VCAA Study Scores

Whether gambling, alcohol or shopping, it is surprising to find video games being a part of this growing list. Video game addiction is a growing epidemic that is running rampant through the world, including parts of Asia. Death from video games is becoming more common and sounds like a horror story (Flanagan). Contributing to the increase are illnesses and social disorders, two well-known conditions being social anxiety and depression. By shutting themselves out from the real world, the only light being the screen of their television or computer and eyes glued to the screen, their basic needs are ignored.

Studies have shown that repeated exposure to violent video games over time does affect the structure and functioning of the adolescent brain. The brain is a malleable and ‘plastic’ structure that can change and evolve with every stimulus we give it. Whether this stimulus comes from studying Spanish, training in basketball or playing a video game, every single input can affect the structure and functions of the brain if the conditions are right. While some video games enhance multitasking, visual perception and the brain’s ability to process information, research has suggested that violent video games can influence aggressive behaviour, aggressive cognition and physiological arousal. A study conducted by Doctor Vincent Matthews and his colleagues at Indiana University School of Medicine have found that there were sustained changes in the regions of the brain associated with cognitive function and emotional control after a group of young adult men were playing violent video games for a week. Similarly, in laboratory studies, some researchers have found an increase of about four percent in gamers’ levels of aggression after playing violent video games. However, other research groups have concluded that factors such as family background, mental health and

Video game addiction is not yet recognized by the American Medical Association as a diagnosable disorder, but addiction has become a very real problem for many video game players. An addiction is when the person needs more and more of a substance or behavior to keep them going, and if the person does not get more, they can become irritable and miserable. Compulsive gaming meets these criteria, and there have been many studied instances where severe withdrawal symptoms in game addicts are seen when parents take away the child’s electronic gaming system. According to chapter three of the book, a study in Singapore of 3,000 middle schoolers found that the

2. During the M.R.I. testing the non-violent gamers showed more spatial attention than the violent gamers; that proves that the brain’s response to the violent video games depends on previous gaming

Playing violent video games causes aggression desensitization (Gentile, Swing, Anderson, Rinker, & Thomas, 2016). Gentile et al. (2016) provided neurological evidence that revealed that violent video game play was significantly associated with aggression desensitization, physiological arousal, aggressive cognition, and aggressive behavior. They conducted a study that examined neural recruitment during violent videogame play among 13 late adolescent gamers, half of the gamers played violent games and half of the gamers played nonviolent games. The participants played a video game in violent and nonviolent modes while undergoing functional MRI scanning. The functional MRI scans of the nonviolent gamers showed an increase in emotional response regions when playing the violent game. In contrast, the functional MRI scans of the violent gamers demonstrated an active suppression of these same regions. In addition, nonviolent gamers showed increases in spatial attention, navigation, and cognitive

A great deal of research has focused on the identification of addicted adolescent gamers (Van Rooij, Schoenmakers, Vermulst, Van Den Eijnden, & Van de Mheen, 2011). Van Rooij et al. (2011) assumed to provide empirical data-driven to identify a group of addicted online gamers. The video game industry is among the fastest growing sectors of the US economy (ESA Entertainment Software Association, 2013). Both Korean and western researchers report specifically that Massive

Risky behavior by children and young adults can include violence against others or lack of remorse for consequences. The type of faulty thinking creates stressors in children which can lead to the onset of many symptoms. Children who partake in video game violence are more likely to have increased feelings of hostility, decreased emotional response to the portrayal of violence, and injury that lead to violent behavior through imitation. A new study employing state-of-the-art brain-scanning technology says that violent video games can cause an individual to become violent. Researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine say that brain scans of kids who played a violent video game showed an increase in emotional arousal and a corresponding decrease of activity in brain areas involved in self-control, inhibition, and attention. In short, when playing a violent game, an individual’s brain processes the game playing as “fictional”, but later can project some of the unknown effects as violence or aggression.

The over usage of video games has appeared to affect the mind in the OFC, the striatum, and the sensory regions. Addict gamers appeared to have more of a impulsiveness control than the normal gamer. Players who had played online showed an increase of gray matter density from the other players in the left anterior cingulate cortex. Another thing I found interesting in this article was that higher amounts of dopamine appeared in addict gamers from the “reward process” in videogames than the casual gamer. The Cambridge gambling task ( which affects the brain in making poor decisions) was found higher in addict gamers. Not only that, but addict gamers appeared to have a slower information processing than normal players.

International studies have shown that between seven and eleven per cent of gamers show some symptoms associated with addiction. Some teens are heavy users of online role-playing games (RPGs) such as World of Warcraft and multiplayer games such as Call of Duty in which they interact with other players in real time. These teens will often neglect schoolwork and other aspects of their daily lives when they become immersed in these games. The American Medical Association has identified “video game overuse” as ‘behaviour’.

The controversial topic of video game addiction is what I have decided to focus my multi-genre research project on. Although a multitude of people do not even know of the existence of such a problem in today's society, I can assure you that this is becoming an increasingly greater problem effecting people around the world of all ages. Through my multi-genre project, I intend on proving the uselessness and detrimental qualities of playing video games, and I am going to explore some healthy alternatives to such a problematic habit.

This study suggest that excessive gaming may actually lead to symptoms that substance addicts commonly experience from their abuse of different drugs. Games usually apply to children, adolescents and young adults. These groups are at higher ricks for developing gaming addiction because they are still growing. The review wants to present the classification basis of online gaming addiction using official mental disorder frameworks (Kuss & Griffiths 2011). To also identify other studies that go into detail about online gaming addiction in children and adolescents, also show the findings and pit them against related mental disorder criteria.

Although video games are a very popular and innovative form of entertainment, they often can also become problematic in a way similar to an addiction of gambling. This is what's known to some researchers as pathological video game use. Reasons to play video games can include stress relief and relaxation, along with attempting to develop self-esteem, competence, and social interaction. However, another common factor for gaming other than the mentioned reasons stated as such is for pure entertainment. Most studies have shown that video games can have a positive effect on many cognitive skills, but it is an issue when players become addicted. Warning signs of addiction can include immense preoccupation with a game, extensive use of the game as a way to escape reality, Feelings of restlessness, moodiness, depression, or irritability when attempting to cut down use of the Game Attention spans tend to decrease along with a proper sense of personal hygiene. This is an issue that can be triggered when certain needs do not become met. Certain responsibilities become neglected when the player becomes preoccupied.

Almost everyone has played a video game at least once in their life. The people who play them on a normal basis though, probably only spend an hour or two doing so per day. However, there are people who are affected by video game addiction and do not know it. The DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) does not even consider video game addiction to be a real problem. But, video game addiction is, in fact, a real phenomenon and it is a direct cause of health and social problems, particularly in adolescent males.

There has been a link between poor school performance and difficulties at school with high usage of video games. It has been reported that, “…high-school students who report spending more time

This study aims to know what are the positive and negative effects of online computer games to the student’s in terms of their: