Video Games and Behavioral Violence among Youths - Research Paper Example

Video Games and Behavioral Violence among Youths The advancements in science and technology brought many goods and evils to the life of human. The life styles of the people are changing drastically as a result of the developments in science and technology. When computer introduced in the world, nobody ever thought that it may affect human life as it does now. The entry of computers and internet revolutionized the human life in many ways, both positively and negatively. The life styles of all the people, especially that of the children and youths changed a lot over the last few decades because of the evolution of new methods of enjoyment like internet surfing and video gaming. The interactive nature of video gaming made it one of the hottest hobbies of the current youths and children. Many of the physical activities or hobbies like sports and games forced to give way for video games or other technology oriented games. According to Gouzouasis et al (n. d), “the type of extra-curricular activities like playing an instrument versus playing video games has differential effects on the person’s skill acquisition and personality development” (Gouzouasis et al, p.12). There are many theories which argues in favor and against excessive playing of video games and its effects on the behaviors of the youths. Some people argue that excessive playing videogames may develop violence and aggressive behavior among children and youths. On the other hand supporters believe that playing videogames may not cause many changes in the behavioral pattern of the children and youths. This paper argues that violent video games do not promote behavioral violence in youths or children. One of the major arguments against video games is about the general themes of video games. Majority of the videogames available now are working on violent themes. Critics of violent videogames argue that such videogames may develop aggressive behavior among the youths. However, they are forgetting the fact that terrorism and violence spread in this not because of violent video games, but because of the spreading of religious fundamentalism and conflicts between religions and cultures. Bin Laden became a hardcore criminal, not because of playing any violent videogames, but because of religious fundamentalism. Current generation or the youths are matured enough to segregate between real world and imaginary world. They are capable of understanding the consequences of implementing the themes of violent video games in life situations. If playing violent video games generate aggressiveness, then sports like Boxing, Wrestling etc can also promote violence. It should be noted that aggressive behaviors can be observed in almost the entire sports and games activities like Football, Cricket, Baseball, Rugby etc. In Football, aggressive behavior often resulted in wrong tackling whereas in cricket, aggression motivates the bowler to attack the batsman rather than the stumps. In short, aggression is a part of almost the entire games and sports activities. It should be noted that some of the prominent sports personalities, who have no hesitation in using violent tactics in games, may behave normally in their normal life. In other words, aggressive behavior is shown by the sportsmen only to win the matches, not for causing injuries to others. Same way, youths playing videogames are matured enough to know that the aggression in the videogames are only to make the game more interesting rather than motivating the youths to behave aggressively in their real life. They know the differences between facts and fiction very much. Anderson & Dill (2000) pointed out the development of aggressive behavior among the teenagers as a result of excessive videogame playing. In their opinion, “long term video game players can become more aggressive in outlook, perceptual biases, attitudes, beliefs, and behavior than they were before the repeated exposure or would have become without such exposure” (Anderson & Dill, p.774). However, Jessica Haris (2001) has argued against the opinions of Anderson & Dill. In her opinion, “children were being particularly affected by the fictions of computer games or videos. He was able to detect from observations and interviews that children are able to differentiate between fact and fiction” (Haris, p.9). It is illogical to underestimate the abilities of current children and youths. It should be noted that current children show more intellectual abilities than the children of 1980’s or 1990’s. This change in intellectual abilities arose not because of nay biological changes, but because of the environmental changes. Current children or youths are getting more favorable environment for their development which is reflected in their intellectual abilities. They know how to put segregate between realities and imaginations. They have better ideas than the older generations about how to behave positively in their daily lives. Many people believe that videogames playing