Hi everyone and welcome to the first episode of this podcast!
Today we going to talk about the positives and negatives effects of video games. This will divide into 3 main parts, the first one will introduce the concept and the definition of video games, the second one will explain the positives effects of video games and the last one the negatives effects.
So, for start I will answer to this question: What is a video game? According to Zimmeran, “It’s a voluntary interactive activity, in which one or more players follow rules that force their behavior into an artificial conflict that leads to a quantifiable result.” I know this definition is quite long but, this is a perfect definition for a video game. Because in most video game the player have to achieve a task or a quest, like defeat a stronger enemy or a group of enemy for resources, alone or with teammates. In addition, video game is a media where everyone can find something interesting because there is plenty of type of video games. So, that explain why it became so popular and why scientists try to show what are the different effects of this media on human being.
Let’s talk about the second part, the positives effects of video games.
The first effect is the influence on prosocial behavior. For a quickly explain meaning of what is a prosocial behavior, we can say that is a voluntary human behavior with the objective of helping others. A study shows that, playing a video game where the player have to execute a prosocial behavior tend to realize more prosocial behaviors in real life. The second effect is the good impact of exergames on cognitive aging. Cognitive aging is the reduction of the brain capacity when we get older and the exergames is a video game using for work or improve our memory. So, another study explains the fact that, playing at an exergame allow to improve speed of information processing. The last effect is the link between serious game and learning, to summarize a serious game is a game with a puzzle or a logical problem for example. Therefore, my last study, for this part, explains the fact that playing to serious games permit an autonomy in learning and a possible displacement of acquired knowledge.
Now that we saw the good side of the effects of video games on human being, we going to see the bad side of this media.
The first bad effect is the link between playing at violent video games and the increase of aggressivity. Indeed, that is the fact that other media always uses to discredit video games but, compare to media who summarize video game at violence, this effect exists and can be reverse. Then the study shows that playing a violent video game increase aggressivity and decrease prosocial behavior. So, the last bad effect is about sexist video games and the empathy with women. Indeed, a study explain that, playing at sexist video games have for effect to decrease the empathy about the women victim of violence.
But, the effect of prosocial behavior study can be useful! The first study we saw shows that video games using prosocial behavior can decrease the effect of violent video games. So, this is the proof that permit us to use video games as a useful tool for human being and not reduce them to their negative effects.
That was my conclusion! I hope you enjoyed this podcast. If you want more information with common subjects, you can read my 2 blogs. The first blog is about the identification in fiction and real life, and the second one is about gender stereotypes and their influences.
Thank’s for listening! See you next time!
Sources:
Zimmerman, E. (2004). Narrative, interactivity, play, and games : Four naughty concepts in need of discipline. First Person: New Media as Story, Performance, and Game, 154, 154‑164.
Greitemeyer, T., & Mügge, D. O. (2014). Video Games Do Affect Social Outcomes : A Meta-Analytic Review of the Effects of Violent and Prosocial Video Game Play. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 40(5), 578‑589. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167213520459
Maillot, P., Perrot, A., & Hartley, A. (2012). The effects of video games on cognitive aging. Gériatrie et Psychologie Neuropsychiatrie du Viellissement, 10(1), 83‑94. https://doi.org/10.1684/pnv.2012.0317
Mouaheb, H., Fahli, A., Moussetad, M., & Eljamali, S. (2012). The Serious Game : What Educational Benefits? Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 46, 5502‑5508. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.06.465
Anderson, C. A., & Bushman, B. J. (2001). Effects of Violent Video Games on Aggressive Behavior, Aggressive Cognition, Aggressive Affect, Physiological Arousal, and Prosocial Behavior : A Meta-Analytic Review of the Scientific Literature. Psychological Science, 12(5), 353‑359. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9280.00366
Gabbiadini, A., Riva, P., Andrighetto, L., Volpato, C., & Bushman, B. J. (2016). Acting like a Tough Guy : Violent-Sexist Video Games, Identification with Game Characters, Masculine Beliefs, & Empathy for Female Violence Victims. PLOS ONE, 11(4), e0152121. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0152121