Effects Of Video Games Research Articles

Effects of action video games on reading skills of individuals with developmental dyslexia and its internal mechanisms

Effects of action video games on reading skills of individuals with developmental dyslexia and its internal mechanisms

Insensitive Players? A Relationship Between Violent Video Game Exposure and Recognition of Negative Emotions

An ability to accurately recognize negative emotions in others can initiate pro-social behavior and prevent anti-social actions. Thus, it remains of an interest of scholars studying effects of violent video games. While exposure to such games was linked to slower emotion recognition, the evidence regarding accuracy of emotion recognition among players of violent games is weak and inconsistent. The present research investigated the relationship between violent video game exposure (VVGE) and accuracy of negative emotion recognition. We assessed the level of self-reported VVGE in hours per day and the accuracy of the recognition using the Facial Expressions Matching Test. The results, with adolescents (Study 1; N = 67) and with adults (Study 2; N = 151), showed that VVGE was negatively related to accurate recognition of negative emotion expressions, even if controlled for age, gender, and trait empathy, but no causal direction could be assessed. In line with the violent media desensitization model, our findings suggest that higher self-reported VVGE relates to lower recognition of negative emotional expressions of other people. On the one hand, such lower recognition of negative emotions may underlie inaccurate reactions in real-life social situations. On the other hand, lower sensitivity to social cues may help players to better focus on their performance in a violent game.

Effect of Video Games on Psychological Development of the Child in Primary Schools in Baghdad

Objectives: To review scientific studies of the effect of video games on child psychological development.And to examine the evidence that playing video games plays a role on child psychological development.Design: A descriptive analytical study starting from December 2016 to May 2017 such an assessmentapproach is apply to achieve the objectives of the study.Methodology: A simple random sample of 300 students selected from a probability-stratified sample ofprimary school for both sexes in Baghdad Al – Rasafa, starting from December 2016 to May 2017. Aquestionnaire constructed for the purpose of the present study throughout a review of relevant literature,previous studies and consultation from panel of experts. To begin, answer the questions using the scale, Know,Uncertain, Don’t Know. The questionnaire consist of two main parts, Part one included the demographicinformation (15) items, part two included the items of psychological effect which consist of (13) items.The overall items which were included in the questionnaire were (28) items. Reliability and validity of thequestionnaire were determined through a pilot study. Data collected using the questionnaire fromFebruary 27 2017 to 14th of March 2017 through the utilization of the semi - structured technique as amean of data collection. Data analyzed through descriptive statistical data analysis approach (frequency,percentage and mean) and inferential statistical data analysis approach.Results: The results showed that the effect of video games on the psychological development of the childhad a mild significant effect resulting from playing video games.Conclusion: It is clear that the effect of video game is a serious problem for the generation of children andfuture builders in our society, when there is no aware towards the impact of the problem.
 Recommendation: Educating children about media effects generally and about video game effectsspecifically, so that children can learn to make informed choices. In addition, encouraging children to playpro-social and educational video games in preference to violent games.

Exergames in Childhood Obesity Treatment: A Systematic Review.

In the last decade, active video games (exergames) have been proposed in obesity prevention and treatment as a potential tool to increase physical activity. This review was aimed to assess the possible role of exergames in reducing weight-related outcomes among overweight/obese children and/or adolescents. The databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and SPORTDiscus were interrogated to detect controlled studies involving healthy overweight/obese children and adolescents in interventions based exclusively on exergames. Out of a total of 648 articles found, 10 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The included studies differ for duration, setting and type of intervention, frequency of active game sessions, and outcomes considered. Seven out of ten studies reported better outcomes in children/adolescents involved in the interventions, with significant differences between groups in four, while three studies found better outcomes in control groups. These results suggest a possible positive effect of active video games on weight-related outcomes in obese children and adolescents. However, further research is still needed to define if they can be effectively used in childhood obesity treatment and which may be the most effective approach. The potentiality of the new digital media in this field should be explored.

