Gaming - Downside

The US video game market reached nearly $ 21 billion in sales in 2008. On an average

an adolescent spends about 10-13 hours per week playing video games. The cause

may be attributed to the fact that video games today have become a necessity more

than a luxury. They are a unique form of entertainment because they encourage players

to become a part of the game. However, video games have both positive and negative

impacts on players. While some of them are fun and entertaining, others have drastic

effects on children.

On one hand, video games are a source of leisure. People play video games because

they want to get away from their everyday stressful life since these games are fun and

interesting way to spend time. Another major advantage of playing video games

includes improving children's computer literacy since most of the games nowadays

require internet. Also research studies show that video games tend to increase one's

hand eye coordination as well as theirability to make quick and reasonable

judgements. Educational games provide practice in problem solving and logic and are

thus becoming more prevalent as teaching tools for youth in primary and secondary

schools. However this is just one side of the coin.

Video Games with violent content have far reaching effects on children. Research

studies suggest that violent video games increase aggressive behavior among youth.

Since violent acts are often rewarded and continually repeated in a game, it highly

influences them. Children who see a lot of violence are more likely to view violence as

an effective way of settling conflicts and are more likely to assume that violence is

acceptable behavior. Also, if one buys an intriguing game, he may get addicted to it,

which may lead to drastic consequences. An addiction may lead to physical problems

like obesity, headaches, damage to eye, decline in schoolwork productivity, spending

problems and confusion between real and...

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