VIDEO GAMES
The Lighter Side.
Intro
Have you heard the debate about video games? Many claim they are bad and that they increase violence, but some researchers claim otherwise. Video games build on reactions, teamwork, and reduce violence.
The More You Know! Video Game Makers!
Activison
One of the three makers of the popular game Call of Duty. This game company is famous for releasing the same game every year. Although graphics have changed, their style of games hasn't
EA
Ubisoft
Video Games and Violence
Video games have no real connection to increased violence and video games. In fact it may actually reduce it. Research suggest that videogames are actually a point in which a person can blow off steam. There are many reasons that video games might be blamed for violence.
Eric Kain’s article explains a few of them. The Columbine shooting may be one of those reasons video games are blamed. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold carried out the attack after their parent took away access to video games. Many people thought of it as a nail in the coffin for video games, but researcher Jerald Block suggest that “The two had relied on the virtual world of computer games to express rage, and in cutting them off in 1998 had sent them into crisis” (Kain). This also comes to no shock to many people, as Kain later points out, this demographic is known to have the most mentally ill people.
Lastly, Kain points out that millions of people play these games and only a few people have actually done violent acts. Therefor, the biggest statistic isn’t how many shooters we see, but the number of gamers who aren't.
The More You Know! Popular Video Game Sieries!
Halo
Pokemon
World of Tanks
Video Games and Reactions
Studies show that video games can actually help you! Many studies show that action games, like Call of Duty, give the gamer an increased reaction time. This is most likely due to the increase in response time that is needed to get better at the game. A person who talks about this is Alan Blank-Rochester, who is writing for the University of Rochester. The study had people play a few games, these games include Call of Duty, Unreal Tournament, and The Sims. After, “participants had to look at a screen, analyze what was going on, and answer a simple question about the action in as little time as possible (i.e. whether a clump of erratically moving dots was migrating right or left across the screen on average).” (Blank-Rocheste). So what were the results? “The action game players were up to 25 percent faster at coming to a conclusion and answered just as many questions correctly as their strategy game playing peers.” (Blank-Rocheste). It is almost assured that action games reduce reaction times. Now the important question, why is this important? For a soldier, reaction times can be the difference between life and death. That extra 25% could save a troop or his squad. This could save LIVES. The military could use it, but people outside the military could use it as well. It could help with processing things in general. For example, things like timed test and other timed activities would become easier.
Video Games and Race Bias
Video games reduce bias with others culture. In an article on the National Post they speak of a study that shows that if groups from different countries play together then they seem to like that countries people more. In the study, Canadian students played with one another. Both would be seated in a room so that they can not see each other. Every so often, the students would be told that the new student they were playing with was from an American school named Buffalo. The results go as Douglas Quan says, “...Students who thought they had been playing with Buffalo students had “significantly more favorable” attitude towards Buffalo students and Americans in general.” (Quan). Researchers state this could be used in the future by adding nationality next to the “gamer tags” for example, American would prefix your name if you were American. This might reduce bias worldwide, it would show people that despite looking different, everyone is still a person.
Conclusion
CItations for Work
"Co-operative Modes in Video-games Hold Potential to Improve Teamwork, Reduce Bias,
Study Finds." National Post Cooperative Modes in Videogames Hold Potential to Improve
Teamwork Reduce Bias Study finds Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2015.
Dafnis, Jason. "The Video Games Rating System Is Not Effective." Violent Video Games. Ed.
Roman Espejo. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2015. At Issue. Rpt. from
"Everything That's Wrong with the ESRB." Blunder Busters (8 Jan. 2014). Opposing
Viewpoints in Context. Web. 7 Apr. 2015.
Kain, Eric. "Violent Video Games Do Not Cause Violence." Violent Video Games. Ed. Roman
Espejo. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2015. At Issue. Rpt. from "The Truth
About Video Games and Gun Violence." Mother Jones (11 June 2013). Opposing
Viewpoints in Context. Web. 7 Apr. 2015.
"Video Games Speed up Reaction Time - Futurity." Futurity. N.p., 13 Sept. 2010. Web. 15
Apr.2015.
Picture Citations
"File:EA-Logo.svg." - Wikimedia Commons. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2015
Glaser, Florian. "World of Tanks V8.0 Benchmarked." Notebook Check. Trans. B. Gabrielse.
N.p., 10 Dec. 2012. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
Jorge, Filipi. Pintrest. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
N.p,nd. Web. 23 Apr. 2015
"Official Halo Wars Community Site - Halo Wars Wallpapers (Cover Art)." Official Halo Wars
Community Site - Halo Wars Wallpapers (Cover Art). N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
"Ubisoft." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.