More and More Children Now Spend Most of Their Free Time Locked Away Playing Games - Essay Example

More and more children now spend most of their free time locked away playing games. Society has seen a dramatic increase in its anti-social element. Surely there must be some link. Introduction: Video games are very popular among kids in the twenty first century. They were first introduced in the 1970s and ever since then they have occupied a prominent place in the lives of children as a favorite past time activity. Video games have become much of a necessity as those without them feel left out while other children discuss the various games that different companies offer. Parents are equally supportive in this regard. Video games, in fact, have produced a totally new generation of children as compared to their predecessors. They can be called the “net generation” (Tapscott, n.d.) due to their accessibility to the digital technology. The term “net generation” can be defined as the modern young generation of children who are exposed to different sorts of digital technology such as television, computers and video games etc. “Digital technology” is the technology provided through the television, computers and the video games. “Video games’ are the modern technology used for the education and entertainment of the children. Different companies offer different brands which are known to children as household items. The most famous ones being Play station, Nintendo and Saga. Every year the video games are updated and like wise the old ones become obsolete. Children are encouraged to save money for the video games by their parents. They are considered to be the most suitable gift for a child and are modeled according to the age of the child. Today a three year child can be seen busy in playing video games according to the level that is appropriate for him. Every child who can afford a video game has his own personal game at home. Those who cannot afford them go to the arcades to entertain themselves. Video games are now rated according to the age of the child. “E” is for everyone, “T” is for teens, and “M” is for mature (Psychology Matters, n.d.). Video games act as teachers to the children. Children are greatly attracted towards them because they are highly interactive, rewarding on the spot and entertaining. This would mean that video games could have a greater influence in the lives of children which may not be the sole intention of the game makers. This means that more attention should be paid on the content of the games as more and more time is spent by the children on video games (Walsh, 2004). Video games have given a new direction to the children in the twenty first century. They are the most common source of entertainment. However the biggest allegation on the video games is that they confine the children within their houses, make them anti social and also teach anti social behavior such as violence to them. In this paper I aim going to review the above allegations by examining the positive and negative effects of the video games on children. Based on the research I will then make a conclusion to see if video games are promoting an anti social culture or not. Before proceeding further it would be pertinent to discuss what actually is meant by anti social behavior. Anti social actions are the abnormal acts initiated by intentional anger or violence towards others. Anti social behavior also includes the breaking up of the social rules, not accepting the authority and rights of other people, double crossing, verbal abuse, lying, sneaking, disliking people or things and stealing etc. The aggressive behavior may be towards other children, peers, teachers or other adults. Anti social behavior can be easily observed among children at an early age. If it is left unchecked it could lead to serious problems in the future. In extreme cases anti social behavior also includes substance abuse and abnormal sexual behavior (Children’s Health Encyclopedia, n.d.). There are a number of reasons for the anti social behavior of the children. However one of them is considered to be the exposure of children to violent video games and other programs on electronic media. It is generally believed that children become desensitized to violence due to which they become aggressive, violent and anti social (Children’s Health Encyclopedia, n.d.). In my opinion to pin the responsibility of anti social behavior on the video games alone would not be fair since there is no sufficient evidence available on the increase of anti social behavior due to exposure to the video games. Literature on this topic is in conclusive and in most cases children are encouraged to play video games. Some facts about video games: In 2005, the sale of the video games reached approximately $10.5 billion only in the United States. The projected rise in the sale of the video games in 2010 is expected to be $ 46.5 billion (Business Week online, 2006). A survey on kids playing video games showed that 45% of the children who were highly involved in playing different games belonged to 6 to 17 years of age (NPD Group Inc., 2006). A survey carried out on some 2000 children belonging to age 8 to 18 years of age disclosed the fact that 83% of children had one video game in their home. The same survey showed that 31% have three or more than three video games and 49% have video game players in their personal rooms (Roberts, Foeher, and Rideout, 2005). The above survey also stated that 21% of the kids revealed the fact that their parents chose the different kind of games for them. 17% stated that their parents always checked the labels, warnings and signs of the video games. On the other hand 12% children stated that they do play such kind of games that their parents did not want them to play (Roberts, Foeher, and Rideout, 2005). A report on the effect of video games on children suggested that children between 13- 16 years of age were able to purchase M” rated videos without being accompanied by their parents (Federal Trade Commission, 2004). In the year 2005 49 % of the purchased video games were E rated, 4% were E10+, 32 % were T rated games and 15% were M rated games (Entertainment Software Association, 2006). Charges against the video