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Video games and youth. Definition. Video games are controlled electronic, interactive games with vibrant colours, sound effects, and complex graphics played on a computer, a console, an arcade machine or on small, hand-held screens where players interact with objects for fun.
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Definition • Video games are controlled electronic, interactive games with vibrant colours, sound effects, and complex graphics played on a computer, a console, an arcade machine or on small, hand-held screens where players interact with objects for fun.
Major video game categories Adventure and Role Playing Action Simulation Arcade Strategy Puzzle Driving
Advantages • To develop essential skills for the learning process • To be teaching, inspiring, challenging, and engaging in ways that reality is not • To increase interest in a certain topic or area • To develop decision-making skills • To improve social skills (players can interact with players from all over the world and make new friendships)
Advantages • To fulfil genuine human needs that the real world is unable to satisfy • To improve confidence in the real world • To stimulate imagination • To give players the opportunity to play different characters in different environments • To be good and enjoyable entertainment
Advantages • To give children/teens role models to look up to • To be a release of violence and aggression/to make children/teens oriented towards violence
Disadvantages • To affect negatively the players’ behaviour: • may increase the amount of aggression and violence • may make players uncompassionate and insensitive towards death • To make players mix up the virtual world with reality • To cause players to miss out on having a well-rounded social life
Disadvantages • To cause health problems (neck ache; backache; repetitive strain injuries; eyestrain; headaches; chest pain; fatigue; mood swings; sleep deprivation; obesity) • To be fatal in extreme cases (heart attacks and blood clots caused by an unhealthy lifestyle) • To become an addiction
Video game Addiction: Symptoms • Spending most non-school hours playing games • Preferring to play video games rather than hang out with friends or spend time with family members • Skipping household chores and homework to spend more time playing video games • Falling asleep during lessons • Worsening school performance
Video game Addiction: Symptoms • Thinking excessively about game play • Feeling irritable, restless, angry or anxious when unable to play • Giving up other activities due to gaming • Using the games to forget about personal problems or escape unpleasant emotions • Trying to play less and fail
Video game Addiction: Symptoms • Lying to others about video game use • Stealing games or money to play
Video game Addiction: Physical Symptoms • Carpal tunnel syndrome • Dry eyes • Headaches • Back and neck aches • Sleep disturbances • Irregular eating habits • Poor personal hygiene
Steps to overcome addiction • Recognise that you have an addiction • Identify the underlying causes of the problem • Reduce the amount of time you spend gaming • Replace gaming time-slots with other activities such as playing sports, going out with friends, etc. • Get support from friends and family • Get medical help and participate in recovery groups in extreme cases
References/Sources • http://www.teachthought.com/uncategorized/why-people-play-video-games/ • http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Video_games.aspx • http://www.video-game-addiction.org • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_addiction • http://www.psychguides.com/guides/video-game-addiction-treatment-program-options/
References/Sources • http://www.wikihow.com/Overcome-a-Gaming-Addiction • https://my.vanderbilt.edu/developmentalpsychologyblog/2014/04/effect-of-video-games-on-child-development/ • https://pixabay.com This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.