What are the effects of computer games

on student's academic performance?

There are already a lot of computer games emerging, technology just grows... But then,
more and more students are playing computer games, I just wonder how it could really
affect their studies...

In general, it can... but it really depends on the individual.

A personal example:

When I was in undergrad back in 89-93 (yes, the days before the internet), our campus
had a server that was the host for a text based Multiple User Dungeon game. People
logged in worldwide to play.

The other nickname that MUD was explained in was the Multiple Undergraduate
Destroyer... because of students getting so caught up in playing that they would let their
coursework slide and end up failing out.

A lot of my friends played to varying degrees, and I did know some that did end up
failing out. I finally agreed to play and see what all this fuss was about and could a video
game really be that bad (yes, it was the psych major in me). In one semester, I went from
a brand new player to the highest level a regular player could obtain (apart from
advancing to actually programming a section of the game as a writer) and I got a 4.0 that
semester.

I think individually it comes down to time management and priorities. If you make
priority for studying and important things and game time as a fun extra you get to when
the important stuff is done... you can schedule in game time and still do well with both.
It's when game time is placed on the higher priority and academics is at the bottom that
students start to get into trouble.

Violent Video Games Leading to Aggressive Behavior and Poor

Academic Performance: The same old media effects saw, or is
there really something too this?

The thrust of the readings on video games was that the practice or
participation in violent video games leads to increased aggressive behavior and
lower academic performance especially among men. These are the findings set
forth most strongly by Anderson and Dill in their article, “Video Games,
Aggressive Affect, and Cognition.‿ However, the meta analysis conducted by
Lee and Peng, also points in that direction. The major caveat that I would like
to put forward is that the number of research studies published on the effects
of violent video games is rather thin and thus we should wait for additional
research before we make definitive conclusions about this particular type of
media. Anderson and Dill certainly frame their article strongly in the major
effects camp by beginning their article with a story about the Columbine killers
and their obsession with a particular type of video game. The question related
to these killers and about media violence studies in general is that it is clear
that these killers were obsessed with the game, but their pathological behavior
suggests that they would have been inspired by something else had it not been
for videogames. I guess you could say these games presented a certain type of
opportunity.
I want to turn from aggression to academic performance. The Anderson and Dill
study showed that long term exposure/playing of video games had an impact
on academic performance. That impact was negative. Here, I would like to ask
the question about whether these gamers would have found some other
diversion, e.g., television, if it had not been for video games? Long term
exposure to any diversionary activity at a high level will hurt academic
performance and gaming is just one of them. How about long-term exposure to
the Internet in general? We have seen those “effects.‿ Again, video games is
just a means to an end. Sorry for the cliché.

I have my own ideas about what violent video games could possibly do to
minimize rather than increase violence, but I’m not at all convinced of its
effectiveness, especially without the research to test my hypothesis. My idea is
not a new one, but rather one put forth by others, including Anderson and Dill
and that is the cathartic effect of video games. I argue, as do they, that by
participating in violent video games, you are diffusing or minimizing the
probability that the gamer would engage in a violently aggressive act. The
games would act as a safety valve, as such, to the player.
This active participation in a “virtual‿ and “artificial‿ violent act is in
contrast to the more passive viewing of violent acts in television and movies.
For those who view violence on television or in the movies, do so passively.
Perhaps the rage of viewing the image builds up and/or the programming gives
permission to take violent action. Thus making them more likely to act out.

But who acts out? Is it a significant proportion of the population? No. Have their
numbers increased since the introduction of violent video games? I’m not sure.
My point is violence attributed to either television or video is rather limited at
this time.

Lee and Peng talk state that viewing violent video games leads to a short term
aggressive phenomenon. Anecdotally, after my son finishes playing with this
WWE wrestling video game, he takes on the personality of the wrestler, miming
their moves and pretending his younger sister is a fellow WWE wrestler. He also
becomes belligerent for about 15 minutes, then calms down. He does not and is
not allowed to play any of the violent games that are out on the market.

Henry Jenkins points out in his Senate testimony that banning specific media
images will have little or no impact on the problem of youth crime. “…because
doing so gets at symbols, not at the meaning these symbols carry and not at the
social reality that gives such urgency to teens’ investment in those cultural
materials.‿ This supports my earlier point about the pathology.

While this is rather rambling, I’d like to conclude by stating that the evidence
seems to point that there is potential for widespread aggressive behavior and
poor performance as a result of playing the games, but it is still a great deal of
research that remains to be done.

To those of you who are gamers, please tell me why you play, what has been
your reaction to playing violent games as well as sexually oriented games ?

