Effects Of Video Game Playing On Children
Positives:
Video game playing introduces children to computer technology.
Games can give practice in following directions.
Some games provide practice in problem solving and logic.
Games can provide practice in use of fine motor and spatial skills.
Games can provide occasions for parent and child to play together.
Players are introduced to information technology.
Some games have therapeutic applications with patients.
Games are entertaining and fun.
Facts:
The U.S. video game market reached nearly $10.5 billion in sales in 2005. with the projected world-wide market expected to grow to $46.5 billion by 2010 (BusinessWeek Online, 2006).
A recent report showed that 45% of heavy video game players and nearly a third of avid gamers are in the 6 to 17 year old age group (NPD Group Inc., 2006).
The Federal Trade Commission reported that 69% of unaccompanied 13-16 year-olds were able to purchase
M" rated video games from retailers (Federal Trade Commission, 2004).
Of computer and video game purchase in 2005, as reported by the NPD Group, 49% were "E" rated games, 4% were "E10+", 32% were "T" rated games, and 15% were "M" rated games (Entertainment Software Association, 2006).
A study of over 2,000 8 to 18 year-olds (3rd through 12th graders) found the 83% of them have at least one video game player in their home, 31% have 3 or more video game players in their home, and 49% have video game players in their bedrooms (Roberts, Foeher, and Rideout, 2005).
In the same study only 21% of kids reported that their parents set rules about which video games they can play, 17% reported their parents check warning labels or ratings on video games, and 12% reported they play video games they know their parents don't want them playing (Roberts, Foeher, and Rideout, 2005).
Negatives:
Over-dependence on video games could foster social isolation, as they are often played alone.
Practicing violent acts may contribute more to aggressive behavior than passive television watching. Studies do find a relationship between violent television watching and behavior.
Women are often portrayed as weaker characters that are helpless or sexually provocative.
Game environments are often based on plots of violence, aggression and gender bias.
Many games only offer an arena of weapons, killings, kicking, stabbing and shooting.
Playing violent video games may be related to aggressive behavior (Anderson & Dill, 2000; Gentile, Lynch & Walsh, 2004). Questions have been raised about early exposure to violent video games.
Many games do not offer action that requires independent thought or creativity.
Games can confuse reality and fantasy.
In many violent games, players must become more violent to win. In "1st person" violent video games the player may be more affected because he or she controls the game and experiences the action through the eyes of his or her character.
Academic achievement may be negatively related to over-all time spent playing video games. (Anderson & Dill, 2000; Gentile, Lynch & Walsh, 2004)
Questions to ask:
Is the violence rewarded or punished? What are the consequences? How graphic is the violence? Is the violence against humans or inanimate objects? Is the violence sexual?
Reasons children give for playing video games:
It's fun
Like to feel in control
Releases tension
Relieves boredom
Develops gaming skills
Feel a sense of mastery
Bottom line:
Many video games are fun and appropriate.
Violent video games may be linked to an increase in aggressive behavior.
There are many questions about the cumulative effect of video games, computers, and television.
Parents are urged to monitor video game play the same way they need to monitor television.
What to look for in choosing a game:
Be aware of advertising and marketing to children. Advertising pressure contributes to impulse buying.
Check the age ratings video game descriptors found on the box. Read other reviews (check Kidscore). Become familiar with the game.
If there are violence and sexual themes in the title and cover picture, you can assume these themes are also in the game.
Look for games involving multiple players to encourage group play.
Pick games that require the player to come up with strategies, and make decisions in a game environment that is more complex than punch, steal, and kill.
AVOID the "first person shooter", killing-machine games.
Video game ratings carry one of seven logos showing age recommendations:
EC (Early Childhood): may be suitable for ages 3+. Contains no material that parents would find inappropriate.
E (Everyone): may be suitable for ages 6+. May contain minimal violence, some comic mischief and/or mild language.
E10+ ( Everyone 10+): may be suitable for ages 10+. Titles in this category may contain more cartoon, fantasy or mild violence, mild language, and/or minimal suggestive themes.
