The Powerful Impact Of Computer Games On Psychological Well-Being – LearningJoan

The electronic gaming industry is a significant player in the entertainment industry today. Computer and console gaming is a billion-dollar business and enjoys massive popularity amongst a diverse demographic. It’s not just the young kids but adolescents and adults who are now part of the pc Psychological effects of video games target audience. Advancements in computer science & electronics technology, the ease of availability of electronic devices such as laptops, pcs, smartphones, etc., and the expansion of the Internet accelerated the growth of the industry immensely. But, it is not just the advent of the digital age that turned fledgeling ideas of American and Japanese computer engineers in the 1970s to a $200 billion behemoth in 2019.

The excitement, adrenaline and dopamine rush that every gamer feels when he/she uses her intelligence and ideas to ace the levels of any game. Whether it’s a first-person shooter, a real-time strategy or a racing game, the feeling you get when you succeed in your objectives using your mental faculties is just euphoric.

And, Psychological effects of video games can engage cognitive faculties and skills that’s interested psychologists across the world. Many reputed organizations, including the American Psychological Association and the Federation of German Psychologists Associations, are looking into the effects of computer games on the psychological wellbeing of a gamer. While the negative effects of computer games are much discussed amongst both experts and the general population, not many pay attention to the positive psychological benefits of playing computer or other games.

This article intends to do just that.

Do Psychological Effects of Video Games Faculties Positively?

A study by researchers at the APA looked into the positive effects of computer gaming on four critical aspects of the human psyche:

• Cognitive
• Motivational
• Emotional and Social

Before summarizing all the research into these four aspects, however, the study looks into the reasons behind the necessity of such research. Naturally, the immense popularity amongst the masses and the resultant unprecedented expansion were the two primary reasons amongst many.

In 2018, 66% of the general population in the US engaged in electronic gaming.  And, while the mass media and most research focused exclusively on the potential harm of gaming, there was a definitive lack of research on the other side of the scale. As with most research, a balanced perspective is essential for an explicit understanding of the overall effect of gaming on the human mind.

Researchers point out some strong reasons behind the need to study gaming’s positive effects:

• The design of games has changed drastically over the years. Real-time strategy games, co-op shooters, sports& racing games, real-time strategy games, etc., are genres that require gamers to use their intellect and intelligence to solve problems and achieve game objectives.
• Games are becoming increasingly complex, diverse and realistic. Games such as Starcraft 2, Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines, XCOM, etc. are incredibly challenging. Players need to use trial & error frequently & put their intelligence to the test to achieve goals.
• Many massively multiplayer online games (MMO) have substantial gaming communities and involve considerable social interaction amongst the players.

The study explores how these aspects of computer Psychological effects of video games and modify their psychology. It refers to numerous previous research literature that highlights how games offer a platform for young minds to:

1. Put their problem-solving skills to the test
2. Allow them to learn ways to resolve conflicts
3. Ameliorate negative feelings and learn emotional mastery
4. Develop social cognition

So, what is it that allows computer and other electronic games to have such an intricate impact of the human mind? Well, psychologists consider the interactive nature of video games to be the primary reason behind such active engagement.

Cooperative gameplay, multiplayer team matches and single-player versions—every kind of game of all possible genres have a definite positive impact on the human mind.

Before we look into the specific positive psychological and mental effects, here are some more key observations from several eminent researches.

• Studies by Young and Well, a cooperative research center and an Australian Government Initiative report several findings like:

1. Moderate gaming contributes to the generation of positive emotions and has many creative, social & emotional benefits.

Moderate levels of gaming increase emotional stability relaxes the minds, reduces stress and contributes to significant psychology assignment help wellbeing.

2. Games are an excellent way to “letting off steam” and reduced feelings of guilt, anger or pain. Psychological effects of video games, and numerous studies back up this claim.
3. Video gamers have higher levels of family closeness, friendship networks and better attachments.
4. Social interactions in online gaming communities have a positive impact on the real-life social behavior of an individual. Findings show that online interactions extended to actual friendships and relationships in reality.
5. Computer games allow people to express themselves in an uninhibited manner, something that many aren’t comfortable doing in real-life situations.

• The American Psychological Association shows that gaming may boost learning, health and social skills in players.

1. Computer games have the potential to strengthen the cognitive skills of the mind, such as spatial recognition, reasoning, memory and perception. The study finds that though shooter games are inherently violent, playing them requires gamers to utilize their observational, perceptive and reflex skills to the max.
2. Computer games help the mind visualize better and feeds innovative capabilities.
3. While shooting games have been found to improve spatial skills, strategy and puzzle-solving games help develop problem-solving & creative skills and enhance decisions making abilities in children.
4. Game playing has been found to confer substantial emotional benefits and ease anxiety.

