Ben-DutkaEverything in moderation, I always say.
While there are plenty of studies out there attempting to prove that video games are the spawn of Satan, a few are simply trying to examine the effects of the hobby on youngsters.
One, published in Pediatrics and as cited by Today and the BBC , shows that a little gaming every week can be good for a child. The results of the study suggest that kids who indulge in video games for a few hours each week have fewer conduct problems, are generally better adjusted, and better empathized with others.
However, it's important to note that once children began playing more – 1-3 hours/day – the positive effects reversed. Then kids were more likely to suffer from hyperactivity and inattention, show a lack of compassion for others, and were overall less happy with life. The study's author, Oxford experimental psychologist Andrew Przybylski, said he hopes these results will comfort parents who attempt to keep video games out of the household. It can also act as a warning, though.
If you'd like, you can read the entire study at the Pediatrics website .
I find a lot of truth in this when I look back at my youth. The more I spent time on games, the more anxious I became with an unquenchable thrist for… Something. Trouble with that was simply nothing eased the tension.
By the time I became competent in controlling my urge to game on my own (around 15/16 y/o), I let the controller go after 2hrs at most. Obviously, there were exceptions. However, as long as it wasn't the norm, it didn't really ruin my mood.
The same can be said about anything that mentally engages you with little to none physical activity. Sitting in a theatre for a 3 hr long movie renders me a zombie when I walk out. Completely oblivious to reality and incapable of situating my mindset on any thought worthwhile.
I like to think in my youth I was good. Actually it helped that most games were just the same games you played over and over because it was impossible to get very far. After an hour or two of that we would put the controllers down and go ride bikes or something. Though Final Fantasy was another matter…
Honestly I think this is true for adults too. If I find myself playing too much I get more frustrated, forgetting i was supposed to be having fun with it, not ticking off a backlog game ya know?
Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 8/4/2014 1:01:52 PM
Completely agree with you. In fact, the adult years tend to be worse in my opinion. We have this extremely fast paced society where we can't be bothered becoming an emotional train wreck from too much visual stimulation. If I were to do that to myself nowadays, I'd dig such a deep burdened hole of hell to crawl out of, crying and whining the whole way out.
I absolutely played too much video games when I was a kid.
These days I put it in around 7-10 hours a week. That feels about right.
idk whether that makes most gamers unhappy and are hyperactive and stuff. i like to think that my youth was pritty good desipte the fact that i gamed alot. well whateever i turn out just fine i think
happy gaming
I overdosed myself as a kiddie, so… it's real bad.