T (Teen): may be suitable for ages 13+. May contain violent content, mild or strong language, and/or suggestive themes.
M (Mature): may be suitable for persons ages 17+. May contain mature sexual themes, more intense violence and/or strong language.
AO (Adults Only): have content suitable only for adults. May include graphic depictions of sex and/or violence. Adult Only products are not intended for persons under the age of 18.
RP (Rating Pending): Titles have been submitted and are awaiting final rating.
The games will also list content descriptors describing the violence, language, tobacco, drug, and alcohol use, and sexual themes and sexual violence in the game.
Tips for Parents:
LIMIT game playing time.
CHECK the age game ratings and descriptors on the box.
USE other content sources and reviews to help you choose a game.
CHECK KidScore for parent generated game reviews.
AVOID the "first person shooter", killing-machine games.
REQUIRE that homework and chores be done before game playing.
DO NOT PUT video game consoles or computers in children's bedrooms.
PLAY AND ENJOY a game with your child; check in as your child moves into deeper levels in the game.
TALK about the content of the games. Ask your child what's going on in the game.
EXPLAIN to your children why you object to certain games.
ASK your local retailer or rental store to implement policies preventing the sale or rental of M-rated (Mature) games to children or youth.
Finally, ENCOURAGE your child to play with friends, or other activities away from the video game set.
Thursday 22 March 2007
Wednesday 21 March 2007
edited proposal
i am editing my proposal as my original one is focussed on proving something and it may turn out to be impossible. A better proposal title would be, 'children and video games: what are the issues?' This means that i do not have to prove anything, however, the effects debate will still be significant to my edited` proposal and will make the new proposal very audience based. I will discuss the range of opinions which will come from:
1. kids
2. parents
3. 'experts'
4. media theorists
1. kids
2. parents
3. 'experts'
4. media theorists
Friday 16 March 2007
Children and the Media: Research from Japan
i read this article about whether the digital revolution is having a physiological effect on children. These are some of the main facts that i highlighted:
'the penetration of media into the home is, however, making it difficult to provide children with such a normal environment. If a child is exposed for long hours to, for instance, television and video games during the periods of frontal association cortex development, that experience will be wired into the brain's record of its own development, and will affect the child's subsequent perception of the environment and emotional life'
'spending long hours using media equipment like television, video game machines and computers reduces the amount of time a child spends doing physical exercises'
'the strong attraction which televison, video, video games and computers has on children has robbed them of time to exercise, to relate to others, and to use their imagination. Elemtary school children have four hours of free time every day after school, of which they spend 70-75% playin with media. This means a lack of physical exercise and fewer hours with which they spend outdoors with their freinds'
'physical movement stimulates sensory integration of the brain and lays down the basis for the higher cognitive functions'
'one of the consequences of a lack of physical activity among children is that an increased number of them may grow up without proper devlopment of sensory integration'
'another outcome of insufficient physical activity is becoming overweight'
'while the average child spent an average of two hours and forty-four minutes watching televison and playing video games, severly overweight children, those significantly above the standard weight, were spending three hours fifty-five minutes - or more than an hour longer - in front of an electronic screen'
'the fact that the number of overweight children has increased since about 1985, exactly when video games started becoming popular, however, leads us to suspect that increased media entertainment, too. has robbed children of oppurtunities for physical activity'
'in virtual reality, it is impossible to physcially experience the joy and fun of using the body or to learn to change emotional gears through human interaction'
'excessive media entertainment for healthy children indirectly hinders the development of the body - by denying the time available for real-world interaction'
'too many hours spent immersed in such a world may hinder the proper development of social skills owing to reduced physical and psycholgical interaction with real-world people'
'online interpersonal relationships can foster the social skills necessary for healthy interpersonal relationships, such as being able to understand the facial expressions of others, and cultivate empathy'
'contact with media in excess of four hours a day will lead to not only problems of overweight through lack of exercise but a variety of other problems stemming from a reduction in interpersonal interaction'
