The advantages and disadvantages of video gaming

 

Introduction

            Video gaming refers to unspoken set of beliefs about what is real and unreal in the study, discussion and design of a play. They encompass a wide range of production, genres platforms and game play styles. Video games vary intensively depending on the players and the communities surrounding them. They are significant as they influence the human to become better beings. They enable learners become knowledgeable and gain understanding in terms of literature. However, they have become addictive to the users through overdependence making it hard for them to carry out other essential tasks.

            Video games are good because they impact positively to the societies involved. To begin with, they usually impact the learners with learning principles such as collaboration and motivation.  Studies have shown that literacy skills learnt through video games are very important to adolescents aged 11-16 as they are able grow in a fun way (Kurbanoğlu, 2015). There is also understanding during self-regulated and challenging learning as students aged 12-18 play recreational video games of their choice hence the video games are good among the teenagers.

            Secondly, video games promote literacy in learning as they play a motivational role in acquiring knowledge and understanding. The students are able to learn how to use and produce technology. Exposure to video games determines the ability of the learner to understand a certain text (Beach et al; 2011). A learner who has been exposed to gaming tends to understand the concepts faster as compared to the one with less exposure. The students are in the position to define similarities constituting genre knowledge by encouraging them to draw inter-textual links from the previous reading.

            On the other hand, video games are bad as they contribute negatively towards the societies involved. First, they contribute to increased aggression or violence in both immediate and long-term context.  The victims end up becoming harmful to others or having intentions to harm others (Anderson et al; 2007). There is character influence where the victim begins acting the same way they saw in the video game. This mainly happens because the games are interactive and therefore maybe much psychologically involving.

            Video games are also addictive especially among the youths. They feel compelled constantly to be involved in the games and end up losing interest in other activities. The attempts to stop the gaming may lead to withdrawal symptoms (Gunter, 1998). As a result, the youths end up using much of their time in the gaming yet it is not a major preoccupation.

Conclusion

             Video games have truly impacted positively on the lives of many but they have also brought together plenty of risks to the societies. They have enabled people to socialize and collaborate effectively enabling those involved to produce knowledge through technology. They have also promoted literature by motivating knowledge acquisition and understanding among the learners. On the other hand, it is clear that playing video games is relatively bad as one may become aggressive after watching the aggressive. They are also addictive and costly and attempts to withdraw leave the victims with withdrawal symptoms. It is advisable to reduce the overdependence on video gaming and rather get involved in major preoccupations which are income generating.

 

Reference

  Kurbanoğlu, S., In Boustany, J., In Špiranec, S., In Grassian, E. S., In Mizrachi, D., &    Roy, L. (2015). Information literacy: Moving toward sustainability : third European Conference, Tallinn, Estonia.

 Anderson, C. A., Gentile, D. A., & Buckley, K. E. (2007). Violent video game effects on children and adolescents: Theory, research, and public policy. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Richard Beach, Deborah Appleman, Susan Hynds, Bo0b Fecho, Jeffry Wilhelm $ Rob     Simon, (2011) Teaching literature to adolescents: Routledge. University of            Minnesota, Twin Cities.

 Gunter, B. (1998). The effects of video games on children: The myth unmasked.    Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press.