The Effects of Video Games on Children's Well-Being

The Effects of Video Games on Children's Well-Being

Effectiveness of the REThink therapeutic online video game in promoting mental health in children and adolescents

Although evidence-based interventions exist, estimates suggest that about 60% percent of children and adolescents with mental health disorders do not receive the treatment they need. In this context, one expanding strategy for increasing access to mental health care for children and adolescents is the use therapeutic, or serious, games. REThink is one such therapeutic game, developed to offer a CBT-based prevention that was documented in a controlled trial to develop psychological resilience in children and adolescents, aged between 10 and 16, helping them learn healthy strategies for coping with dysfunctional negative emotions such as anxiety, anger and depression. This study aims to test the effectiveness of the REThink therapeutic online video game in promoting emotional health in children and adolescents in a pilot study.Participants (N = 31), aged between 10 and 16 years, were recruited on a volunteer basis from a school. Emotional problems, irrational beliefs, negative automatic thoughts, rational beliefs, and problem solving abilities were assessed pre- and post-using the therapeutic game. We also measured participants' satisfaction with the game. Results obtained show improvements in terms of emotional problems of the youths, their irrational beliefs, negative automatic thoughts and high levels of intervention satisfaction. of this study are in support of the previous findings suggesting that the REThink online game can be a valuable tool for large-scale mental health efforts aimed at the prevention of emotional disorders in children and adolescents, in accordance with evidence-based prevention protocols.

New Social Horizons: Anxiety, Isolation, and Animal Crossing During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Increased participation in activities has been associated with improved positive mental health outcomes. However, there is much debate regarding the net effects of video games on individuals. Typified as a socially isolating activity, many games inherently contain socialization within the environment with game-generated characters or other players. Coinciding with the time of the initial pandemic/quarantine period was the release of a popular socializing and life simulation game, Animal Crossing: New Horizons. We investigated whether participation in this game was related to emotional outcomes associated with pandemics (e.g., loneliness and anxiety). The relationship between deleterious mental health and social gaming, amid a time of enforced reduction in socializing, would allow us to isolate the impact of the introduction of a social video game on improving the quality of life for players of this game. Participants (n = 1053) were asked about their time spent playing video games via an online survey, their socialization in game play, loneliness, and anxiety. We predicted that participants with higher levels of social interaction within the game would report less loneliness and anxiety. Utilizing multiple linear regression analyses, the research found that increased gaming and related activities were predictive of higher anxiety and somewhat related to increased loneliness. However, increased visits to another island were associated with lower levels of loneliness. As such, players may be utilizing gaming as a coping mechanism for anxiety. This research may inform generalized research regarding the influence that social games may have on feelings of loneliness and anxiety.

The New Frontier of Esports and Gaming: A Scoping Meta-Review of Health Impacts and Research Agenda.

Given the rapid evolution of the gaming industry and the rising popularity of a hyper-connected, competitive esports version of online gaming, a meta-review of the impact of online competitive gaming upon health is timely. A scoping meta-review was conducted on 10 reviews that reported on any health consequences (physical, lifestyle, cognitive, mental, or social) of esports, online competitive gaming, or video gaming participation, as a player or spectator. While past reviews have examined health effects of video gaming, few have focused upon the newly evolved gaming context, incorporating both playing and streamed viewing, recognition as a professional sport, and potential career and exponential participation. Most past reviews have focused upon physical health impacts of video gaming among adolescents and young adults, but none have examined impacts of different forms of gaming participation in the new gaming era, and their potential differential health impacts. A scoping meta-review was undertaken on the physical, social, and psychological health outcomes of competitive online gaming and associated screen use, revealing a need for further review and research into lifestyle health outcomes including diet and sedentary behavior among young esports and competitive video gaming participants.