'the penetration of media into the home is, however, making it difficult to provide children with such a normal environment. If a child is exposed for long hours to, for instance, television and video games during the periods of frontal association cortex development, that experience will be wired into the brain's record of its own development, and will affect the child's subsequent perception of the environment and emotional life'
'spending long hours using media equipment like television, video game machines and computers reduces the amount of time a child spends doing physical exercises'
'the strong attraction which televison, video, video games and computers has on children has robbed them of time to exercise, to relate to others, and to use their imagination. Elemtary school children have four hours of free time every day after school, of which they spend 70-75% playin with media. This means a lack of physical exercise and fewer hours with which they spend outdoors with their freinds'
'physical movement stimulates sensory integration of the brain and lays down the basis for the higher cognitive functions'
'one of the consequences of a lack of physical activity among children is that an increased number of them may grow up without proper devlopment of sensory integration'
'another outcome of insufficient physical activity is becoming overweight'
'while the average child spent an average of two hours and forty-four minutes watching televison and playing video games, severly overweight children, those significantly above the standard weight, were spending three hours fifty-five minutes - or more than an hour longer - in front of an electronic screen'
'the fact that the number of overweight children has increased since about 1985, exactly when video games started becoming popular, however, leads us to suspect that increased media entertainment, too. has robbed children of oppurtunities for physical activity'
'in virtual reality, it is impossible to physcially experience the joy and fun of using the body or to learn to change emotional gears through human interaction'
'excessive media entertainment for healthy children indirectly hinders the development of the body - by denying the time available for real-world interaction'
'too many hours spent immersed in such a world may hinder the proper development of social skills owing to reduced physical and psycholgical interaction with real-world people'
'online interpersonal relationships can foster the social skills necessary for healthy interpersonal relationships, such as being able to understand the facial expressions of others, and cultivate empathy'
'contact with media in excess of four hours a day will lead to not only problems of overweight through lack of exercise but a variety of other problems stemming from a reduction in interpersonal interaction'
Monday 12 March 2007
Thursday 8 March 2007
website on video games and children
Video games were first introduced in the 1970s. By the end of that decade they had become a preferred childhood leisure activity, and adults responded with concern about the possible ill effects of the games on children. Early research on these effects was inconclusive. However, a resurgence in video game sales that began in the late 1980s after the introduction of the Nintendo system has renewed interest in examining the effects of video games.
Some research suggests that playing video games may affect some children's physical functioning. Effects range from triggering epileptic seizures to causing heart rate and blood pressure changes. Serious adverse physical effects, however, are transient or limited to a small number of players. Research has also identified benefits associated with creative and prosocial uses of video games, as in physical rehabilitation and oncology (Funk, 1993). Proponents of video games suggest that they may be a friendly way of introducing children to computers, and may increase children's hand-eye coordination and attention to detail.
Video Game Use by Children
Recent studies of television watching by children have included measures of the time children spend playing video games. In 1967, the average sixth-grader watched 2.8 hours of television per day. Data from 1983 indicated that sixth-graders watched 4.7 hours of television per day, and spent some additional time playing video games.
A recent study (Funk, 1993) examined video game playing among 357 seventh and eighth grade students. The adolescents were asked to identify their preference among five categories of video games. The two most preferred categories were games that involved fantasy violence, preferred by almost 32% of subjects; and sports games, some of which contained violent subthemes, which were preferred by more than 29%. Nearly 20% of the students expressed a preference for games with a general entertainment theme, while another 17% favored games that involved human violence. Fewer than 2% of the adolescents preferred games with educational content.
The study found that approximately 36% of male students played video games at home for 1 to 2 hours per week; 29% played 3 to 6 hours; and 12 percent did not play at all. Among female students who played video games at home, approximately 42% played 1 to 2 hours and 15% played 3 to 6 hours per week. Nearly 37% of females did not play any video games. The balance of subjects played more than 6 hours per week. Results also indicated that 38% of males and 16% of females played 1 to 2 hours of video games per week in arcades; and that 53% of males and 81% of females did not play video games in arcades.
