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Name: Ee Hui Teng

ID: 0322548
Module: English 1 [ELG30505]
Session: January, 2015

1 Nowadays many people have access to computers on a wide basis and a large number of children play computer games for
long hours on a regular basis. What do you think are the causes or effects of this condition? Plan your response, and then
write a cause or effect essay.

Parents unaware
of game ratings

Curiosity of a child

Having problems
with violent and
aggressive behavior

Repeated practice
of violence in game

Getting addicted to
computer games

Effects of access to computers on a wide basis


and a large number of children play computer
games for long hours on a regular basis.

Effective teaching method

Causing health problems

Back problems

Reduce
sleep time

Late-night
computer sessions

poor body
positioning

Near-sightedness

Competitive

Difficulty
concentrating

Depression of
their immune
system

Drowsiness

Vision problems
Eye strain

the position of the


computer and screen

Children spend too


much time playing
computer games

Effects of Children Playing Computer Games


Nowadays, computers have become an essential for life as it is greatly needed in our lives to conduct and assist our daily task. Usage
of computers has increased drastically over the years together with the number of children exposed and playing computer games. This
is because most children show interest in computer games as it has a great variety and there will always be a game to fit the taste.
There are various types of computer games in the market such as DOTA, Left 4 Dead, Maple Story and Sudden Attack. Walsh (2000)
conducted a research that states a majority of children admitted that their parents do not impose a time limit on the number of hours
they are allowed to play video games. This occurrence has caused several impacts on us such as having problems with aggressive and
violent behavior, getting addicted to computer games and causing health problems.
First of all, computer games promote violence. Walsh (2000) showed that most parents are not aware of the content or the
Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating of the computer games their children play. Studies reported by Palo Alto Medical
Foundation (2014), children who spend too much time playing computer games with violent content risk having problems with
aggressive and violent behavior. Gentile & Anderson (2003) highlights that the repeated use of games that promote violence increases
aggressive behavior. This has long been considered as an effective teaching method in reinforcing learning patterns. Game characters
and settings make it difficult for children to separate real life from the imaginary "first-person" gaming experience. Studies has found
that controlling for prior aggression, adolescents who played more violent computer games during the beginning of the school year
showed more aggression than other children later in the school year. (Pediatrics, Nov. 2008)
Next, computer games also cause addiction among children. It all starts with the curiosity of a kid. As example, a child asks his older
brother if he has a game called DOTA 2 due to curiosity after he heard of it from some other sources, and surprise, he does. His older

brother says that maybe he shouldn't play it but he can watch him play and feel like a loser. The child will then find a way to play and
master it just because he is competitive and wants to surpass his older brother in order to not feel like a loser. To do so, he has to
spend a great amount of time and give up on more important things than it such as doing his homework, socializing and attend classes.
Eventually, he will get addicted to it and playing computer games is all he does. In a research done by Gentile, Lynch, Linder & Walsh
(2004, p.6) states that "adolescent girls played video games for an average of 5 hours a week whereas boys averaged 13 hours a
week". This shows that children nowadays spent long hours playing computer games and are addicted to it.
Last but not least, spending long hours on computers cause health problems. Even though the Health Physics Society research shows
that there are no radiation-related health risks linked to computers and monitors, the screen brightness level and the time length that
children spend focusing on the computer monitor leads to eye strain. Optometrist Gary Heiting warns parents that prolonged gaming
play in front of a monitor may cause computer vision syndrome, a condition that can result in progressive nearsightedness. Sitting in
front of a computer for long hours can create back problems from poor body positioning or from the position of the computer and
screen. Late-night computer sessions reduce sleep time and cause concentration difficulties, drowsiness and weakened immune
system. Children spending long periods on a computer are definitely not having any meaningful exercise. Therefore, computer addiction
indirectly leads to obesity and poor overall physical condition.
In conclusion, wide basis access to computers and a great amount of children play computer games for long hours regularly causes numerous
negative effects to our lives such as having problems with aggressive and violent behavior, getting addicted to computer games and

causing health problems. The cost of children losing out on their homework and physical exercise, as well as them becoming prone to
violent acts, is too much. It is important that the educators and the parents treat this problem with great measures. Parents may enforce

certain rules and regulations that allow children to responsibly divide their time between handling their responsibilities as a student and
a child and playing computer games.

References
Andrea Norcia, M. (2014, June 1). The Impact of Video Games. Retrieved April 27, 2015, from http://www.pamf.org/parentingteens/general/media-web/videogames.html
Anonymous. (n.d.) Sample Cause and Effect Essay on Video Games Influence of Children. Retrieved April 27, 2015, from
http://www.tailoredessays.com/samples/video-games-affect-children-essay.htm
B.A.M, B. (n.d.). 5 Reasons Kids Play Violent Video Games. Retrieved April 28, 2015, from http://www.cracked.com/funny-7957-5reasons-kids-play-violent-video-games/
Grabianowski, E. (n.d.). Computer Addiction Effects - HowStuffWorks. Retrieved April 27, 2015, from
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet/basics/computer-addiction2.htm
Grayson, L. (2014, March 13). Does Playing Computer Games Negatively Affect Children? Retrieved April 27, 2015, from
http://www.livestrong.com/article/48504-negative-effects-computer-games-children/
Norcia, A. (2011, February 18). The Effect of Video Games on Children. Retrieved April 27, 2015, from
http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Impact_Video_Games/

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