games: Video games have been criticized for a number of reasons. The most prominent one being the notion that they promote anti social element among children. Video games make the children socially isolated as most of the games are played alone or with the computer itself (National Institute on Media and the Family Logo, n.d.). In a survey carried out among teachers and children on the effect of video games, more than 70% of the teachers were of the view that video games promoted anti social behavior (BBC News, 2006). Psychologists believe that violent video games promote violent behavior among children. For this purpose violent games are considered more dangerous than watching television passively. Children often become violent in their urge to win the game and the violence can be taken out on other weaker children who are unable to defend themselves (National Institute on Media and the Family Logo, n.d.). The above mentioned survey stated that 30% of the children were of the view that violent video games promoted violent and aggressive behavior among the children (BBC News, 2006). Women characters in the games are often portrayed as physically weak and sexually vulnerable who needs to be rescued through killing, stabbing and aggressive actions. They thus promote a fantasy world and take away the child from the real world. At the same time the academic achievement of a child can be seriously affected if more and more time is devoted to the video games. Children become addicted to it which could lead to serious consequences if parental guidance is not there for them. This is often the case among failing children. Video games also do not let the children to think independently and play through creativity (National Institute on Media and the Family Logo, n.d.). Positive aspects of video games: It would be harsh to consider only one side of the story and not review the positive aspects of the video games on its players. Video games have a number of positive points. Since computer technology is the need of the age, computer games introduces the children to the modern computer technology. It becomes easy for the child to accept the technology as he familiarizes himself with it from a small age. For succeeding in the game it is important for the child to follow the directions. Games also promote the listening and following direction skills of the child. At the same time they encourage the child to solve difficult problems and thus promote his problem solving skills, fine motor and spatial skills (National Institute on Media and the Family Logo, n.d.). A survey carried out on college students playing golf showed that golf video games actually improved their skills of playing golf in practical life (Walsh, 2004). In this fast moving world it becomes quite difficult for the parents to take time out for their children especially if both parents are working. For such working parents video games are an easy way to please a child and spend some time with him without taking any special time out for him. Games of particular nature are often recommended by the therapists to their patients. Such games are used for therapeutic purposes by the therapists. There have been reports of improved surgical skills through playing video games. They have been considered useful for asthma and diabetes patients (Walsh, 2004). Through them children are also exposed to the information technology which is once again the need of the hour in this world of digital technology (National Institute on Media and the Family Logo, n.d.). Educational video games can definitely improve the child’s understanding of the subject. Keeping this in mind a number of video games are modeled for pre school children which could assist them in their education. Educational software can definitely improve a child’s educational achievement at school (Walsh, 2004). DO VIDEO GAMES PROMOTE ANTI SOCIAL ELEMENT? Here it would be pertinent to understand weather the video games are really responsible for the anti social behavior of children or is it something else. Psychologists are of the view that violent video games may cause anti social behavior in children who are exposed to them. A lot of research has been carried out on violence on television and movies which has shown its negative effects on the young viewers. Since video games are a new medium the research on its effect on children is not only limited but also inconclusive. Psychologists such as Douglas Gentile and Craig Anderson are of the view that video games may have a more anti social impact on the young players. They have based their hypothesis on the observation that video games are more engaging and interactive, the reward is achieved through practicing violent activities and thirdly children learn violent behavior through continuously repeating violent actions while playing the games. All these activities such as active interaction, reward and repetition are keys to good learning (Psychology Matters, n.d.). Further study carried out by Anderson and Gentile disclosed the fact that children were spending more and more time on video games. In majority of cases children reported violent video games as their favorite ones. On the average boys spent approximately 13 hours per week or more on video games. On the other hand girls spent 5 hours per week. Greater numbers of video games are based on violence. Anderson and Gentile are of the view that such violent games modify the actions, thoughts, language and behavior of the children. At the same time children become less helpful and caring towards their adults. Their research suggests that children with non aggressive tendency are equally as vulnerable as compared to those with aggressive nature (Psychology Matters, n.d.). Some other research has found some link between the violent video games and the anti social behavior of the children. A research carried out in 1990 suggested that 9 out of 12 reports on the impact of video games on children showed some anti social effects. Although video games may not be the only cause of aggression in children but studies indicate that there is some short term link between the two (NCTV, 1990). This link appears to have five major anti social impacts on the behavior of children. Research