has a vital role in the personality development of children. Many of the videogames available now are thought provoking. In other words, videogames can open up the hidden faculties of mind because of the complexities included at different levels of the videogames. Most of the videogames may have different levels of playing. The difficulty levels may goes on increasing from lower level to the higher level. People who are playing videogames may try to solve every new problem generated by the videogames in each level. This type of problem solving skills may help the children or youths in their future personal and professional life. Most of the current organizations are in need of problem solvers rather than ordinary managers. Youths who succeeded in solving the problems in videogames may use same problem solving methods in their profession also. They may never stay away from problems. Kim et al (2010) have mentioned that “excessive playing of video games may result in impaired academic performance (Kim et al, 2010). Kim et al forgetting the pro side of videogame playing. It is an accepted fact that most of the modern videogames are thought provoking and hence it can improve children’s skills such as numerical ability, problem solving, decision making, synthesis, analysis etc. Academics are not all about obtaining better grades or marks in examinations. The aim of education is the total development of personality and to make the students self-sufficient and healthy citizens. Some of the educators are assessing the quality of education based on the marks or grades obtained by the children. There are many incidents in which average students excel in professions where excellent students failed. In other words, the quality of education cannot be judged on the basis of marks scored alone. Problem solving methods are currently implemented in educational systems of most of the countries. Most of the topics presented to the children in the form of problems and they will be asked to solve it based on their own abilities. Videogames are also doing the same thing. Each level of a video game presents a new problem to the teenager or the youth. He is finding ways to solve it. In other words, both videogames and current educational system going in parallel direction and there is no point in arguing against playing videogames based on the academic aspects. According to Chuang & Chen (2009); Playing video games was determined to be more effective in facilitating third-graders’ average learning outcome than text-based computer-assisted instruction. Therefore, it may be concluded that video games can clearly facilitate students’ learning performance. This finding indicated that video game playing not only can improve participants’ fact differentiation/recall processes, but also promotes problem-solving skills by recognizing multiple solutions for problems. Video game playing is effective for improving critical thinking and higher-level cognition. It can also improve students’ achievement in learning factual knowledge, problem-solving strategies, and higher-level cognitive thinking processes. Video games can be considered an instructional approach to improve students’ higher-order thinking (Chuang & Chen, p.7-8). Poor academic performances may often generate criticism from family and teachers which may generate frustration in the minds of children. Increased frustration may often come out in the form of violent behaviors. Teachers and parents are of the view that children who spent more time for playing videogames may spent little time for doing their home works, assignments or project works. Failure in doing home works may result in poor academic performances of the children in schools. The above perception always results in strong criticism against the children who spend more time on playing videogames. It is difficult for the teenagers to bear the criticism beyond certain limits. They will show aggression as a defense mechanism to block the criticism. In other words, children engage in violent behaviors not because of playing videogames, but because of the criticism they receive from the parents and teachers. In other words, the real villain for aggressive behavior is not the video games, but the attitude of the people around the youths. Another important advantage if videogame playing is language learning. The players are unknowingly improving their languages and vocabulary when they exchange their opinions and views between them. According to Din & Calao (2001) “playing educational video games by the kindergarten children can increase their verbal skills (Din & Calao, p.101). In short, video games can motivate even average students for better learning. Baki et al (2008) have argued that video games give the students the opportunity for virtual socializing and through the video game; they develop the skills necessary for the process. In their opinion, video games will help the students in “learning more about the cultures and lifestyles of other players from different parts of the world. In their opinion, “video