Finally, why are violent video games so strongly oriented toward males rather
than females? Are males more aggressive in general? Perhaps. Do they have
greater animal archetypal fears and constantly need to be challenged to
overcome them? The games seem to be a cartoon caricature of reality? It points
to a misogynist world where males rule the world to the point of excluding
most of the women who might be minimally interesting. To me this is akin to
other male rebellion movements like “Hardcore‿ punk music.

Posted by NotthatKen on November 25, 2006 12:21 AM | Permalink

Comments (3)

y39:

The catharsis hypothesis is a part of one of my favorite ASC moments: Dr.

Cappella taking Jib Fowles book on TV, violence, and catharsis systematically
apart. In fact, I'm pretty sure Dr. Cappella only assigned the book so that he
could shred it. Basically, his point is: thousands of studies of TV violence have
been done and, cumulatively, 99% seem to find evidence of deleterious effect
while only 1% show catharsis. At some point, you just have to accept the
cultivation, negative effects perspective. I agree, to some extent, that if
catharsis really existed it would've been more apparent--but that doesn't mean
I accept the alternative. For catharsis to exist, violent urges must exist as well.
In contrast, for TV/videogames/media to cause violence, more evidence than
some pupil dilation is necessary as well. Basically, it sort of seems like a whole
lot of malarkey--not to say that media have no effect. Certainly, people derive
certain, different outcomes from playing Doom than they do from playing the
piano. But to pinpoint violent or anti-social tendencies on a media message?
Missing the big picture...

Posted by y39 | November 26, 2006 8:57 PM

Posted on November 26, 2006 20:57

NotthatKen:
I've heard Cappella on catharsis, too. He always laughs when he tears apart
other theories. I know the evidence is weak on that one. But I threw it out
there for some reaction.

Posted by NotthatKen | November 26, 2006 9:32 PM

Posted on November 26, 2006 21:32

Y14:

I agree with your statements that “video games is just a means to an end.” And
I want to add: video games are not so effective means to an end. That is, the
relationship between games and performance must be scrutinized under two
perspectives: (1) the effectiveness of games and the other means; (2) long-
term vs. short-term. I do not know much about the concrete results, but I am
pretty sure games are not more effective both in short-term and long-term
period. If this is true, why do researchers try to find out the (positive) effects
of games that are minimal?

In the case of violent games, no or limited effects of violence/aggressiveness

does not mean we do not have to regulate the game contents. Small effects or
potential (not existing) effects can influence the society. If there is true (even
small) relationship between violent contents and violent actions, the social
consequences cannot be simply neglected because even small scale of violent
actions do kill or do hurt real people.

Posted by Y14 | November 27, 2006 12:39 PM

Posted on November 27, 2006 12:39

Post a comment

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by
the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on
the entry. Thanks for waiting.)
Students blame Internet, TV for poor grades
By KIMONE THOMPSON Observer senior reporter thompsonk@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, October 30, 2008

MORE than 60 per cent of second form students at Glenmuir High

school in Clarendon blame a preoccupation with media devices,
particularly computers and televisions, for their average academic
performance.

This is according to research conducted by upper sixth

former Tsahai Thomas, 17, between October 2007 and
January this year which showed that when it came to
academic performance, exactly half of the 30 students who
participated got averages of between 70 and 79 per cent on
their last report cards.

Those who got above average grades (80-89 per cent)

totalled 13, while two got between 60 and 69 per cent.

"All the students received passing averages but the majority

of them were merely performing at the average level. Less
Seventeen-year-old preoccupation with the media could have alleviated this,"
Tsahai Thomas of
Glenmuir High is the the researcher said.
Outstanding Child
Researcher for 2008.
Her conclusion was based on patterns brought out by the
study which was titled: 'Does preoccupation with the media affect the
academic achievement of second form students at Glenmuir High School?'

It showed that for 76.1 per cent of 24 respondents aged 12-14, the most
popular use of the Internet was to play online games, send e-mails and
instant messages, participate in chatrooms and surf entertainment sites.
Only 23.8 per cent said they used the Internet for doing homework.

The longest time spent doing homework on any given day was between one
and two hours while the longest spent watching TV was more than four.

"The majority of the students confessed that they thought that the media
was a hindrance to their academic performance," she added, pointing to the
63.3 per cent who said they thought so.
In order to bring grades to above average levels and to reduce TV and
Internet time, Thomas recommends an incorporation of media devices into
the learning process and sustained monitoring by parents of the time
students spend using the devices.

The research paper, which was one of eight presented by high school
students at the third annual Caribbean Child Research Conference at the
Jamaica Pegasus last week, won Tsahai the title of Outstanding Child
Researcher 2008.

She also took the prizes for best methodology and best written paper. Among
her prizes were a laptop computer and a mobile phone.

