Mediation: Video games’ effects on the brain

1. Mediation: Video games’ effects on the brain James Yenser

2. The two sides • Negative effects • Violent video games • Social effects • Positive effects • Learning possibilities • Effects on the brain

3. Analysis • Negative • Largely correlation • Social effects can be discounted • Positive • Best video games are violent • Learning games are not as popular

4. Mediation • Possibility of both positive and negative • Correlation can’t be denied • Scientifically proven benefits • Learning possibilities

5. Rubric Overall Comments: First, get a look at what your Response Team has to say. That report is one of the fullest I received, and I agree with them about the lack of specifics, as you explored the effects violent video games on the players. A lot of the time we merely watched you elaborate on points stated in white words on a black screen — you did little with the visual possibilities of PowerPoint — and not surprisingly, the “Mediation” slide too wound up a list of generalities, like suggesting parents take more responsibility. One the other hand, what you had to say was often intelligent, in particular the distinction between correlation and causation, as regards some studies on the effect of video games. Then too, your slides of “Negatives” and “Positives” had a clarifying balance, with two points each, and you handled the Team questions well, especially the one about long-term studies. B+ or 88.

6. Response team • Presenter: James Yenser • Response Team: Pope, Horton, Al Masri • “A response to Yenser Presentation” • Yenser's argument starts by pointing out the two sides to the issue, those who feel video games have a positive influence and those who feel it has a negative one. The negative side feels that the violent video games can have harmful effects on aggression and desensitization, though most studies on this were not reliable enough to suggest causation, but definitely hinted at correlation. They also argued that it leads to less socialization, which is becoming increasingly not the case with multi-player modes. The side for positive effects sees it as a good educational tool as well as video games benefiting the brain, though the most beneficial games are those that are the most violent. His mediation drew the conclusion that they have both positive and negative effects. If they could find a way to get the benefits of the more violent games with less of the violence, video games would be much more positive influences. •   One method of improving his argument would have been the inclusion of some statistics to back up his points. Even though he presented the positive and negative effects that video games have on the brain, there were not many resources mentioned to support those points. If he included studies or statistics in his presentation, it would have made the argument itself more credible and valid. Another area of improvement is in the strength of his mediation. When presenting the common ground between the opposing sides, there is no proposition made that works to benefit both extremes instead the mediation merely states that there are pros and cons to each side. If his mediation included active proposals that benefit both sides, his mediation would be more effect