Playing Video Games: The Positive and Negative Effects

Video games, especially violent video games, have been a subject of controversy for the past three decades. In 2004 the U.S. video game market reached close to $10 billion in sales. Seventy-nine percent of children play video games. On average, boys play video games for thirteen hours per week and girls for five hours per week. In light of their popularity, parents are eager to know the facts on video games and the effects of video games on adults and children.

Positive Effects of Video Games
Despite what some critics of video games may believe, playing these games can have many positive effects. For example, video games: 

• are an activity that children and their parents can play together 
• give children practice in following directions
• introduce players to information technology
• introduce children to computer technology 
• provide practice in problem solving and logic
• provide practice in fine motor and spatial skills.

The Negative Effects of Video Games
Several studies have found a relationship between watching violent television and violent behavior. It is also possible that performing violent acts in video games could create more aggressive behavior in real life.

Psychologists Douglas Gentile, PhD, and Craig Anderson, PhD, argue that violent video games may affect children more than violent television because violent video games require a greater level of involvement. Moreover, violent video games reward violent behavior, which players repeat over and over as they play these games.

Some other negative effects of video games to consider include :

• Creativity: many video games do not require independent thought or creative thinking.
  
  
• Portrayal of women: women are usually portrayed as weak, helpless and sexually provocative. Moreover, gender bias is at the heart of some video game plots.
  
  
• Social isolation: excessive dependence on video games might lead to anti-social behavior if people play video games by themselves.
  
  
• Violence: many video games involve plots based on violence and domination. To become good at the games, players must reach greater levels of violence.

The Video Game Rating System
The violence and sexual content of many video games make them inappropriate for minors. Concerns over the content of these games led to the development of a rating system, similar to the one used for movies.

In 1994 the Entertainment Software Association created the Entertainment Software Ratings Board. The ESRB rates virtually all games sold in the United States and Canada. The ratings are as follows:

• EC (Early Childhood): suitable for ages three and above. Contains no inappropriate material.
  
  
• E (Everyone): suitable for ages six and above. May contain minimal violence, mild language, or some comic mischief.
  
  
• E10+ (Everyone 10+): suitable for people ages ten and above. Games in this category may contain more cartoon, fantasy or mild violence, mild language, and/or minimal suggestive themes.
  
  
• T (Teen): suitable for ages 13 and above. May contain suggestive themes, mild or strong language, and/or violent content.
  
  
• M (Mature): suitable for ages 17 and above. May contain strong language, more intense violence, and/or mature sexual themes.
  
  
• AO (Adults Only): suitable only for adults. May include graphic depictions of violence and/or sex and are not intended for persons under the age of 18.
  
  
• RP (Rating Pending): titles have been submitted and are awaiting final rating.

While these ratings help provide important information for parents when selecting video games, the facts on video games suggest that the ages of video game players do not always correspond to the age recommended by ratings.

Large retailers of video games such as Sears, Target and Wal-Mart have policies to prevent children under seventeen from buying video games rated “Mature.” However, according to the Federal Trade Commission, 69 percent of unaccompanied 13-16 year-olds are able to purchase "M" rated video games from retailers.

Parents Must Be Involved
Parents should take an active role in finding video game information in order to protect their children from potentially inappropriate violent video games or the negative effects of video games.

Unfortunately, not all parents are aware of the content of video games. A March 2005 study of more than 2,000 video game players aged eight to 18 by Dr. Donald Roberts, Ulla G. Foehr, and Victoria Rideout provides some interesting but also troubling facts on video games and children:

• 21 percent of respondents reported that their parents set rules about which video games they can play
• 17 percent reported their parents check the ratings or warning labels on video games
• 12 percent reported they play video games that they know their parents would not approve.

Parents need to be involved in the purchase of video games and make sure that the games played by their children are those that offer positive effects and do not encourage violent or antisocial behavior.