has shown that a child’s brain is continuously in the process of development. Different experiences in a child’s life have strong impact on the development of his brain. The growth process continues through out the period of adolescence. During this process they learn to control themselves, build relationships and learn to accept responsibilities. However researchers are also of the view that playing and watching violent video games can actually activate the anger part of the brain and can dull its conscience due to which children may become insensitive to violence. Researchers believe that playing video games lead to: 1. Increased physiological arousal 2. Increased violent and aggressive thoughts 3. Increased aggressive feelings 4. Increased aggressive behavior 5. Reduced social behavior such as helping etc (Walsh, 2004). Walsh reports a study where 400 children of 3rd to 5th grade were examined for the impact of video games on them. The study showed that children who played violent games became aggressive later in the year. The greatest criticism against M rated videos is that they create a culture of disrespect. They promote the culture of street gangs, brutality and weak and victimized women (Walsh, 2004). Now it would be wise to review the other side of the story as well. The older generation believes that video games promote anti social behavior in children. They compare themselves with the young generation and state themselves more social in their childhood as compared to the modern youth. I personally believe this notion to be quite a biased one. The older generation had backyards to play, walked to school and back and had more space outside their homes where they could exercise their physical skills with other children. More over the law and order situation was quite normal in the past and their was no fear among parents if their children stayed out of the houses for a long time. The neighborhood was much safer and neighboring children enjoyed playing with each other. Also there was less competition among children in schools in the past as compared to the modern youth and they could get more time for the outdoor activities. The kids of today are growing up in apartment complexes with no backyards, parking lots and paved streets. The apartment policies restrict the children from various social activities such as playing on the grass or cycling in the basements. They are prohibited to make noise in order to respect the privacy of the issueless couples. They cannot play games that might cause damage to the property of other people. The parks are usually a few blocks away which makes it difficult for the parents to let their children go there. The increasing population has left no space for the children to play and exercise their abilities. Considering all these restrictions it becomes obvious for the parents to confine their children in the four walls of their rooms where nothing but video games come to their rescue (Jenkins, n.d.). Video games provide virtual playing spaces to the children in such a situation where they do not find any space to play outside their homes. The games take them to places where they wish to go. It promotes their abilities that expose their strength which they wish to exercise. In the confinement of their rooms children are taken to the fantasy world where they fly their aero planes, race their cars and fight different battles. Today children find pleasure and fun in such games which the adult generation found in the outdoor activities such as cycling down the roads or playing in the backyard. Video games take children away from their world of restrictions and take them to the world of freedom where they are allowed to practice their skills according to their own will (Jenkins, n.d.). Video games are held responsible for the aggressiveness, listlessness and anti social behavior of the children. Sociologists have found similar characteristics in those children who are brought up in the confined and restricted environment. Reformers also criticize that the modern youth is more attracted towards video games and prefer them over playing outdoor activities. However they fail to consider fact that in most of the situations there is no other choice available for children other than to play video games (Jenkins, n.d.). A typical American neighborhood is composed of apartment complexes. Many do not have their own homes and cannot afford children. Those who have children become hostile to their presence. There are many places where children are not allowed which restrict the movement of the parents. The lawlessness at various places prevents the parents to let their children go out on the streets to play. Children are therefore locked in their apartments once they come back from schools. This is the life of a common American child (Jenkins, n.d.). There is a huge difference in the lifestyle and the social conditions of the children living in the nineteenth and twenty first century. A nineteenth century child enjoyed more space outside his house. He was free to spend unlimited time outside his house without any fear on the part of the child and the parents. The twenty first century child has been confined by many laws, rules and regulations. He has limited space available outside his house. He lives in the confined world where his movement is limited to the different rooms in his own house. In such a situation video games give him freedom to exercise his will and authority. It takes him to the world of imagination which is other wise not possible for him (Jenkins, n.d.) To consider the notion that video games are a perfect substitute for other physical activities is wrong. Playing in the backyard, cycling and climbing up trees has its own pleasures. But to blame video games for giving birth to anti social culture would be wrong. Senator Joseph Lieberman has criticized the video games as the cause of increased violence among kids. By doing this he is actually closing his eyes upon other material conditions such as financial problems which usually initiate domestic violence, the tax and fiscal policies which make the dream of owning a house impossible and the growing population for which parks and empty spaces has to be occupied for