Rating Video Game Violence
Ratings of video game violence have developed as an extension of ratings of television violence. Among those organizations that have attempted to rate television violence, the National Coalition on Television Violence (NCTV) has also developed a system to rate the violent content of video games. The NCTV system contains ratings that range from XUnfit and XV (highly violent) to PG and G ratings. Between summer and Christmas of 1989, NCTV surveyed 176 Nintendo video games. Among the games surveyed, 11.4% received the XUnfit rating. Another 44.3% and 15.3% received the other violent ratings of XV and RV, respectively. A total of 20% of games received a PG or G rating (NCTV, 1990).
The Sega company, which manufactures video games, has developed a system for rating its own games as appropriate for general, mature, or adult audiences, which it would like to see adopted by the video game industry as a whole. The Nintendo company, in rating its games, follows standards modeled on the system used by the Motion Picture Association of America.
A problem shared by those who rate violence in television and video games is that the definition of violence is necessarily subjective. Given this subjectivity, raters have attempted to assess antisocial violence more accurately by ranking violent acts according to severity, noting the context in which violent acts occur, and considering the overall message as pro- or anti- violence. However, the factor of context is typically missing in video games. There are no grey areas in the behavior of game characters, and players are rarely required to reflect or make contextual judgments (Provenzo, 1992).
Effects of Violence in Video Games
The NCTV claims that there has been a steady increase in the number of video games with violent themes. Games rated as extremely violent increased from 53% in 1985 to 82% in 1988. A 1988 survey indicated that manufacturers were titling their games with increasingly violent titles (NCTV, 1990). Another survey found that 40 of the 47 top-rated Nintendo video games had violence as a theme.
An early study on the effects of video games on children found that playing video games had more positive effects on children than watching television. A conference sponsored by Atari at Harvard University in 1983 presented preliminary data which failed to identify ill effects. More recent research, however, has begun to find connections between children's playing of violent video games and later aggressive behavior. A research review done by NCTV (1990) found that 9 of 12 research studies on the impact of violent video games on normal children and adolescents reported harmful effects. In general, while video game playing has not been implicated as a direct cause of severe psycho-pathology, research suggests that there is a short-term relationship between playing violent games and increased aggressive behavior in younger children (Funk, 1993).
Because it is likely that there is some similarity in the effect of viewing violent television programs and playing violent video games on individuals' aggressive behavior, those concerned with the effects of video games on children should take note of television research. The consensus among researchers on television violence is that there is a measurable increase of from 3% to 15% in individuals' aggressive behavior after watching violent television. A recent report of the American Psychological Association claimed that research demonstrates a correlation between viewing and aggressive behavior (Clark, 1993).
Effects of Other Characteristics of Video Games
Some adults believe that video games offer benefits over the passive medium of television. Among mental health professionals, there are those who maintain that in playing video games, certain children can develop a sense of proficiency which they might not otherwise achieve. However, other authorities speculate that performing violent actions in video games may be more conducive to children's aggression than passively watching violent acts on television. According to this view, the more children practice violence acts, the more likely they are to perform violent acts (Clark, 1993). Some educational professionals, while allowing that video games permit children to engage in a somewhat creative dialogue, maintain that this engagement is highly constrained compared to other activities, such as creative writing (Provenzo, 1992).
Another problem seen by critics of video games is that the games stress autonomous action rather than cooperation. A common game scenario is that of an anonymous character performing an aggressive act against an anonymous enemy. One study (Provenzo, 1992) found that each of the top 10 Nintendo video games was based on a theme of an autonomous individual working alone against an evil force. The world of video games has little sense of community and few team players. Also, most video games do not allow play by more than one player at a time.
The social content of video games may influence children's attitudes toward gender roles. In the Nintendo games, women are usually cast as persons who are acted upon rather than as initiators of action; in extreme cases, they are depicted as victims. One study (Provenzo, 1992) found that the covers of the 47 most popular Nintendo games depicted a total of 115 male and 9 female characters; among these characters, 20 of the males struck a dominant pose while none of the females did. Thirteen of the 47 games were based on a scenario in which a woman is kidnapped or has to be rescued.
