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Christina San Nicolas

Ms. Ingram
American Literature
May 20, 2014
Video Games: Gaining Points in Life
Video games are becoming more popular, especially among children and teenagers; this
is due to the availability, diversity in consoles and improvement in graphics. Over the years,
there has been controversy about the effects of video games. People, mostly worried parents,
would argue that video games deteriorate and/or alter their childs mind, and are a waste of time.
People tend to fear the inevitably inappropriate content of these games and argue that adolescents
make gaming a prerogative. It also does not help that video games are everywhere. However, to
match the people playing, there are many advantages to playing video games and being a gamer
in general. Through thorough study, the effects of video games have been proven to develop
many skills, bring people closer together, and provide physical and mental exercise.
Solely in America, there is an average of 59 percent of people who play video games.
This has been confirmed since an average U.S. household has at least one gaming electronic; at
least half of these households own an average of two consoles, like the PlayStation and XBOX
(Essential Facts About). Games come in a range between E for Everyone to AO for Adults
Only. Even though games rated M for Mature are more popular, games rated E are in the
largest category, meaning more games are available for everyone (The Benefits of Video). Some
reasons these video games are bought are because of gameplay quality, a gravitating plotline, and
what others have reviewed. Gaming is also popular because of how 77 percent of people can
easily play with a smartphone or other device. Parents are very involved in the games that their

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children play. For example, 95 percent of parents are attentive of the game content, with 87
percent using parental controls and enforcing time limits on gameplay. Only 56 percent of
parents actually agree that video games give their child positive reinforcement (Essential Facts
About). What the other 44 percent of parents do not know is that video games have many more
positive outcomes than negative.
Video games are helpful because they can improve both thought processes and sensory
details. Scientists from the Federation of American Scientists even point out that, complex
video games [] teach high-order thinking skills such as strategic thinking, interpretive analysis,
problem solving, plan formulation and execution, and adaptation to rapid change. Gamers can
also gain skills in multitasking, accuracy, and attention through specific games (The Benefits of
Video). For example, strategic games like Starcraft increase brain flexibility as proved through a
psychological experiment on seventy-two college students (Guarini). It is benefits like these that
make teachers use games like Minecraft and Portal in science, technology, engineering, and math
classes, or STEM classes. Minecraft is used in engineering, math and physics due to its creative
freedom in both creative and survival mode. On the other hand, Valve, the makers of Portal, set
up a service that allows teachers use both Portal 1 and 2 for math and physics (Jenkins). Aside
from the mental state, games can improve our senses. This can be best illustrated through
shooters such as The Last of Us, Halo, and Call of Duty. The University of Rochester has proven
that these shooters, whether first or third person, can advance ones eyesight, especially when
faster reactions are required. When put together, both these factors alter contrast sensitivity,
enabling players to pinpoint numerous shades of grey (The Benefits of Playing). These many
improvements are very helpful to both young and adult gamers, but only scratch the surface.

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Another way games can be helpful is the sense of togetherness, either among friends,
family, or random teammates met on multiplayer (Barenthin and Van Puybroeck). Teens actually
do find games social since 76 percent of them have incorporated gameplay with others. The same
percentage of friends help others with their games, even if they are only spectating (Video Game
Might). Video games even help strengthen the family bond. The games families play are prosocial, which improve teamwork. All in all, cooperation is greatly underscored when a common
goal is realized. Examples would include games like Kirbys Epic Yarn or Lego Star Wars where
everyone assists in answering in-game puzzles (The Benefits of Video). Research also indicates
that games could be used as a communication link between game characters and the actual
players; for example, in Kingdom Hearts, the player could have a connection with any of the
characters like Sora, the nave hero, or Riku, the redeemed Keyblade Master, either by similar
personality or semi-similar situations (Barenthin and Van Puybroeck). Forty-four percent of
gamers even learn a thing or two about society issues. More than 50 percent of teens said they
regularly thing about moral and ethnic issues when playing video games, 43 percent reporting
that games help them make decisions about how different aspects of society should be run
(Video Games Might). As well as improving relationships, video games also improve the person.
Video games give physical and mental assistance to anyone. An example on the physical
side would be studies in 2004 and 2005 that show no link between gaming and any physical
inactivity or obesity. There are actually college and professional athletes who use games like
NBA Live or Madden NFL for off-field conditioning (Hayes and Silberman). Those who do not
need the People also enjoy playing games with motion control in their spare time, whether its
on a Wii, Kinect, or PS Move (The Benefits of Video). A different study tested 681 healthy fiftyyear-olds and older. They were to play ten hours of a specific video game which resulted in the

