Valued or Vindictive?

Pro

Video games have attained a negative stigma since their debut and immediate popularity in the 1970s; however, there are many positive skills that result  from playing them. With technology advancing every year, video game companies have also been able to come out with the use of virtual technology to enhance our experience with gaming, and there is an incredible amount of good that can come from an appropriate amount of video game usage regarding brain function and personality development.

   Researchers have discovered a number of cognitive and social benefits stemming from the use of gaming. Among the more commonly known are the core qualities a person develops during play time: following directions, problem-solving, multi-tasking, and dexterity. Other less acknowledged, but equally as important abilities, include strategy and anticipation (in order to move on to the next level or figure out an opponent’s game plan), managing of resources (in games that simulate real-life situations such as running a business or saving enough ammunition during a battle), and quantitative calculations (refined through money management).

   According to Vanderbilt University, “results of a study found that people who play video games become more attuned to their environment and are able to keep visual tabs on friends in crowds” and are “able to navigate better and better at everyday things like driving and reading small print.” Not only can video games create a communal bond between players, they can also be used in therapeutic ways as well. Mark Griffiths of The Washington Post wrote of how this way of healing can be effective.

   “Because video games can be so engaging, they can also be used therapeutically. For instance, they can be used as a form of physiotherapy as well as in more innovative contexts. A number of studies have shown that when children play video games following chemotherapy, they need fewer painkillers than do others,” said Griffiths.

   Not only are the games more absorbing, but they can act as an escape from the real world struggles and pain that people might be experiencing. Junior Andrew Woldemar talks about his personal experience with how video games affect his personality.

   “I turn into more of a leader when I play a game because on certain games I have more experience than the other players, so I try to tell them ways that would be better than what they’re doing,” said Woldemar.  

   Virtual reality headsets are being introduced to mainstream media by companies like Samsung, Sony, and Oculus Rift from the brand Oculus VR (set to debut in July of this year). They look like a pair of boxy goggles and project a high-definition image onto your eyes, immersing you in games and allowing you to see from a character’s point of view. This innovative technology allows for a surge of new ways to help people.

   These advancements might take place far in the future, but the way this technology will change human life is undeniable.

Con

Since its inception, the standards for video games have risen in leaps and bounds. The graphics are better, the storylines are complex –– and the games themselves are more controversial than ever. Part of the argument stems from the explicit content –– sex, violence, questionable ethics, and racial stereotyping –– that make many games so alluring. The other part comes from the effects of the games on the individual, including increased aggression, impeded social development, and addiction. Entertainment that comes with so many stipulations requires more research and debate before becoming available to the general public.

  In order to understand the attraction of video games, it’s important to understand the way these games interact with the brain. Playing video games has a strong connection to the release of dopamine, a chemical that causes pleasure in the brain. Dopamine is triggered by the sense of accomplishment players experience after completing tasks in video games, which makes video game addiction a frightening reality.

   One facet of addiction is the increase of disconnection to the real world. Technology in every form poses an often irresistible distraction that interferes with the activities of everyday life. And now there’s evidence to suggest that extreme immersion can be life-threatening. In 2014, an infant in South Korea died of starvation after their parents spent most of each day caring for a virtual child instead. Laws were passed in response to this case that limited minors’ use of the Internet. It’s easy to dismiss a case from the other part of the globe, but more recently, a couple in Oklahoma was accused of doing something similar.   

   This gives the introduction of virtual reality – the next bold step in the gaming arena – questionable implications regarding its effects on real life. With the introduction of VR headsets such as the Oculus Rift, the rewards can seem more real to the player and therefore cause a greater release of dopamine (American Academy of Neurology), meaning that the likelihood of gaming addiction could increase with headset popularity.

   Supporters of VR argue that this pseudo-reality would be particularly beneficial for job-training, allowing people to practice certain techniques without wasting resources. While inviting, that idea does pose some risk. Teacher Kevin Harringtown expressed his concerns on the matter.

   “I don’t want to have brain surgery done by a neurosurgeon whose only practical experience has been through virtual reality. I want to have someone who’s had some actual experience,” said Harrington.

   The developments of virtual reality may be intriguing, but should be approached with caution; the appropriate response lies in maintaining research, and discussion, about what this means for our future.