games can improve the: general knowledge, high order thinking skills, sense of belonging to a group of friends, language skills, motivation to learn more etc”. They also pointed out that “players were experiencing the three big H while playing videogames; Hands-on, Head-on and Heart-on. Video games offer youths the opportunity to “walk in the shoes” of experts (Baki et al p.14-16).Globalization brought to this world for the cultural and economic integration of the entire world. Video games provide the students an opportunity to interact with different people from different cultures which help them to learn more things. While criticizing videogames for the development of aggression among teenagers, people forget about the positive behaviors enforced by videogames. All the video game may have some theme which may help the teenagers in one way or other. For example, The Rome Empire game helps the students to control a government and its economy. In other words, teenagers are getting the training of administrational procedures through this game. There are many other videogames which promote management skills critical analysis skills, negotiation skills etc among teenagers. It is difficult for a teenager to get such learning experiences inside the classroom. There are many other scholars who pointed out about the strengthening of positive behaviors as a result of videogames playing. Ip et al, (2008) and Chuang & Chen, (2007) were some of them. Ip et al, (2008) pointed out that “interactions with popular videogames such as Grand Theft Auto, The Sims, and The Legend of Zelda can improve the gamers’ spatial skills, fast reaction times, knowledge of and skills for solving problems (Ip et al, p.356). Chuang & Chen (2007) have mentioned that “video game playing not only can improve participants’ fact/recall processes, but also promotes problem-solving skills by recognizing multiple solutions for problems” (Chuang & Chen, p.30). Strategic thinking is another positive behavior which can be enforced through playing videogames. Majority of the current video games works on formulation of strategies to anticipate the opponents move and develop strategies to counter it. It is impossible for a teenager to get such strategic thinking training from classrooms or family. To conclude, videogame playing promotes, better education, problems solving skills, strategic thinking, language learning, personality development etc among youths rather than generating violent behaviors. The positives of videogames should not be forgotten while blaming it blindly. The current generation has better intellectual abilities and problem solving skills because of the development of better environment. We are living in an electronic or digital world at present. It is difficult or impossible for us to keep the children away from this digital world. Instead of asking the teenagers to stop playing videogames, it is better to educate them in how to use it effectively or positively. Works Cited 1. Anderson C.A & Dill K.E. “Video Games and Aggressive Thoughts, Feelings, and Behavior in the Laboratory and in Life”. 2000. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. American Psychological Association, Inc. 2000, Vol. 78, No. 4, 772-790. DOI: 10.1037//0022-3514.78.4.772 2. Baki, Roselan., Yee Leng, Eow., Wan Ali,Wan Zah., Mahmud, Rosnaini and Gani Hamzah, Mohd.Sahandri. “The perspective of six Malaysian students on playing video games: Beneficial or detrimental?”. 2008. US-China Education Review, ISSN1548-6613, Nov. 2008, Volume 5, No.11 (Serial No.48). Web. 3 May 2011. 3. Gouzouasis, Peter, Kishor Nand and Guhn Martin. “The Relationship Between Achievement and Participation in Music and Achievement in Core Grade Twelve Academic Subjects”. Web. 3 May 2011. http://www.bcmusiccoalition.homestead.com/Predict_music_pg_mg_v_B40C7.pdf 4. Kim JunWon, Han Doug Hyun., Park Doo Byung., Min Kyung Joon. Na Churl, Won Su Kyung and Park Ga Na. “The Relationships Between Online Game Player Biogenetic Traits, Playing Time, and the Genre of the Game Being Played”. 2010. Psychiatry Investigation. v.7(1); Mar 2010 Korean Neuropsychiatric Association. Web. 3 May 2011. 5. Chuang, T.Y & Chen W.F “Effect of Digital Games on Children’s Cognitive Achievement”. 2007. JOURNAL OF MULTIMEDIA, VOL. 2, NO. 5, SEPTEMBER 2007. Academy Publisher. 6. Chuang, T.Y., & Chen, W.F. “Effect of Computer-Based Video Games on Children: An Experimental Study”. 2009. Educational Technology & Society, 12 (2), 1–10. ISSN 1436-4522 (online) and 1176-3647 (print) 7. Din F.S & Calao J . The Effects of Playing Educational Video Games on Kindergarten Achievements”. 2001. Child Study Journal. Vol.31. Number 2. 2001. EBSCO Publishing. 8. Haris, Jessica. “The Effects of Computer Games on Young Children – A Review of the Research”. 2001. Web. 3 May 2011. http://library.npia.police.uk/docs/homisc/occ72-compgames.pdf 9. Ip. B, Jacobs G & Watkins A. “Gaming Frequency and Academic Performance”. 2008. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology 2008, 24(4), 355-373 Read More