On-line gaming is a time waster - Research Paper Example

ON-LINE GAMING IS A TIME WASTER Soon after its advent, internet has become an integral partof our lives. It revolutionized the world by making it a global village. In nearly all the fields of life internet became an essential. But with the passage of time its disadvantages started to emerge. One such disadvantage is the increasing trend of online gaming. As technology continues to get better and better, its influence in our day to day lives keeps on increasing. The popularity of online and video games has increased immensely with the passage of time. They have caused noteworthy impact upon the societies around the globe. Today we can see the impact of these games in nearly all the walks of life. Online gaming refers to the games that are played over the internet. It has become a popular and successful source of entertainment for people of all ages but it is more popular among the school or college going students. All you need is a computer with an internet connection. It has the ability to link players together from any part of the world. Because of this, almost everybody is into it. Its implausible characteristics make a lot of students become addictive to it. It does not only provide entertainment, but also gives a chance to socialize with anyone, present anywhere in the world. But obviously it has many side effects. Online game is the most wanted leisure activity followed by people of all ages. Those days are gone when children loved to participate in outdoor sports and games. Online games surely have an impact on the lives of kids. From 1990-2010, we saw a huge influence of computer gaming in the day to day routine of our children. In the beginning addiction caused by these games alarmed many parents and mentors. But it was then thought that these games can become a source of imparting education too, as they attract a child’s attention with a lot more success than any other source. Patricia Greenfield in her book “Mind and Media” and David Sheff in his book “Video Games: A Guide for Savvy Parents”, expressed the feeling that in the near future computer gaming will take over the conventional mode of teaching. But as time passes, we see that this idea is still far from being a reality. So an important question still evolves that will the computer gaming technology become an important part of imparting education or will it continue to be just being wastage of time?  The issue on the effects of online games has become a burning question, debated by teachers, parents, children etc. Online games have an unconstructive effect on the development of children, especially contributing to aggressive and anti-social behavior and it involves interactivity which leaves an impact on the learning processes of the child. Numerous studies on the effects of violence in television, movies and video games have taken place over the last two decades across the globe. The results of various such studies have shown that there is a negative effect of consuming violent media. Online games have an even stronger effect on children’s behavior because of its interactivity. Online games leave far more effective impact on the nature and thinking of a child as they are highly engaging, children are rewarded by violent behavior, and children repeat this behavior again and again as they continue playing such games. According to psychologists these three methods (active involvement, rewarding, and repeating) improve learning. According to a very common psychological term `social learning`, a child in his developing phase learns an activity by repeating it again and again, and here we have a situation where a child’s behavior is negatively influenced by the hostile, sadistic nature of online games. A rather wrong impression is given to the children by the internet or video games that a problem, no matter how grave it is, can be solved hastily, or it can be easily solved if you remove the source of that problem, irrespective of what your own imaginations are. Instead of using your brain or thoughts, just react to the problems with your instincts as your imagination is not important when it comes to problem solving. Such type of false impressions is given to the children, disturbing their mind growth. Dr. L. Rowell Huesmann, in his article ‘Nailing the Coffin Shut on Doubts that Violent Games Stimulate Aggression’, describes his thoughts on the unpleasant effects of gaming. He writes that, ”It requires a tortuous logic to believe that children and adolescents are affected by what they observe in their living room, through the front window of their house, in their classroom, in their neighborhood, and among their peers but are not affected by what they observe in movies, on television, or in the video games they play. Yet many have argued just such a view in opposition to researchers who conclude that media violence stimulates aggression. Furthermore, the most vociferous opposition has been expressed against conclusions that violent video games might be teaching youths to behave more aggressively”. (Dr. L. Rowell Huesmann, Comment on Anderson et al. 2010, Psychological Bulletin, v136 n2 (2010 03 01): 179-181). A very strong argument could be that online gaming should be banned as it has so many adverse effects. Firstly, online games are the root cause of distraction from studies. Instead of paying attention to their studies or lectures, children are often found discussing their progress or how they can improve their skills in a certain game or where are they going to hang out in their cyber world and so on. It is found that after school children go straight to their computers, paying no attention to their homework and lessons, indulging in their favorite online games, not giving any thought to their studies or even their health. Consequently their grades and health fall. Besides the in-class distraction and irresponsibility, online games cost you money. You don’t only have to pay for your internet connection or internet café usage, but sometimes some online games cost you a certain amount of money. And when a child is running out of money, either by hook or by crook he/she has to find a way to carry on with his/her favorite online game, thus showing the height of addiction caused by them. According to Ms. Yu-Jin Lee, a news reporter from ABC Thailand, online games are the major cause for the current increasing number of children crimes. She says, “Children commit more crimes nowadays for money to play games, such as stealing, robbing or even trade their bodies”. Studies show that whatever a child experiences during his brain’s growth spurts have a greater impact on his brain’s wiring than at any other time of his entire life. Some studies also show that this behavior continues in the adolescent phase of his life as well. Research shows that online games which are violent in nature, activates aggressive thoughts and behavior. These games are said to negatively affect the health of those playing them. Studies show an alarming statistics that these computer and online games increase the risk of obesity, postural, skeletal and muscular disorders in a child. Children all over the world seek love and peace from video games, in general, and online games in particular. Some of these games lead to aggressive behavior while other leads to aggressive opinion. Children now prefer to sit in front of a computer playing their favorite online games, rather than participating in outdoor games and activities. These games are far more addictive to children than TV and therefore more likely to leave an impact on their minds. Some children want to turn their gaming fantasies into a reality. Therefore it can be said that from this idea we sometimes experience unfortunate incidents like school shootings etc. Online gaming has created a huge problem of time wastage in the world. With the growing trends of these games and the introduction of latest graphics and innovations, these games attract more and more people, especially children, towards them. Computer gaming has become an industry. Many big companies are eager to invest in it. This leads to the developing of new versions of the already existing games as well as the development of brand new games. Parents are found complaining about the falling grades of their children as they spend majority of their time in front of a computer, playing games for many hours in a row, eyes fixed on the screens, so involved in their games that they forget about everything else around them. They forget to eat, they forget to take proper sleep, and are least interested about their homework or studies. All they care about is gaining expertise in the game they play so that they could become the next online gaming champion. References 1. Nailing the Coffin Shut on Doubts That Violent Video Games Stimulate Aggression: Comment on Anderson et al. (2010), By Dr. L. Rowell Huesmann, Psychological Bulletin, v136 n2 (2010 03 01): 179-181. 2. Violent video games and hostile expectations: a test of the general aggression model, by Brad Bushman and Craig Anderson, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28, no. 12 (2002): 1679-1686. 3. Effects of violent video games on aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, aggressive affect, physiological arousal, and pro-social behavior: A meta-analytic review of the scientific literature by Craig Anderson and Brad Bushman. 4. The effect of violent computer games on children and juveniles, by Karen Olivier. 5. Social impacts of digital Media, by Justin Healey, volume 324. 6. Introduction to the Game Industry, by Michael E Moore; Jennifer Sward. 7. The Family Guide to Media Literacy, by Gloria DeGaetano; Kathleen Bander. 8. Stop Teaching our Kids to Kill: a Call to Action Against TV, Movie and Video Game Violence, by Dave Grossman; Kathleen Bander; Gloria DeGaetano. Read More