All The Effects You Need to Know About in Gaming

Do a quick Google search on "the effects of video games on adolescents" and you will receive a wide variety of findings from academic articles, blogs, news articles, and so on. Much research has been done to examine the effects video gaming has on adolescents. In this article, we'll examine some of those effects - both positive and negative - based on synthesized findings from a few academic articles.

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In a peer-reviewed scholarly article published in 2011, a group of authors experienced in the area of social psychology examined if and how adolescents’ video game usage affects their empathetic concern and prosocial behavior towards friends, family, and strangers. Results found a negative, yet insignificant correlation between video game usage, empathetic concern, and prosocial behavior (Fraser, Padilla-Walker, Coyne, Nelson, Stockdale, 2012). The article touches on a variety of previous research, highlighting many positive and negative effects in gaming. Some of the research is discussed here in the following paragraphs.

On one side, studies have claimed to reveal an association as far as lowered SAT scores (Anand, 2007), greater drug use, lower relationship quality, and lower perceptions of self-worth with increased video game usage (Padilla-Walker, 2008). A more recent study claimed to have found an association between violent video game usage and increased aggression in behavior. While it is important to take into consideration this area of negative findings, it is also important to note that the authors emphasized many of these claims to be based on statistically small correlations. "a growing body of research shows that violent video gaming is, in fact, not linked to increased aggression...or has links to increased aggression that are too minimal to be considered influential" (Fraser, Padilla-Walker, Coyne, Nelson, Stockdale, 2012). While the articles primarily addresses violent video game usage, the authors do take note of the variety of findings and their lack of statistical significance. Much research still needs to be done on the negative effects of gaming to prove valid, negative effects.

Contrary to negative associations, studies examining motives for gaming often find positive effects from usage. The article on game usage, empathy, and prosocial behavior highlights effects gathered in their research: "pride in accomplishment, [an] ability to vicariously experience other places and times... and as a means of arousal, challenge, diversion, social interaction, and competition" (Fraser, Padilla-Walker, Coyne, Nelson & Stockdale, 2012). Examined motives are widely varied in game usage, but oftentimes it is due to some positive reinforcement gained from playing. One study examines the correlation between motivation and gratification based on an evaluation of adolescents’ interactions with a popular Facebook game called Happy Farm. "Research findings indicate that the individual's self-concept, self-esteem, and interpersonal relationships may all be enhanced through participation in online gaming" (Huang, Yang & Chen, 2015). Individuals can gain a sense of gratification in personal development through online gaming. Studies analyzing motives point out these positive associations.

While much research is done on the negative and positive effects of gaming, much still needs to be done in examining the validity of past findings. As found in the article on game usage, empathy, and prosocial behavior, many of the articles they were pulling from had statistically insignificant correlations in usage and effects.

Overall, video games are a safe and fun way to interact with others. In some ways, they're no different from other sources of entertainment such as TV, movies, music, etc. As long as an individual is able to function outside of the realm of online gaming, video games can be beneficial in gratification and entertainment.

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