Schoolmate Janeth Diggs-White was awarded best oral presentation for her
paper on the effects of early sexual relations on the social behaviour of sixth
formers at Glenmuir while Colin Banton of Balaclava High walked away the
top male presenter. His work looked at some effects of poverty on the rights
of the child.

The theme of the conference this year was 'Promoting child rights through
research: Building a region fit for children'. It is an annual two-day event.

Rock star glory: Guitar Heroes and academic failures

EVAN HOLT - Arts & Life Editor

Video gaming anonymous: for some

students, video games become an
addiction that hinder grades.

The clicks and booms students hear coming from adjacent dorm rooms and apartments at all
hours aren't the sounds of a pen-wielding student on the brink of a psychotic episode after
remembering that they have a major exam the next day. Rather, it's one of many students
diligently embroiled in a fierce battle to achieve rock stardom glory in Guitar Hero III.

While a 1,000-note streak in Guitar Hero is impressive, a greater achievement is found when
a self-proclaimed rock star knows how to strike a balance between work and play so that their
academic performance goes unharmed. This feat is rare for students addicted to video gaming.

According to the National College Health Assessment conducted by UB during Spring 2007, 18
percent of a 2,000-student sample responded that Internet use or computer games negatively
affect their individual academic performance.

"College students are at a higher risk of becoming addicted to video games due to increased
access to the Internet and unrestricted free time," said Marla McBride, assistant director of
Health Promotion and Risk Reduction for Wellness Education Services.

Addiction can be defined as having an uncontrollable urge to do a particular behavior,

accompanied by a loss of control and continued use, despite personal and social consequences,
McBride said.
 "Based on the literature I've read, there is still controversy as to the element of addictiveness
in video gaming," McBride said. "It appears to me that there would be a lack of physical
addiction and more of a focus on the psychological motivations behind excessive online game
use."

Like video gaming itself, the science involved in researching gaming addiction is still young,
with very little known about the psychological and physical addictive components of video game
use, according to McBride.

In 1998, 58 percent of students were found to have suffered from poor study habits, low
grades, or have failed in school due to excessive Internet use, according to research done by
internationally recognized psychologist Dr. Kimberly Young.

According to Young, possible triggers of gaming addiction include free and unlimited Internet
access, huge blocks of unstructured time, newly experienced freedom from parental control, and
no monitoring or censoring, as well as full encouragement from schools to use technology that
can ultimately be abused.

Excessive video game use could possibly obstruct the pursuit of academic excellence as well
as decrease motivation for students, according to Young.

"There was one time [I was playing] Halo 3 where I skipped class, but that was it," said
Robert Schenkel, a sophomore undecided major. "If you give into the game, you dumb yourself
down, but if you know how to control yourself, you'll be okay."

According to Schenkel, who on average plays about 4-5 hours on the weekdays and around 6-
7 hours a day on the weekend, gaming serves as both a social networking skill and stress
reducer.

"I play [video games] with friends to relieve stress, primarily academic stress," Schenkel said.
"I almost had a 3.0 GPA playing video games and doing work this semester, so it's fair to say I
know how to balance my time."

Michael Lamb, a junior undecided major, believes there is such a thing as video gaming
addiction, which includes certain risks for the addicted.

"Excessive gaming, similar to alcohol or drugs, can hinder academic performance if there is no
clear distinction between time to work and play," Lamb said. "I feel anything that can be used as
an escape from outside stressors can be cause for addiction."

Whether video gaming has physically or mentally addictive components is still up for debate.
However, in regards to the use of video games, potentially addictive agents such as drugs could
share a similar purpose for means of recreational use or coping, according to McBride.

"You can compare [gaming] to the need of escapism," McBride said. "I would compare gaming
more to gambling than substance abuse. There's reinforcement through intermittent rewards
and an element of competition between players."

Some video gaming can have physical consequences on those who abuse them. According to
the New England Journal of Medicine, gaming, and in particular, using a Nintendo Wii, can lead
to actual physical pain and sore muscles. The physical symptoms caused by overuse have been
given the names "Nintendinitis" and "Wiiitis." A combination of excess playing and gamers who
are out of shape are believed to be the cause for such injuries.

Coupled with the possibility of physical pain comes the more realistic threats of loss of
motivation and sleep deprivation due to excessive gaming and other things that prevent a
student from effectively finishing their work, according to Lamb.

Lamb has experienced some of these physical and psychological effects, but does not
attribute them to excessive time spend behind a controller.

"I have an inconsistent sleep rhythm, but I don't attribute it to gaming," Lamb said.
"Sometimes I want to watch Star Trek and don't want to go to sleep."