Impact Of Video Games On Children
When aggrieved parents first protested against ‘Exidy Games’ controversial Death Race video game, the seed of doubt about the impact of video games was sown. Today, nearly 40 years later, the search for certainty continues. The global games market is set to burn $102.9 million by 2017, (Newzoo) but should children be exposed to videogames at all? The further away children are kept from video games, the better it will be; for the sake of their social aptitudes, and physical wellbeing.
Advocates of video games contend that video games have a positive impact on children, as gaming allows them to relieve pent up stress, frustration and anger on to a virtual target. Markey et al. further maintained that gaming assists children in coping with negative energy in their surroundings. However, the American Psychological Association rejected this argument by acknowledging “a consistent relation” after researching violent video game use and finding an increase in aggressive behaviour, aggressive cognition and “decrease in prosocial behaviour”. In fact, Warburton asserted that gaming induces more bullying, fighting and inclination to violence. Moreover, it is argued that young, habitual players are more likely to cyber bully, show hostility and display physical aggression towards peers.
The brutal, rough and graphically disturbing content in video games affects not only the individual player, but the entire community with which the player interacts. Merely 20 minutes of exposure to games, where it is required to target, shoot, stab, or kill, can result in desensitisation to violence in real life. Desensitisation implies that the child will be less likely to help, protect or stand up for a sibling or peer. It invariably leads the child to feel indifferent towards social issues like bullying at school, or mobbing on the streets. Funk et al. argued that children with more exposure to highly aggressive games display “less empathy” and “lower moral reasoning skills” in comparison to their peers who have not been exposed to the same. When the player disregards the feelings of fellows and lacks tact and sympathy, the community shuns and reject him, thus leaving the now isolated and rejected individual to withdraw even more from all social interactions. As the children withdraw from team activities and sports, their leisure time is spent immobile, with a gaming console. While proponents of video games may argue that the games can distract a sick child from pain, Griffiths compiled a concerning list of adverse medical effects: “the risk of epileptic seizures while playing video games . . . is well established”. The study collected cases of “auditory hallucinations . . . repetitive strain injuries, peripheral neuropathy and obesity” caused by playing video games. Thus the detrimental effect of playing video games on children’s health is an undisputable fact. Childhood obesity is common in progressive and industrial countries, where video games are bought and played by 78% of households.
Furthermore, it is broadly acknowledged that excessive screen exposure is the leading cause of near- and farsightedness, partial blindness and reduced vision in an early age. Children are considered as the leaders of tomorrow, and investment in their emotional, physical and spiritual well being is regarded as the way forward for all progressive nations. Excessive exposure to video games in early childhood, when minds are very impressionable, cannot be effectively processed by the still-developing brain. Moreover, exposure to video games meant for older ages and more developed minds, negatively affects children for their entire life. When children pick up aggressive traits early on, they fail to fully participate in society and are incapable of forming relationships. This emotional trauma usually leads children into medical and psychological issues.
In the light of the above argument, it is inferred that curbing children’s exposure to video games is a critical step which should be taken as early as possible. Only through unified efforts of parents, caregivers, and governing bodies alike, will this be possible.