Comparing Traditional Teaching and Game-Based Learning Using Teacher-Authored Games on Computer Science Education

<italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Contribution:</i> This article provides evidence on the effectiveness of game-based learning (GBL) for computer science education when using educational video games created by teachers using authoring tools. <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Background:</i> Although teacher-oriented authoring tools for creating educational video games can help overcome the main barriers hampering the use and uptake of GBL, there is a lack of studies examining the effectiveness of educational video games authored by teachers using these authoring tools by means of rigorous scientific methods. <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Research Questions:</i> Is GBL using teacher-authored games more effective than traditional teaching in terms of motivation for computer science students? Is GBL using teacher-authored games more effective than traditional teaching in terms of knowledge acquisition for computer science students? <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Methodology:</i> Two randomized control trials with pretest, post-test, and one questionnaire were conducted to compare the effectiveness of traditional teaching and GBL in two computer science courses. The sample of the two experiments was composed by 75 and 49 students, respectively. Half of the students attended a traditional lecture, while the other half learned solely by playing teacher-authored educational video games. <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Findings:</i> The results show that GBL using teacher-authored games was practically as effective as traditional teaching in terms of knowledge acquisition, but that it was emphatically successful in increasing student motivation. Students who learned by playing educational video games found the experience more motivating and fun than their counterparts, and a vast majority of them preferred the GBL approach over traditional teaching.

Effects of excessive video game playing on event-related brain potentials during working memory

The effect of excessive video game playing on cognitive function is a new and controversial topic. Brain imaging studies indicate that the neural effects of excessive internet/ game play or addiction are similar to those observed in substance addiction and pathological gambling. However, it remains unclear whether excessive video game players (EVGPs) show altered behavioral and brain (event-related potentials; ERP) responses during cognitive tasks when compared to non-players (NPs). We measured ERP responses of EVGPs (n = 20) and NPs (n = 20) during a visual working memory (WM) task. Contrary to our hypothesis, the behavioral results indicated that the two groups had similar WM performance. However, the EVGP group showed significantly longer reaction times during incorrect responses when asked to decide whether a stimulus was correctly located with respect to the originally encoded set. In support of our hypothesis, the EVGPs showed smaller P300 and negative slow wave (NSW) amplitude than NPs during the misleading condition of the WM task. Reduced P300 and NSW amplitude in EVGPs may reflect impaired WM maintenance.

Exploring the Mediating Effect of Psychological Engagement on the Relationship between Child-to-Parent Violence and Violent Video Games.

Research into the effects of violent video games on levels of aggression has raised concerns that they may pose a significant social risk, especially among younger people. The objective of this study was to analyze, through structural equation models, the mediating role of psychological engagement in the relationship between the consumption of violent video games and child-to-parent violence (CPV) against the mother and the father. The sample consisted of 916 students from the third and fourth grades of compulsory secondary education, first and second grades of high school, and first cycle of vocational training (483 males and 433 females), of whom a total of 628 were video game players, aged between 13 and 19. The exposure to video games was assessed through an author-elaborated questionnaire, engagement was evaluated with the game engagement questionnaire, and CPV was assessed through the child-to-parent aggression questionnaire. The structural equation models indicated that exposure to violent video games was related to lower rates of CPV against both parents. Conversely, the flow (a sense of being in control, being one with activity, and experiencing distortions in the perception of time) dimension of engagement positively correlated with the level of CPV against the mother, whereas the flow and absorption (total engagement in the current experience) dimensions correlated with CPV against the father. In conclusion, the results confirm the role of violent video game consumption, reducing CPV rates against both parents, a role that is offset to the extent that these violent games provoke engagement in the user.

Effects of excessive violent video game playing on verbal memory: an event-related brain potentials study.

The goal of the study was to investigate temporal dynamics of excessive violent game playing. We compared behavioral data and event-related potentials (ERPs) of excessive video game players (EVGPs, n = 21) and non-players (NPs, n = 21) using a classical learning, cued recall and recognition paradigm, featuring violent and non-violent words. During the recognition phase, EVGPs performed better for violent words, but worse for non-violent words compared to NPs. Also, EVGPs showed slower reaction times than NPs when responding to new violent words. We found significant group differences in parietal P300 and FN400 amplitudes. The EVGP group showed larger P300 amplitudes for violent words, and more negative FN400 amplitudes for new violent words compared to NPs. The results imply that EVGPs differ from NPs in their cognitive and ERP responses to violent and non-violent verbal stimuli. The cognitive processes of EVGPs are consistent with a model of attention and memory bias rather than with desensitization to violence.

