The Risks and Benefits to Gaming

Video Games, Aggression, and the Brain

Research suggests that video

games are leading to aggres-

sion among people. In a

research study two brothers

were playing a video game

together. They were playing

the video game "Mario

Cart," which is really not a

very violent game; the ob-

ject is to win a car race by

coming in first while ma-

neuvering through different

courses. When the younger

brother won, the older

brother got up and started

kicking him and yelling

insults! Later on that day,

the younger brother was

playing another video game

by himself and when he

could not beat the level, he

threw down the controller

and screamed at the TV

screen, "Why are you doing

this to me...?!" and burst

into tears. (Kardaras, Eleni)2 Along with frustration and

addiction, a professor at

Tokyo's Nihon University,

Akio Mori, did a study and

found out that the more a

person plays video games

the less they use the frontal

regions of their brain.

(Kardaras, Eleni)2 This

shows two important things:

the decrease of usage of the

frontal regions of the brain

while playing can lead to

aggression,

(cont. on page 2)

Highlights:

> Violent Games

> Video Games and

Vision

> Video Games and

Healing

> Health Risks

> Aggression

Zachary Pinz

Health

Section B4

The Affect of Video Games on Health

Contents

Video Games, Ag-

gression, and the

Brain

1-2

Risks for Playing

Video Games in

2

Video Game Killing

can Boost Visual

2

Video Games are

Changing the Way

Patients Heal

3

Mental Health

Benefits of Video

3

Bibliography 4

Further Reading 4

November 24, 2009 Volume 1, Issue 1

These games also can

change the way people

think: after playing violent

games, one group in a

study were more likely to

use alcohol and marijuana,

be competitive in another

task, and accuse others of

cheating in that other task.6

Some role-playing games

can become a substitute for

real life for some players.

Continuously playing a

game has led to problems

in school, obesity, sleep

problems, and memory

problems. Cheating also

can be a problem for some

players.6 Players who play

a game constantly have

similar symptoms to peo-

ple with drug addictions

and can suffer from with-

drawal. They also use

games as a way to escape,

Since games like Pac Man

games have evolved and

become more violent.

About 89% of games con-

tain some amount of vio-

lence.6 Violent games can:

increase aggressive behav-

ior, emotions, and

thoughts; create psycho-

logical arousal (fight or

flight response,) and re-

duces helpful behavior.6

Halo, an example of a vio-

lent video game.

much like substance abus-

ers.6 RSI, repetitive stress

injury, due to repetitive

movement is common for

players of video games.

Besides being fun, video

games can: improve hand-

eye coordination, improve

eyesight, some games in-

clude physical activity,

they create social interac-

tion and self-esteem, and

some games can be used

for educational purposes.6

and the decrease of frontal brain usage after the

game is turned off creates a lasting effect. Does

the brain perceive the games as real? Multiple

studies have reported that playing video games

can significantly increase heart rate, blood pres-

sure, and oxygen consumption. If studies show

that heart rate is increased when playing video

games, then it seems that the brain is responding

to the video game as if the body is in real dan-

ger. (Kardaras, Eleni)

Unlike role-playing games

these shooting games help to

spread the brain’s attention

over a wide range of events.

Although not helpful in edu-

cating, there was an in-

creased capacity for visual

attention which was helpful

in: driving, flying aircraft,

radiology, and airport

screening. (Blakeslee, San-

dra)1 Gamers could localize

targets in a cluttered envi-

Violent shooting games can

help visual skills. Experi-

enced players of these games

are 30 percent to 50 percent

better than non-players at

taking in everything that hap-

pens around them. They iden-

tify objects in their peripheral

vision, perceiving numerous

objects without having to

count them, switch attention

rapidly and track many items

at once. (Blakeslee, Sandra)1

ronment, identify up to 10

items on a screen without

counting, and were able to

process fast-scanning infor-

mation and switch attention

better than non-players.

(Blakeslee, Sandra)1 Between

Tetris and Medal of Honor:

Allied Assault, the Medal of

Honor game (a shooting

game) helped to increase vis-

ual attention in both sexes.

(Blakeslee, Sandra)1

than male non-players. The

only determinant common

to both female and male

video-game players was

greater reliance on the

Internet for social support.

As reported by Dr. James

B. Weaver II, a higher

BMI and poor mental

health is in a greater num-

ber of players compared to

non-players.4 There is a

link between obesity and

playing video games in

adults. Adults will also

sacrifice real-world social

interaction to play video

games.4

Playing video games are

not only a problem for

children. The average age

for playing video games is

35.4 In a study with 500

adults, 45.1% reported

playing video games. Fe-

male video-game players

reported greater depression

and lower health status

than female non-players.