Studies have indicated that males play video games more frequently than females. Television program producers and video game manufacturers may produce violent shows and games for this audience. This demand for violence may not arise because of an innate male desire to witness violence, but because males are looking for strong role models, which they find in these shows and games (Clark, 1993).
Conclusion
Given inconclusive research, recommendations concerning video games must be conservative. According to researcher Jeanne Funk (1993), a ban on video games is:
probably not ... in the child's best interests. Limiting playing time and monitoring game selection according to developmental level and game content may be as important as similar parental management of television privileges. Parents and professionals should also seek creative ways to increase the acceptance, popularity, and availability of games that are relatively prosocial, educational, and fun.
Some research suggests that playing video games may affect some children's physical functioning. Effects range from triggering epileptic seizures to causing heart rate and blood pressure changes. Serious adverse physical effects, however, are transient or limited to a small number of players. Research has also identified benefits associated with creative and prosocial uses of video games, as in physical rehabilitation and oncology (Funk, 1993). Proponents of video games suggest that they may be a friendly way of introducing children to computers, and may increase children's hand-eye coordination and attention to detail.
Video Game Use by Children
Recent studies of television watching by children have included measures of the time children spend playing video games. In 1967, the average sixth-grader watched 2.8 hours of television per day. Data from 1983 indicated that sixth-graders watched 4.7 hours of television per day, and spent some additional time playing video games.
A recent study (Funk, 1993) examined video game playing among 357 seventh and eighth grade students. The adolescents were asked to identify their preference among five categories of video games. The two most preferred categories were games that involved fantasy violence, preferred by almost 32% of subjects; and sports games, some of which contained violent subthemes, which were preferred by more than 29%. Nearly 20% of the students expressed a preference for games with a general entertainment theme, while another 17% favored games that involved human violence. Fewer than 2% of the adolescents preferred games with educational content.
The study found that approximately 36% of male students played video games at home for 1 to 2 hours per week; 29% played 3 to 6 hours; and 12 percent did not play at all. Among female students who played video games at home, approximately 42% played 1 to 2 hours and 15% played 3 to 6 hours per week. Nearly 37% of females did not play any video games. The balance of subjects played more than 6 hours per week. Results also indicated that 38% of males and 16% of females played 1 to 2 hours of video games per week in arcades; and that 53% of males and 81% of females did not play video games in arcades.
Rating Video Game Violence
Ratings of video game violence have developed as an extension of ratings of television violence. Among those organizations that have attempted to rate television violence, the National Coalition on Television Violence (NCTV) has also developed a system to rate the violent content of video games. The NCTV system contains ratings that range from XUnfit and XV (highly violent) to PG and G ratings. Between summer and Christmas of 1989, NCTV surveyed 176 Nintendo video games. Among the games surveyed, 11.4% received the XUnfit rating. Another 44.3% and 15.3% received the other violent ratings of XV and RV, respectively. A total of 20% of games received a PG or G rating (NCTV, 1990).
The Sega company, which manufactures video games, has developed a system for rating its own games as appropriate for general, mature, or adult audiences, which it would like to see adopted by the video game industry as a whole. The Nintendo company, in rating its games, follows standards modeled on the system used by the Motion Picture Association of America.
A problem shared by those who rate violence in television and video games is that the definition of violence is necessarily subjective. Given this subjectivity, raters have attempted to assess antisocial violence more accurately by ranking violent acts according to severity, noting the context in which violent acts occur, and considering the overall message as pro- or anti- violence. However, the factor of context is typically missing in video games. There are no grey areas in the behavior of game characters, and players are rarely required to reflect or make contextual judgments (Provenzo, 1992).
Effects of Violence in Video Games
The NCTV claims that there has been a steady increase in the number of video games with violent themes. Games rated as extremely violent increased from 53% in 1985 to 82% in 1988. A 1988 survey indicated that manufacturers were titling their games with increasingly violent titles (NCTV, 1990). Another survey found that 40 of the 47 top-rated Nintendo video games had violence as a theme.
