Do you think video Games are bad? If you read this, do you still think it's bad?

Question

It has been assumed by some parents that video games can decrease a child’s intelligence due to the pointless violence in the game, but evidence suggests otherwise. Many studies have proven that playing video games can improve children’s skills in math and comprehension earning them higher scores on benchmark exams . Children have to discover the rules of a game and how to think strategically, video games can relieve stress, and more than 70 percent of video games contain no more bloodshed than a game of Risk .
Children have to discover the rules of a game and learn how to think strategically. For example most games contain multiple tasks that must be completed in order to advance through the game. "Well we have to get the Jeep, we have to ride up a hill, kill the snipers, drive past the mountainside, go into another giant palace and activate the remote," said one 10-year-old interviewed by ABC News while playing the Halo 2 video game, designed for the Microsoft Xbox gaming system. Completing multiple tasks using whatever resources the game provides the player can improve the player’s fluid intelligence (problem-solving skills.)
Video games can relieve stress. Some believe that reading is a better alternative, but reading relieves stress by allowing the reader to mentally visit a different world for a short period of time. When one plays a video game they see, hear, and control the world they are in, bringing the player deeper into the world than one who reads. Also if one is feeling stressed they can shoot and/or beat up a character in a video game, rather than hurting someone in the real world.
More than 70 percent of video games contain no more bloodshed than a game of Risk . Most parents that do not approve of video games envision bombs, bangs and blood. Only about 30 percent of all video games have violence, and most of those can improve the player’s fluid intelligence. Very few video games are completely worthless games with no benefits whatsoever. Even the Super Smash Brothers series, the Guitar Hero series, and the halo series have some benefits. For example, Super Smash Brothers is excellent for improving hand-eye-coordination because there are many button combinations that must be performed quickly in order to best attack the opponent. It also helps with reasoning skills because each character has different abilities and the player must decide how to best overcome their opponent’s abilities with their own. Guitar hero is also very good for hand-eye-coordination, and it helps improve reflexes because the player is sometimes required to quickly and accurately press multiple buttons or else they fail. Halo, as it has already been stated, can improve fluid intelligence.
Many video games, even certain violent ones, have many benefits. They can improve fluid intelligence, hand-eye-coordination, strategic thinking, reasoning, reflexes, and they can relieve stress. While many may believe that video games are a waste of time, more and more evidence has proven again and again that there are definitely some benefits for children that play video games.

Answer 1

Games are good for everybody,i love video games i like violent games and all sort of but i have self control and i know what's good and what's not and that's why the rate the games in different levels.

Games like guitar hero like you said are very good to have a sharp mind and re-act quick that's what some of the video games are for and some of them are for having fun,no game is bad for you that just depend of how you take all the fake world of the game and how well your head is that's why they clearly say not for minors or persons with some head problems.

Answer 2

Books typically force the reader to do more work---you have to actively try and understand it and use your imagination, at least for more complicated literature. That's good for your mind. And reading educational books is very normal, while educational games are not as common. Video games do more of the work for you. In many games you're told exactly what to do and how to do it, without any real thinking on your part. You participate, but it's not really an exercise for you. So in general, books are better than video games to enrich the mind. However, there's some enriching and educational games and some pretty awful books, so this is certainly not true for *all* games and *all* books. After all, some video games give you tools to work with but except you to make something out of it yourself, like The Sims. When it comes to entertainment, it's just a matter of preference. I would say that both video games and books are better than watching television, as television stops you from any thinking at all---you're expected to just take it all in, which means that even for educational shows it's probably not as good as reading a book on the same subject.

Answer 3

the's nothing wrong with video games.



the trouble is the lack of MODERATION. NOTHING IS GOOD TO THE EXTREME.



and with video games, to the extreme, to me (as a gamer), means multiple hours per day. sure, during the holidays you'll game more, but during the normal course of life (school or work) gaming needs to be limited because any recreational activity needs to be limited.



while i appreciate the long explanation of why video games are good, the point is that there are far better substititions for all of the benefits listed above above. A 10 year old remembering 5 tasks should be considered the bare minimum of intelligence, not proof that video games are a social benefit.



So let's just call it like it is. Video games are entertaining and alot of fun. There's nothing wrong with fun, but fun has a limit, and something like gaming certainly needs limits.



you probably don't like this response much, but it's my humble opinion as a gamer.

Answer 4

I love video games and agree with this article, but you have to make sure you don't get addicted to it :P In my family my brother and I play the most video games and we have the highest hand eye coordination while my sisters who don't play have lower hand eye coordination. Some games are also problem solving as well as spatial thinking :)

*edit* Just thought of more stuff! You should probably make sure that you exercise too and too much of it is bad. But there are both good and bad video games- both my parents like them XD

Answer 5

As a parent i would say video games aint bad. I would rather have my son play video games, then be out in the streets with his friends doing how knows what. Research found some games are helpful. Such as brain age academy. It focus's on your brain. I mean i wouldnt let my son play games such as GTA and The Godfather. Gore games. When he gets to the age 18 them if he wants to play them its up to him. I hope this help

Answer 6

They're good and bad, it's all personal preference really and how limited you are on them. Control is key.



Studies are being done all the time on nearly everything. The information and "findings" always change. I go by opinion, not by some study a bunch of scientists are doing.

Answer 7

I always thought video games made me smart

And you have just reenforce that

Answer 8

its not bad. its how peoples thought process works. some people are more mature then others. others are much more weakminded. what makes videogames "bad" are the people who cant define good and bad.

Answer 9

I have never and will never(hopefully) think that video games are bad.

Answer 10

Unless you get addicted... like me :[



But I agree I guess