Clarification of the Effects of Video Games

            Throughout the past several weeks there have been random instances where we have spoken about video games and its psychological effect. I decided to write this blog based on my experience as well as on the research I conducted to see if others have had similar effects. Keep in mind that just like in any set of data there are a few exceptions and outliers.

            A major positive effect that video games have on those who play them is that it makes the players more sociable. Many of the games today usually allow players to play online with players around the world. If a player has a headset with a microphone, which almost every player does, this allows them to communicate with the players who are in the same lobby or team as them. Games like these usually include Call of Duty, Battlefield, and Gears of War. These types of video games allow those who are shy around people in public to break their shyness behind a headset eventually allowing them to grow and most likely break their shyness in the real world. Another game that is extremely sociable, which was an unpredicted consequence, is Ingress. Ingress is an android game developed by Google, where a player would travel in real life from place to place capturing portals for their team. The reason that this game became sociable is that members of the same team eventually started to communicate with each other to plan operations and even events for them to hangout or go out drinking. Eventually this expanded to include both teams, since after they finished attacking each other’s portals they would invite each other to go out drinking or to get something to eat. The creators stated that this was not intended they only expected players to wonder if the person next to them was playing or just checking a their phone’s for a text message. I know if it was not for overhearing some students in seventh grade speaking about a game that I played I would have never met my best friends, who I am still close to today.

            Last year after the shooting in a Colorado theatre, a rumor began stating that it was the shooter was influenced by violent video games. Research has shown that violent video games do not cause any long term aggression, meaning these rumors were incorrect. Using the aggression from violent video games is short term as in only a couple of minutes long since it is caused by a rush of adrenaline, so it is not even true aggression just mainly excitement caused by the game. Whenever my friends and I are playing video games we notice that we are being aggressive, but in the game not in real life. We are not going on a rampage at home throwing furniture in every direction, just complain on how we were defeated, but that’s about it. I have never truly seen anyone get violent due to playing videos games, violence is usually caused by family problems, social isolation, and how a person is treated by their peers. In reality video games can be used for a person to vent and even let out their anger on virtual players instead of actual living people. Research has shown that there has been an increase in the sales of violent video games while a decrease in the number of violent crimes committed.

            Something that has been seen amongst gamers is an improvement in their strategic thinking or problem solving skills, better hand-eye coordination, and more aware of surroundings. When playing Call of Duty my friends and I usually create several plans of where everyone should be located and even the weapons everyone should have at times. In Ingress there is a similar experience when we run certain operation. Usually when planning the operation, we create a detailed document on Google Docs that states what the goal is, who should be where, is and what everyone should be doing. With improved awareness and problem solving skills, gamers usually see the small details that are not really noticed at times, which comes in handy in several different situations.

            More information can be found with a simple Google Search and asking console gamers since a similar trend is not found with PC gamers, no offense =P.