accommodation and business purposes. In such a situation video games provide unlimited space to the children where they can fly an airplane, drive a car and fight battles with in the walls of their apartments (Jenkins, n.d.). Video games promote violent and aggressive behavior in youth may not be totally correct. Before the advent of the video game culture bullying and violent beating was common among boys. Boys found masculinity in beating up other children. The video games have given a new direction to the children in this situation. Boys live in symbolic and fantasy world and instead of beating up other kids on the streets and at school they beat up fantasy characters. Video games serve as an outlet for the aggressiveness in boys in a much safer way. The past culture of bullying and showing manliness through violence was as anti social as the video games of today. At least the good thing about the video games is that the characters are not real and there is no harm in inflicting violence upon them (Jenkins, n.d.). Social activities such as playing together, doing chores together are considered necessary for social interaction. Video games are believed to isolate children from their families and friends and at times it is believed that they make children socially alienated since they do not depend any more on other children for playing games. This notion may not be completely true. Games provide opportunities to children to play together. Competent children always love to choose competent play mates. Children often gather around at home, school and at arcades for playing games. Children talk about games when ever they are together. They often discuss them over the telephone and internet. They share their strategies, notes and tips and proudly exhibit their skills. The video games thus become the basis for a strong social relationship among children. In many ways video games do not isolate children from society. They rather bring them together as the object of interest becomes the same for children (Jenkins, n.d.). Balanced Approach: Children love to play video games. They like them for various reasons. For them it is fun, relieves boredom and tension, gives a sense of freedom and independence and develops their skills. At the same time it gives them a sense of control and mastery over the game. However excess of anything is dangerous. Video games used in excess and without parental guidance definitely lead to negative impact on children. As studies have shown, excess of video games lead to health problems such as obesity, seizures, muscular and skeletal disorders and carpel tunnel syndrome (Walsh, 2004). Parents should interfere and set rules about the amount of time for video games and the content of the games. Parents have a very important role to play for the healthy growth of their children. Psychologists are of the view that when parents impose restrictions on the amount of time children spent on playing video games and the kind of games they play, children are likely to be less aggressive. Other methods may include active participation of parents with their children, discussing violent actions and its effects when practically implemented in real life situations may help children in not adopting anti social behavior (Psychology Matter, n.d.). Children in the modern world spend a lot of time on video games. They get involved with the video games right from the age when they should be learning healthy ways of interaction. It becomes very important for the parents and the software developers to drive maximum benefits out of the devices which are given to the children. To put the blame entirely on the video games would not be fare. Video games have been rated for the convenience of the buyers. Yet under age children are able to buy mature rated video games with so much ease. It is here that the retailers forget their moral duty and prefer material gain over moral gain (Psychology Matters, n.d.). A recent survey has shown that 87% of boys play M rated videos and 78% of the boys mark M rated movies as their favorite ones. Parents are over burdened with the demands of M rated videos by the children. Hence the responsibility of the parents regarding the selection of games for their children becomes very important (Walsh, 2004). A number of schools have also introduced lectures in their curricula to assist children in understanding the content of the games and the amount of time to be spent on them. Such steps have shown positive effects on the children (Psychology Matter, n.d.). Some countries have thought of passing legislation regarding the sale of mature video games to under age children much in a way similar to legislation for tobacco. Policy makers need to understand the situation and act accordingly for the healthy growth of the children. The future of their kids lies in their hands and they need to put their heads together to implement strategies that would provide healthy entertainment to the children (Psychology Matters, n.d.). Amount of time spent for video games: Children whose parents are constantly involved in the extra curricular activities of their children have shown to perform academically better in school. They also tend to end up in fewer fights. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children should spend not more than one or two hours per day in front of the electronic media that includes TV, movies and videos. This means children are given approximately 7-14 hours per weak for electronic entertainment of which 9 hours is for the video games (Walsh, 2004). Content of video games: The content of the videos is equally important. Educational games undoubtedly have a positive effect on the child as compared to the violent games. 