Computer games can have an impact on children, especially for those kids who spend hour after hour playing them. There are some positive effects of computer games on children. Working with game controls can improve manual dexterity. Strategy games can help to develop critical thinking. Games that are played with teams can help to reinforce concepts of the effectiveness of teamwork. However, computer games can have negative effects, too. As with many other human endeavors, moderation can be seen as the key to avoiding pitfalls.
Aggressive Behavior
Not all video games are created equal. While some video games provide blood-free visuals, such as games devoted to building railroad or amusement park empires, other games have repeated visual images of violence and death. Some video games are called shooter games. These are first-person games in which the player sees what the game's character sees, including the end of the barrel of a gun. The player progresses through a series of killings, hour upon hour. Aggression is rewarded in these games, and it can become a learned behavior.
Desensitization
Although the world of video games is a virtual world, the effect of witnessing (and causing) so many virtual deaths can have a desensitizing effect on children. The repetition of seeing violent acts can influence children into seeing violence as something that is not out of the ordinary. This desensitization effect can also be attributed to viewing violence on television in any form, whether via video game, movie and television show.
Alertness
Children who do not have their video game playing time limited by parents may find themselves playing late into the night. This can be especially true if there is a game level that is close to being surpassed. This can result in a loss of sleep and a decrease in alertness in school. A decrease in alertness and focus at school can result in lower academic performance.