A Positive Side of Violent Video Game Play

The exploration of the potential link between aggression and violent video game play has been extended to violent video game play as a precursor to violent crime. If violent video game play does increase aggression in players, that does not translate into real-world violence or violent crime. There is no single criminogenic risk factor that causes someone to commit violent criminal acts, so the idea that violent video game play causes players to commit a crime, through desensitization or otherwise, is not plausible. Therefore, this paper discusses if violent video game play is a contributing factor for an individual to participate in violent crime. The conclusion is that violent video game play and violent crime exist in a negative correlation to one another. Crime data compared to video game sales, implying higher video game play rates, shows a decrease in property and violent crime in areas where violent video game play is increased. This outcome may be explained by more time spent in the home playing video games via Routine Activities Theory as well as the presence of a catharsis effect. Since violent video game play contributes to lower crime rates, this may produce lower social costs for society as well as a heightened feeling of safety in impacted areas. Future research in this area includes violent video game play and violent crime studies conducted with a broader range of participants with various demographics, as well as the long-term effects of violent video game play on players.

Video games for people with schizophrenia.

Video games for people with schizophrenia.

Some effects of sexist video games on self-masculinity associations

ABSTRACT Across two experimental studies, we investigated the short-term effect of video games with sexist content (i.e,. representing women as sexual objects and men as hyper-masculine) on women’s objectification . We examine whether identifying with a masculine character who objectified women can increase implicit association of self with masculinity, which in turn would increase objectification of women. Participants (n study 1 = 69 (32 men, mean age = 20.83), n study 2 = 119 (61 men, mean age = 20.09)) played either a sexist or non-sexist video game. We measured subsequently implicit association of self with masculinity, women’s objectification (measured with two different measurements in Study1 and 2) and identification with video game character. Results showed that greater identification with video game character predicted stronger association between self-concept and masculinity but not with women’s objectification. Thus, it seems that identification with video game character may play an important role in video games’ influence.

Investigating the Potential of Online Video Games in Enhancing EFL Learners' Communication Skills

The Information Age has paved immense pathways for the emergence of technology, which led to eventually a complete digitalization of our communities. An ideal example of this advent is the continued growth of online video games (OVG) worldwide between youngsters and adults. To this end, our primary purpose was to understand and learn more about the diverse effects of online video games on EFL learners at the extent to which OVGs can be applied, as a new technique in academic settings. To go deeply through this research, we selected age and gender as variables to investigate their influence on EFL learners’ communication skills and their intercultural communicative competence in online video games. We used a mixed-methods approach to collect relevant data for the current research study, including an online learners’ questionnaire, interviews, and in-game observations. The results revealed that online video games became beneficial and useful for learners of English as a foreign language. They help improve communication skills and intercultural communication skills in educational settings. However, the list of conditions should be checked for learning and communication in online video games.

Active Video Games for Improving Mental Health and Physical Fitness-An Alternative for Children and Adolescents during Social Isolation: An Overview.

The aim of this study was to synthesize the evidence on the effects of active video games (AVGs) on mental health, physical fitness and body composition of children and adolescents. A search was conducted in the following databases: PubMed; MEDLINE (by Ovid); SportDiscus, Cochrane library systematic reviews (CENTRAL) and EMBASE with no language restrictions during October 2020. Reviews on the use of AVGs were included in the study. We use the AMSTAR (A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews) scale to analyze the methodological quality of the studies. Seventeen systematic reviews and meta-analyzes were included on the effects of AVGs with 30 to 4728 children and adolescents of both sexes with ages ranging from 6 to 19 years. In five studies, the population was overweight or obese. Regarding the quality, 12 studies were of moderate quality, two had high quality, two had low quality and one showed very low quality. The analyzed data indicate that the use of AVGs with a frequency of 1 to 3 times a week with durations of between 10 and 90 min per day shows positive effects on mental health and physical functioning. There was moderate quality evidence that AVGs can result in benefits for self-esteem, increased energy expenditure, physical activity and reduced body mass index in children and adolescents who used AVGs in the home environment. Further research is needed on this tool to help in the process of social isolation and consequently in promoting health and well-being.