98% of the child specialists are of the view that violent video games have a negative impact on the psychological health of a child (Walsh, 2004). Video games are rated for the convenience of the buyers. Parents must help the children in selecting the games that are appropriate for their age. I personally believe that it is the human psychology that we take time to accept new things. Modern technology gives us a lot of benefits but at the same time it has to pass through the criticism from every walk of life. People especially adults always admire the time they have spent without realizing that it had its own vices. For this reason people are more critical towards video games just like they are critical towards television and movies. What they fail to understand is the fact that it is the world of digital technology where mastery in technical skills is essential. Computers have made life a lot easier yet people criticize it for its negative aspects. Similarly television has made our lives easier as we can get all sorts of information through it. Still it is also been criticized. Likewise video games are also criticized without realizing that it is one of the means of entertainment and learning for the kids of the twenty first century. Being nostalgic about the past and critical about the present has always been the case in every generation. For every generation the past was better than the future. Video games are the product of the modern generation. They have their own good points and at the same time bad points. As mentioned above excess of anything is always bad. Watching too much television is not good for health. Eating too much food is again not healthy. Likewise playing too much video game is not healthy. Children may learn good things from them and they may learn bad things from them. It is here that the society, game makers, law makers and the parents need to interfere. Role of the Society: The society needs to perform its moral duty by keeping a check on the children. The compressed and restricted life of the modern world makes the adults hostile towards the kids. Children need to explore their physical abilities for which society needs to be lenient towards them. Role of the game makers: Next comes the moral duty that lies upon the game makers. The software developers are adults who make the games for the children and then it is the adults who criticize the children for spending too much on video games and thus becoming anti social. The game makers should realize the fact that economic gain is not every thing. Their product is greatly admired by the children for which efforts should be made on their part to make is as creative, productive and healthy as possible. The future lies in their hands and they can modify it either into a healthy or aggressive future. The moral duty must be given preference over economic gain. Anything that they think is not good for their children must not be marketed. Role of the Retailers: The retailers have an equal moral responsibility for the healthy upbringing of the youth. For the convenience of the buyers video games are rated according to the age of the buyer. Yet the survey has proven the fact that under age children can easily purchase M rated movies. At this point they forget their moral duty and prefer economic gain over it. If the retailers accept their duty and sell games according to the age of the buyer their will be definitely less violence and anti social behavior in children. Role of the Policy Makers: It is a good thing to know that several Senators have raised the issue of the impact of violent video games on the children. The policy makers should make legislation regarding the content of the games. Only healthy videos should be allowed for sale to the youth. At the same time there should be a check on the retailers who sell M rated movies to the under age children. If possible public places should be provided to children where they can exercise their physical abilities to the maximum. Role of the Parents: Last but not the least it is parents who need to keep a constant check on the activities of their children. Where both parents are working especially in the low income house it becomes difficult for the parents to take their time out for their children. Still children need the time of their parents otherwise the consequences could be serious. Parents must accompany their children at the time of purchasing the games. They must look into the content of the game and see if it is suitable for their child or not. Healthy and educational games must be encouraged among children for their healthy growth. At the same time parents should keep a check on the duration of the play. Children must not be allowed to play games for a longer period. Rules must be set down regarding this issue and children should be made to realize the fact that it is actually good for their own health. To conclude it does appear that there is a link between uncontrolled use of video games and the anti social behavior of children. However, if the whole society including the policy makers, game makers, neighbors, schools and parents jointly combines in the effort to modify their children into healthy adults there is no chance technology like video games could have a negative impact on the lives of children. Every one needs to understand his role in the circle for a healthy future. REFERENCES: BBC News (Oct. 2, 2006), Video Games have a role in schoo”, UK. Retrieved on May 3, 2007 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5398230.stm BusinessWeek Online (June 23, 2006), Global video game market set to explode, Retrieved on May 3, 2007 from www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/jun2006/id20060623_163211.htm Children’s Health Encyclopedia (n.d.). 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Retrieved on May 3, 2007 from www.npd.com/press/releases/press_060919a.html Psychology Matters (n.d.). Violent Video Games: Psychologists help protect Children from Harmful Effects, Retrieved on May 3, 2007 from http://www.psychology.iastate.edu/faculty/caa/abstracts/2000-2004/04PMVG.pdf Roberts, Foeher, and Rideout (March 9, 2005). Generation M: Media in the lives of 8-18 year olds, Kaiser Family Foundation. Pp. 110-113. Retrieved on May 3, 2007 from www.kff.org/entmedia/upload/Generation-M-Media-in-the-Lives-of-8-18-Year-olds-Report.pdf Tapscott, D. (n.d.). The Net Generation and the School, Milkin Family Foundation, Retrieved on May 3, 2007 from http://www.mff.org/edtech/article.taf?_function=detail&Content_uid1=109 Walsh, D. (2004). Ninth Annual Media Wise Video Game Report Card, National Institute on Media and the Family Logo, Retrieved on May 3, 2007 from http://www.mediafamily.org/research/report_vgrc_2004.shtml Read More