Introduction
Video games are one of the most modern ways of storytelling and a channel for media communication. Given this fact, several discourses on young people’s harms and benefits from immersion in these virtual spaces exist. Moreover, some studies cite factors such as uncontrolled aggression, loss of interest in life, and dissociative personality disorder as possible consequences of video game addiction. Those discoveries indicate that video games are harmful to children, their psychological well-being, and their behavior in real life. The increased tendency for gun violence and aggression are the main factors that contribute to the negative perception of this type of entertainment (Dowsett & Jackson, 2019). Therefore, the aim of the paper is to identify the negative consequences of video games on adolescents’ mental health, supported by research and journal articles.
Arguments
One of the concerns that parents might have regarding this hobby for their children is the possible negative effect that it might have on them. Such worries have a solid foundation underneath them since many video games are based on the concept of war, shootings, physical fighting, and murders. According to a scientific study, adolescents who prefer violent video games may consequently struggle with aggressive tendencies and emotions, with the following decrease in prosocial helping (Dowsett & Jackson, 2019). Multiple international studies have shown that children who are fond of gaming become physically violent in real life.
Another significant issue is the possibility of growing tolerance toward any kind of weapons, specifically guns, among children. In the virtual sphere, children can feel less empathy due to the competition, and such behavioral patterns may expand outside the game (Chang & Bushman, 2019). Thus, adolescents who regularly spend time playing war simulations are exposed to the decrease in prosocial behavior in real life and tend to show a more aggressive attitude.
Counterarguments
Nevertheless, there are as well certain benefits for the children besides the previously mentioned disadvantages. Some people view video games purely as a hobby or harmless entertainment that is useful for particular skills. Playing video games also enlarges and improves the regions of the brain liable for visuospatial skills, which is the capacity to recognize visuospatial relationships between objects (Coyne et al., 2018). For instance, the protagonist can simultaneously run and shoot in action games which requires decent concentration and the ability to comply with several activities simultaneously. This necessitates the real player to take care of the character’s position, direction, and speed, in which the gun is aimed, and whether or not the gunshots are trying to hit the enemy.
Completing this task requires a high level of spatial awareness and visual-spatial ability. Additionally, research indicates that people can acquire recognizable, temporal, and selective processing skills by playing video games (Chang & Bushman, 2019). The right hippocampus was expanded in long-term gamers and people who pledged to follow a computer game training program. In gaming, neurological remuneration – a group of frameworks associated with pleasure, studying, and motivation – is altered functionally and structurally.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the analysis presented has confirmed the factual basis for the theory that video games cause psychological harm the children, stimulate aggression in real life, and decrease prosocial behavior. However, video games can be perceived as entertainment only and beneficial for developing spatial awareness and visual-spatial ability. By using academic research and information verified by actual surveys and interviews with young people around the world, it was possible to provide the facts. Moreover, discussing such topics is a crucial aspect of facilitating action on the existing problem of gambling addiction as a whole part of the functioning of the global health system.
References
Chang, J. H., & Bushman, B. J. (2019). Effect of exposure to gun violence in video games on children’s dangerous behavior with real guns. JAMA Network Open, 2(5). Web.
Coyne, S. M., Warburton, W. A., Essig, L. W., & Stockdale, L. A. (2018). Violent video games, externalizing behavior, and prosocial behavior: A five-year longitudinal study during adolescence. Developmental Psychology, 54(10), 1868–1880. Web.
Dowsett, A., & Jackson, M. (2019). The effect of violence and competition within video games on aggression. Computers in Human Behavior, 99, 22–27. Web.