An early study on the effects of video games on children found that playing video games had more positive effects on children than watching television. A conference sponsored by Atari at Harvard University in 1983 presented preliminary data which failed to identify ill effects. More recent research, however, has begun to find connections between children's playing of violent video games and later aggressive behavior. A research review done by NCTV (1990) found that 9 of 12 research studies on the impact of violent video games on normal children and adolescents reported harmful effects. In general, while video game playing has not been implicated as a direct cause of severe psycho-pathology, research suggests that there is a short-term relationship between playing violent games and increased aggressive behavior in younger children (Funk, 1993).
Because it is likely that there is some similarity in the effect of viewing violent television programs and playing violent video games on individuals' aggressive behavior, those concerned with the effects of video games on children should take note of television research. The consensus among researchers on television violence is that there is a measurable increase of from 3% to 15% in individuals' aggressive behavior after watching violent television. A recent report of the American Psychological Association claimed that research demonstrates a correlation between viewing and aggressive behavior (Clark, 1993).
Effects of Other Characteristics of Video Games
Some adults believe that video games offer benefits over the passive medium of television. Among mental health professionals, there are those who maintain that in playing video games, certain children can develop a sense of proficiency which they might not otherwise achieve. However, other authorities speculate that performing violent actions in video games may be more conducive to children's aggression than passively watching violent acts on television. According to this view, the more children practice violence acts, the more likely they are to perform violent acts (Clark, 1993). Some educational professionals, while allowing that video games permit children to engage in a somewhat creative dialogue, maintain that this engagement is highly constrained compared to other activities, such as creative writing (Provenzo, 1992).
Another problem seen by critics of video games is that the games stress autonomous action rather than cooperation. A common game scenario is that of an anonymous character performing an aggressive act against an anonymous enemy. One study (Provenzo, 1992) found that each of the top 10 Nintendo video games was based on a theme of an autonomous individual working alone against an evil force. The world of video games has little sense of community and few team players. Also, most video games do not allow play by more than one player at a time.
The social content of video games may influence children's attitudes toward gender roles. In the Nintendo games, women are usually cast as persons who are acted upon rather than as initiators of action; in extreme cases, they are depicted as victims. One study (Provenzo, 1992) found that the covers of the 47 most popular Nintendo games depicted a total of 115 male and 9 female characters; among these characters, 20 of the males struck a dominant pose while none of the females did. Thirteen of the 47 games were based on a scenario in which a woman is kidnapped or has to be rescued.
Studies have indicated that males play video games more frequently than females. Television program producers and video game manufacturers may produce violent shows and games for this audience. This demand for violence may not arise because of an innate male desire to witness violence, but because males are looking for strong role models, which they find in these shows and games (Clark, 1993).
Conclusion
Given inconclusive research, recommendations concerning video games must be conservative. According to researcher Jeanne Funk (1993), a ban on video games is:
probably not ... in the child's best interests. Limiting playing time and monitoring game selection according to developmental level and game content may be as important as similar parental management of television privileges. Parents and professionals should also seek creative ways to increase the acceptance, popularity, and availability of games that are relatively prosocial, educational, and fun.
Friday 2 March 2007
My Chosen Topic Area
Topic Area: Children and the media
Chosen Title: After playing violent video games, do children attempt to copy what they see?
I am analysing whether violent video games affect childeren's behaviour due to the effects model. I will textually analysing specific violent games such as Grand Theft Auto, Manhunt and The Punisher. I will compare these to see if the style and respresentation of each game affects whether it is more likely to affect children. I will use certain websites which link to these games and to the controversy surrounding the effects debate. I will also use specific books e.g. Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents: Theory, Research, and Public Policy.
Chosen Title: After playing violent video games, do children attempt to copy what they see?
I am analysing whether violent video games affect childeren's behaviour due to the effects model. I will textually analysing specific violent games such as Grand Theft Auto, Manhunt and The Punisher. I will compare these to see if the style and respresentation of each game affects whether it is more likely to affect children. I will use certain websites which link to these games and to the controversy surrounding the effects debate. I will also use specific books e.g. Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents: Theory, Research, and Public Policy.
Thursday 1 March 2007
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