Male video-game players

reported higher BMI and

more Internet use time

Page 2 The Affect of Video Games on Health

Star Wars Battlefront II, a

great, interactive shooting

game without blood.

Risks for Playing Video Games in Adults

Video Game Killing can Boost Visual Skills

Video Games, Aggression, and the Brain. (cont. from page

The average

age for

playing

video

games is 35.

There are many negative

things about video games,

but they are revolutioniz-

ing the way patients are

healed at hospitals. In

many hospitals today the

Nintendo Wii is being used

to speed recovery due to its

unique physical game

play.3 Stretching and mov-

ing the muscles of the pa-

tient helps them to heal

faster. Since the Nintendo

Wii was released in No-

vember 2006, more and

more rehabilitation thera-

pists have been using the

device to help patients with

injuries. Hunter will be

trying a new video game,

named Guitar Hero, which

uses a guitar-shape control-

ler. Players press buttons

on the guitar's neck and

strum on its body to play

along to songs in the game.

"It might be used to regain

fine motor coordination in

smaller muscles in the fin-

gers, hands, and

wrist.” (Hope, Hunter)3

While the Wii is very help-

ful in hospitals it is also

being used in school set-

tings in gym classes be-

cause of the balance be-

tween physical activity and

a video game.3

Video games have been shown to be very helpful in easing

mental illnesses such as depression. A particular game, Be-

jeweled by PopCap Games, was found to improve the mood

and heart rhythms of players compared to non-players.5 The

idea that depression and other disorders -- as well as everyday

stress and worry -- involve systematic patterns of thought and

self-doubt, and that games can distract people and put them in

a different mental zone. You don't have to play with a com-

puter or an Xbox 360 to notice the effect: Anyone who has

used a crossword puzzle or Sudoku game to decompress after

a difficult day recognizes the idea.5 One of the breakthrough

ideas in combating stress and other mental disturbances was

manipulating a factor known as heart rate variability. Differ-

ent emotions seem to produce heart rhythm "signatures," and

several devices have been invented to measure that variabil-

ity.5 Video games have not only helped with depression but

also with soldiers recovering from traumatic events who were

stressed in everyday situations.5

Page 3 Volume 1, Issue 1

Mental Health Benefits of Video Games

How Video Games are Changing the Way Patients Heal

Video games help to relieve or suppress stress

Bibliography:

1. Blakeslee, Sandra. “Video-Game Killing Builds Visual Skills, Researchers Report. (National Desk)(research published in to-

day's Nature journal),” New York Times, 2003, Science Resource Center, MICDS Library, St. Louis, MO, 11 November 2009,

http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/SciRC?ste=1&docNum=A102514642

2. Kardaras, Eleni, “The Affect of Video Games on the Brain,” Serendip, 7 January 2008, 3 November 2009, http://

serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/1742

3. Klein, Andrew, “Beyond fun and games: video games are changing how hospital patients heal and teens exercise. PHYSICAL

TECHNOLOGY.” Science World. 2008. Science Resource Center. MICDS Library, St. Louis, MO, 11 November 2009, http://

galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/SciRC?ste=1&docNum=A174061877

The following did not have any provided authors:

4. Elsevier Health Sciences. "Links Between Video-game Playing and Health Risks in Adults Found." ScienceDaily 18 August

2009, 18 November 2009, http://www.sciencedaily.com- /releases/2009/08/090818083224.htm

5. “Rx. Xbox? Researchers Explore Mental Health Benefits of Video Games” The Washington Post. 18 August 2009, 22 Novem-

ber 2009. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/17/AR2009081702114.html

6. “Video Games,” Teen Health; Child and Youth Health, 19 February 2009, 3 November 2009, http://www.cyh.com/

HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=243&np=295&id=2375

Photos:

Halo screenshot (front page): http://halo.bungie.org/screenshots/index.html?coll_id=209

Boys at an arcade (page 2): http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/video-game-violence1.htm

Star Wars Battlefront II screenshot (page 2): http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/star-wars-battlefront-ii/

screenshots/gameShotId,151874/

Patient Playing Wii (page 3): http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/SciRC?ste=1&docNum=A174061877

Man Playing a Game (page 3): http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090818083224.htm

Further Reading

To learn more about how the Wii is helping people go to:

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/health/interactive-video-games-becoming-health-and-wellness-

tools_100274747.html

To learn more about how violent video games generate violent behavior go to:

http://mentalhealth.about.com/cs/familyresources/a/vidgameviolence.htm

Page 4 The Affect of Video Games on Health