar things. I agree totally that we need to "delve deeper" and address the power and effect of video games. I like how you wrote, "video games and online influences" because I think that video games get scapegoated sometimes. I really liked the way this was written as well as the information. Whether video games or any other topic, I like when people talk about their personal experiences as opposed to quoting statistics (although there is a time and place for that). Your credibility was sure founded, with me at least, as soon as you said you had played Ocarina. I am super excited to see future posts.
ReplyDelete"Share what you know"- that's exactly what you do in this post. It's good to read about your personal experiences with video games beyond just research done by others (tho it's awesome you have that stuff, too). I have reached out to my family to ask about their concerns about the family and technology, and so I think I may try to address some of those along with this one..even though initially, I thought it would be cool to JUST dwell on the positive in looking at the digital world's impact on the family. We'll see. I'll be keeping up with your blog from now on!
ReplyDelete"Can certain video games improve brain function and athleticism? I hope to find out."
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure about athleticism (maybe some Wii Fit games would help out), but there are lots of studies showing how video games improve particular aspects of brain function, including visual acuity, spatial perception, the ability to pick out objects in a scene, working memory, reasoning, and strategy (more so for pre-adolescent players).
I've cited some articles summarizing studies below. Here are some interesting tidbits:
- Studies from Iowa State University and Beth Israel Medical Center in New York show how regular video game play improved the dexterity, speed, and error efficiency of laproscopic surgeons.
"One study of 33 laparoscopic surgeons found that those who played video games were 27% faster at advanced surgical procedures and made 37% fewer errors than those who didn't"
"The single best predictor of their skills is how much they had played video games in the past and how much they played now. Those were better predictors of surgical skills than years of training and number of surgeries performed . . . So the first question you might ask your surgeon is how many of these (surgeries) have you done and the second question is 'Are you a gamer?"
- A pediatric neurologist at UC-Irvine's School of Medicine showed how Tetris expanded portions of the cerebral cortex of test subjects.
- Researchers at the University of Wisconsin found that World of Warcraft "encouraged scientific thinking, like using systems and models for understanding situations and using math and testing to investigate problems." They found that 86% of test subjects shared knowledge to solve problems in the game and 58% used systematic and evaluative processes."
- National Geographic summarized the findings of researchers at University of Rochester in New York: "Action video gamers may be more attune to surroundings while performing tasks like driving down a residential street, where they may be more likely to pick out a child running after a ball than a non-video gamer"
"action game playing might be a useful tool to rehabilitate visually impaired patients or to train soldiers for combat"
"people who play action video games can process visual information more quickly and can track 30 percent more objects than non video game players."
- Neuroscientists at MIT have called video games "stunningly powerful" for learning.
Articles:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2008-08-18-video-games-learning_N.htm
http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2009/10/12/how_video_games_are_good_for_the_brain/?page=1
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/05/0528_030528_videogames.html
Here's another article about a video game designed to help teens beat depression in New Zealand. It helped 44% of depressed teens completely recover, compared to 26% of depressed teens who completely recovered via traditional therapy: http://healthland.time.com/2012/04/20/study-playing-a-video-game-helps-teens-beat-depression/
Addressing BYU's study, there are several Pew Research Center studies claiming that multiplayer video games improve social experiences.
Most video games studies generally seem to agree that playing violent video games affects behavior in negative ways, and that excessive game play can lead to (childhood) obesity and other negative consequences, especially in the case of addiction.
Personally, I played video games growing up because they provided cognitive challenges that stretched my abilities, pushed me to improve, and offered emotional rewards (kind of like the feeling you get scoring a touchdown after hours of football practice). It was also fun to get together with friends and play Starcraft, Super Smash Brothers, or Halo. I don't disapprove of adult gaming, but only if you're in a position to handle it. Halo: Reach every other week on a Friday or Saturday night can be a fun, harmless stress reliever.
However, I think the amount of time children play video games should be carefully regulated by parents. Excessive play clearly affects moods, although I'm not sure how. I've noticed that sometimes when I start playing video games, it's hard to stop. Also, I don't know what the definition of "addiction" is here. I don't think I know anyone with an addiction, so I can't speak to that, but I'm still not sure where the line is drawn. Does it depend on how many hours someone plays? Does it depend on if they shirk other responsibilities? Anyway.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Brandon. Your comments are incredibly helpful, and I plan to incorporate some of your feedback in the future. I will definitely look at those articles you suggested as well; it seems more difficult to find positive research on gaming than negative, and these look like winners!
ReplyDelete