Understanding the Mediating Role of Moral Disengagement in the Association between Violent Video Game Playing and Bullying/Cyberbullying Perpetration

The present study examined the direct and indirect effects (via moral disengagement) of violent video game playing on bullying/cyberbullying perpetration in early adolescents. The study included 479 middle school students aged 11–14 years (M = 13.06, SD = .76). Of the participants, 216 (45.1%) were girls and 263 (54.9%) were boys. The measures included violent video game playing, moral disengagement, bullying, and cyberbullying perpetration scales. The significance of indirect effects was estimated using 5000 bootstrap samples and 95% bias-corrected confidence intervals. The findings showed that violent video game playing was directly and positively associated with early adolescents’ bullying perpetration. Also, violent video game playing was indirectly associated with early adolescents’ bullying and cyberbullying perpetration through moral disengagement. Finally, moral disengagement both predicted bullying and cyberbullying perpetration. Findings provided evidence for the role of violent video game playing and moral disengagement for early adolescents’ bullying and cyberbullying perpetration. Limitations and implications of the findings are discussed and future directions are provided.

Can Worried Parents Predict Effects of Video Games on Their Children? A Case-Control Study of Cognitive Abilities, Addiction Indicators and Wellbeing.

Many parents worry over their children’s gaming habits, but to what extent do such worries match any detrimental effects of excessive gaming? We attempted to answer this question by comparing children of highly concerned parents with other adolescents of the same age. A cohort of parents who identified as highly concerned over their children’s video game habits were recruited for a public study in collaboration with a national television network. Using an online experimental platform in conjunction with surveys of parents’ beliefs and attitudes, we compared their children to age-matched peers in an exploratory case-control study. The scores of children with highly concerned parents on tests of cognitive control (cued task-switching and Iowa Gambling Task) and psychological wellbeing (WHO-5) were statistically similar to controls, suggesting no selective cognitive or psychological detriments from gaming or otherwise in the cases with concerned parents. The case group, however, did spend more time gaming, and scored higher than controls on problem gaming indicators (Gaming Addiction Scale), which also correlated negatively with wellbeing. Within the case group, wellbeing effects seemed mainly to consist in issues of relaxation and sleep, and related to gaming addiction indicators of playing to forget real-world problems, and the feeling of neglecting non-gaming activities. Where most results of research staged for TV never get published, making it difficult to interpret both methods and results, this paper describes findings and participant recruitment in detail. The relationship between parental concern and children’s gaming is discussed, as is the merits and challenges of research conducted with media, such as TV programs and their recruited on-screen participants.

Mišljenje budućih i diplomiranih učitelja o primeni video-igara u obrazovanju u uslovima društvenih promena

The paper deals with the problem of the application of video games in teaching and learning in the conditions of sudden social changes at the beginning of the third decade of the 21st century. It is assumed that video games today occupy a significant place in the experience of children, in parallel with the growing presence of ICT in education and distance learning. The first part of the paper provides an overview of relevant research studies that deal with the effects of video games in pedagogical practice and the effects on children’s well-being. The second part of the paper interprets the results of em- pirical research with the aim of determining the opinion of future and graduate teachers on the application of video games in current educational practice. A purpose-built Likert-type assessment scale with 26 items was used. The obtained data indicate that there is a division among the respondents as to whether and to what extent video games should be used in teaching. About a third of the respondents think that video games should not be introduced in the teaching content at all, while two thirds think that it should be done in some form. Teachers who have been video game players themselves have a slightly affirmative attitude towards video games and their positive effects in education. On the other hand, their, mostly older, colleagues who have not played video games consider them harmful to children and have a negative attitude towards the idea that they are applied in teaching and learning. Both groups of respondents largely agree that video games can have negative effects on children’s well-being, especially when it comes to the occurrence of psychological dependence, physi- cal health disorders and the risk of child manipulation. Comparing the obtained results with recent research studies indicates that it is necessary to further explore the possibilities of video games in education, especially when it comes to video games that are designed with the intention of having an educational character.