Essay beginnings

Since the 1980’s when digital games first started becoming more widely distributed and more popular, several scholars have suggested that digital games have had a largely negative impact on the child’s growing mind and equally their education. However it is only in the last 8 years that this same technology is being embraced not only as a resource but as effective educational tool both in the home and more notably in the classroom.

This change is something that many researchers and ideologists are now looking into.  Although the arguments both for and against digital game’s influence on children has been widely discussed, I think it is worthwhile to look at the issue briefly although as I previously mentioned this had already been discussed before in many books and papers so I didn't want to go into that area in any great detail.

A report online states...

Bad Effects of Video Games

• Most of the bad effects of video games are blamed on the violence they contain.  Children who play more violent video games are more likely to have increased aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and decreased prosocial helping, according to a scientific study (Anderson & Bushman, 2001).  The effect of video game violence in kids is worsened by the games’ interactive nature.  In many games, kids are rewarded for being more violent.  The act of violence is done repeatedly.  The child is in control of the violence and experiences the violence in his own eyes (killings, kicking, stabbing and shooting).  This active participation, repetition and reward are effective tools for learning behavior.  Indeed, many studies seem to indicate that violent video games may be related to aggressive behavior (such as Anderson & Dill, 2000; Gentile, Lynch & Walsh, 2004).  However, the evidence is not consistent and this issue is far from settled.

• Too much video game playing makes your kid socially isolated.  Also, he may spend less time in other activities such as doing homework, reading, sports, and interacting with the family and friends.  

• Video games do not exercise your kid’s imaginative thinking.  Using imagination may be important in developing creativity.  

• Some video games teach kids the wrong values.  Violent behavior, vengeance and aggression are rewarded.  Negotiating and other nonviolent solutions are often not options.  Women are often portrayed as weaker characters that are helpless or sexually provocative.   

• Games can confuse reality and fantasy.

• Academic achievement may be negatively related to over-all time spent playing video games. Studies have shown that the more time a kid spends playing video games, the poorer is his performance in school.  (Anderson & Dill, 2000; Gentile, Lynch & Walsh, 2004)

• Video games may also have bad effects on some children’s health, including obesity, video-induced seizures. and postural, muscular and skeletal disorders, such as tendonitis, nerve compression, carpal tunnel syndrome.

• When playing online, your kid can pick up bad language and behavior from other people, and may make your kid vulnerable to online dangers.

• A study by the Minneapolis-based National Institute for Media and the Family suggests that video games can be addictive for kids, and that the kids' addiction to video games increases their depression and anxiety levels. Addicted kids also exhibit social phobias. Not surprisingly, kids addicted to video games see their school performance suffer.

I want to argue against these points briefly in my essay as they encapsulate the topic.