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halt of normal declination in cognitive abilities by about seven years. A study in Tel Aviv,
conducted by Debbie Rand, showed an improvement in the strength and movement of stroke
victims after they played on consoles like the PS3 (Guarini). First-person shooters are even
known to help improve eye disorders (The Benefits of Playing). On to the mental side, Italian
researchers presented evidence that playing fast paced video games can improve the reading
skills of children with dyslexia. Researchers in New Zealand also found that video games help
battle depression. After using SPARX, which stands for smart, positive, active, realistic, x-factor
thoughts, 44 percent of the teens fully recovered from depression while 26 percent of the control
group were no longer depressed (Guarini). On the other hand, for those who do not need the
extra help, can play on websites like Lumosity. Since these prove to help increase a persons
well-being, it is hard to ignore that video games give some positive outlook.
Even though gaming has its pros, there are always cons that follow. Scientists had
examined 200 college students found violent video game play and aggressive personality
account for major portions of both aggressive behavior and non-aggressive delinquent behavior.
Furthermore, these college students seem to have undermined their grades due to their constant
gameplay. Another search in 2004 showed that immediately after gameplay, the aggression of
children under ten increased (Barenthin and Van Puybroeck). Children also tend to incline and
delve into the violence, causing cruel opinions of others, which make them prone to negative
judgments or actions (Video Games: Cons). Children are also exposed to gender stereotyping
which can distort their social understandings and behavior. One example is pointed at female
characters. The women in games wear skimpy clothing and have unusually large chests. This
could lead to misinterpretations against the women and possibly by the women about themselves
(Barenthin and Van Puybroeck). These are only three constantly repeated cons; since they are

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constantly repeated, people think that they are the only effects video games have to offer.
However, studies and statistics show that there are more to video games than just the cons.
Depending upon the game or genre, games can improve many convenient skills, both physically
and mentally. Video games can even tighten the bond between a family or a group of friends.
In conclusion, video games have many more benefits than detriments. If these points
were to be tallied, it would be around ten pros to three cons. Video games can offer physical and
mental assistance whether one needs it or not or whether one has an illness or not. Teachers and
athletes are utilizing these games to increase skill levels in class and during training. So why not
keep playing video games? With time management and the right choice of genre, anyone can use
video games to their advantage.

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Works Cited
ABC News. "The Benefits of Video Games." ABC News. ABC News Network, 26 Dec. 2011.
Web. 19 May 2014.
Barenthin, Jami, and Marieke Van Puymbroeck. "Research Update: The Joystick Generation:
Video Games Have Measurable Social Effects on Adolescents." Parks &
Recreation Aug. 2006: 24+. Questia School. Web. 19 May 2014.
Entertainment Software Association. Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game
Industry. theESA.com. Entertainment Software Association, April 2014. Web. 19 May
2014.
Guarini, Drew. "9 Ways Video Games Can Actually Be Good For You." The Huffington Post.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, 07 Nov. 2013. Web. 17 May 2014.
Hayes, Elisabeth, and Lauren Silberman. "Incorporating Video Games into Physical Education:
Between Their Popularity and Their Efficient Delivery of Information, Video Games
May Help to Enhance Students' Motivation, Understanding, and Performance in
Sports." JOPERD--The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance 78.3 (2007):
18+. Questia School. Web. 19 May 2014.
Jenkins, Brian. "Don't Quit Playing: Video Games in the STEM Classroom." Techniques Jan.
2014: 60+. Questia School. Web. 19 May 2014.
"The Benefits of Playing First Person Shooter Games." Answers.com. Web. 19 May 2014.
"Video Games: Cons and Pros | AboutOurKids.org." Video Games: Cons and Pros |
AboutOurKids.org. Web. 18 May 2014.