All the above findings shed light upon the myriad benefits that computer games have upon the human mind. Psychologists and researchers now conclude that depending upon the type & genre of the game; the psychological implications vary accordingly.

Those impacts can, however, be categorized and summarized into four aspects, as mentioned before- cognitive, motivational, social and emotional.

The next section looks into each of these categories in precise details and highlights the specific Psychological effects of video games.

Psychological Wellbeing and Gaming

1.) Cognitive Wellbeing – Psychological Effects of Video Games

Contrary to the popular belief that playing computer games makes one lazy and dumb, studies show that it promotes and improves several cognitive skills.

• Studies reveal that regular players have faster and more accurate attention allocation, better spatial resolution & visual processing and improved mental rotational abilities.

Improvement in spatial resolution is at par with that acquired from training in formal educational courses. And research findings show that these improvements occur faster and last longer when obtained via interactive gaming.

• Such spatial skills improvements have been found to have a potential impact in achievements in science, technology, engineering & mathematics and long-term career success.

• The cognitive benefits of shooting games are significant enough for an article on the subject to be published in the Nature Reviews Neuroscience journal. The report states that computer & other kinds of video games are kind of like controlled training regimens that allow a person to bring about positive physical & neurological changes in the brain.

• Central to almost all genres of games is the aspect of problem-solving. From finding the quickest route possible to deciphering tricky puzzles to coming up with strategies that can help gain an advantage over your opponents (AI or human), gamers need to make the best use of their inherent problem-solving skills, analytical abilities and memory capabilities.

Here’s a remarkable example of how gaming is utilizing the spatial & problem-solving abilities of human beings to solve one of the most complex biological phenomena of all time- protein folding.

Researchers at the University of Washington have come up with an online game called Foldit, which requires users to fold protein sequences. Researchers record and study these attempts and then choose the best ones as training data set for teaching supercomputers and AI learning models.

2.) Motivational Wellbeing

• Games designers craft virtual environments and contexts that encourage gamers to think up ways to solve problems and achieve objectives. They make them work towards meaningful goals and persevere in the face of adversities & multiple failures. .

• The motivational effects of computer games have been found to extend beyond gaming contexts and seep into real life.

• Researchers observed that games that encourage users to exert their intelligence are subconsciously motivating them to act more intelligently. The immediate feedback about their effort is a significant factor and plays a crucial role.

• Video games are thus the perfect training grounds for sharpening cognition, motivation and bolstering one’s confidence in achieving academic performance.
• When faced with failure in gaming, tendencies are to retry and attempt to perform the failed task with renewed vigour.
• Current studies are taking into account several other influential factors that may influence motivational outcomes of gaming.

3.) Emotional & Social Wellbeing – Psychological Effects of Video Games

• One of the most well-validated theories is that most individuals take part in gaming to relieve stress and improve their emotional states. Gaming is one of the most effective & efficient ways to enhance the mood of children, youngsters, adolescents and even young adults amongst the other modes of entertainment.
• Numerous studies show a positive correlation between gaming and positive feelings. Simple puzzle solving games that require minimal commitment and a high degree of accessibility can improve player’s moods, promote relaxation and reduce anxiety.

• Games are related to powerful flow or transportation, which are positive emotional experiences that occur when one takes part in intrinsic rewarding activities. Such experiences elicit a high sense of control and loss of self-consciousness in the person involved.

These flow experiences have been linked repeatedly to positive outcomes in other areas & activities.

• The importance of feeling positive emotions has been emphasized in numerous researches. Positive feelings and emotions help broaden emotional intelligence and are crucial in developing & furthering social relationships. Positive emotions are often considered the bedrock of psychological wellbeing.

• While discussing the emotional effect of gaming, we must also take into consideration the subject of emotional regulation. And games have been found to improve a person’s ability to regulate their emotions through self-control, problem-solving and reappraisal.

• The adaptive regulation strategy is a well-established emotional strategy that allows persons to reappraise different emotions and constructively channel them. Games teach their players to cope with anxiety, frustration and other negative emotions.

• Games such as Portal, World of Warcraft, require players to learn from their failures, deal with frustrations, adapt to different conditions and rethink their strategies.

Gaming, in moderation, has the potential to be a highly effective learning and training tool for the human brain. Simulating complex scenarios in a zero-pressure and rewarding context, gaming has gone beyond being just a mode of entertainment and is now used in numerous pedagogical & training contexts.

The effects of computer and other kinds of games on the psychological wellbeing of an individual is a verifiable reality backed by prominent research endeavors.