The truth behind the myths and clichés about video games

Should we be concerned about our children spending their free time playing video games?

Video games and the time spent playing them is a major concern for parents of children and adolescents today. today.

There is a real increase in the consumption of video games both in Spain and worldwide, which is generating a powerful stress factor in parents (and adults in general) due to the stigmatization of society towards this type of leisure offer.

Recommended article: "Do video games make us violent?"

In addition, with the rise of the video game sector and the great popularity that the branch of electronic sports or "e-Sports" is acquiring, criticism towards this sector is becoming harsher and in some cases, more radical. This produces a strong alarm in parents concerned about their children's hobby, which will cause them to pay more attention to information that fits in with their prejudices.This will cause them to pay more attention to information that fits in with their prejudices, due to the fear of possible harm to their children.

Video games and addiction

The main alarm factor for these parents is probably the addiction factor. Usually, video game fans tend to spend a large part of their free time playing video games, which generates a strong feeling of disapproval on the part of parents, in addition to being accused, on many occasions, of being addicted to video games.

It is true that video games can be an addiction, but in the same way, the hobby of cultivating the body in the gym can also be, for example, an addiction to video games.. The truth is that the human being has the power to be addicted to many types of hobbies and here, the turning point is education, the way in which the desire to play is self-regulated.

Learn more: "Eight important psychological aspects of video games".

Data and analysis

To shed light on the issue of video games and try to dispel fears, we would like to cite the results of an interesting study carried out by Estalló, Masferrer and Aguirre in 2001 in which they conducted a thorough investigation with 321 subjects between the ages of 13 and 33. In this study, personality characteristics, behaviors in daily life and some cognitive variables were compared between two samples, one of which showed a continuous, habitual and abundant use of video games, while the other sample showed a total absence of video game use.

Despite being arguments widely used to disapprove the use of video games, the results of this study clearly showed that the continued and regular use of video games does not imply any relevant change with respect to those who do not use them, in aspects such as school adaptation, academic performance, family climate and adaptation, consumption of toxic substances, physical problems such as obesity or headaches, childhood psychological history or social activities.

Likewise, in clinical variables such as personality patterns, aggressiveness, assertiveness or clinical symptoms and syndromes, no significant differences were found in relation to the group of non-gamblers (Estalló, Masferrerr (Estalló, Masferrer & Aguirre, 2001).

The benefits of playing video game consoles

Not only are video games not the villains that the media sometimes portray them to be, but they also provide cognitive benefits.

As we have seen in one of many examples, empirical evidence shows that the continued and habitual use of video games does not pose a real threat to young people.

In addition to not reaching alarming conclusions, research on health and video games shows that video games are a powerful modern tool that can produce benefits in aspects such as cognition, emotions, motivation and social behaviors.

In 2014, Granic, Lobel and Rutger conducted an important review for the APA (American Psychologist Association), on the existing literature in reference to studies demonstrating the benefits of video games in young people, especially in the previously named areas. Since an analysis of each of the areas is beyond the scope of this article, we will only name some of the benefits of each, leaving these analyses for later publications, we will name only some of the benefits of each, leaving these analyses for later publications..

Cognition

In terms of cognition, the benefits are very broad since they promote a Wide range of cognitive skills.. Of special relevance in this area are video games with a shooter theme. shooter are particularly relevant in this area, as they require a high level of attention and concentration, considerably enhancing spatial resolution in visual processing, rotation of mental skills and attention (Green & Babelier, 2012).

2. Motivation

In the field of motivation, video games play an important role since a large number of these, maintain a very precise "effort-reward" fit. which allows young people to be able to develop their skills through effort and be rewarded in a fair and palatable way, thus generating behaviors in favor of a malleable and potentiable intelligence and not as a stable and predefined intelligence (Blackwell, Trzesniewski, &Dweck, 2007).

3. Emotion management

In terms of emotional benefits, there are studies that suggest that some of the most intensely positive emotional experiences are associated with the context of video games (McGonigal, 2011). (McGonigal, 2011) and given the great importance of experiencing positive emotions on a daily basis, the benefits generated from this premise are very important.

4. Cooperation

Finally, due to the strong social component of video games today, which reward cooperative, supportive and helpful behaviors, substantial improvements in players' prosocial behaviors and skills are evident (Ewoldsen et al., 2012).

Video games are not enemies, but allies

The conclusion of all this review on video games dedicated to parents should be the acceptance by parents of video games as a powerful ally for their children (Ewoldsen et al., 2012). videogames as a powerful ally in the education and growth of their childrenCombining them with the discipline and responsibility that we demand from them but that their promotion depends on us.

In this way we could see the benefits that video games can generate or, at least, warn that all those theories that accuse them are unfounded and the result of misinformation. Los videojuegos no son los culpables de los problemas asociados a la juventud.

Referencias bibliográficas:

• Blackwell, L. S., Trzesniewski, K. H., & Dweck, C. S. (2007). Implicit theories of intelligence predict achievement across an adolescent transition: A longitudinal study and an intervention. Child Development, 78, 246–263.

• Estalló, J., Masferrer, M., & Aguirre, C. (2001). Efectos a largo plazo del uso de videojuegos. Apuntes de Psicología. Apuntes de Psicología, 19, 161-174.

• Ewoldsen, D. R., Eno, C. A., Okdie, B. M., Velez, J. A., Guadagno, R. E., & DeCoster, J. (2012). Effect of playing violent video games cooper- atively or competitively on subsequent cooperative behavior. Cyber- psychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 15, 277–280.

• Granic, I., Lobel, A., & Engels, R. C. M. E. (2014). The benefits of playing video games. The American Psychologist, 69(1), 66–78.

• Green, C. S., & Bavelier, D. (2012). Learning, attentional control, and action video games. Current Biology, 22, 197–206.

• McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality is broken: Why games make us better and how they can change the world. New York, NY: Penguin Press.