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Ketan J Narotam
Proffessor Mcgriff
English 1102
August 10, 2016
The Positive Effects Video Games can have on Cognitive Ability
According to Danielle Dai and Amanda Fry author of Effects of Video Games on
Child Development reports, The video game industry is a rapid growing market that
went from having a market volume of $100 million in 1985 to $4Billion in 1990.
Furthermore, Tom Di Christopher author of Digital video game sales rise 5% to $6.2B
in April: Report states Video Game sales in 2016 increased by 5% generating 6.2
Billion dollars in income. So what does this mean? This means that a lot of people are
playing video games. How exactly does this affect us? Every day we read or watch
news stories of how video games are always to blame whenever there is a mass
shooting. Video games are also always blamed for the growing trend in obesity. Some
even say that video games are the blame for the dumbing down of our youth. While
some of these negative consquences are true by their own merit, the beneficial
outcomes games have on our psychological well-being are rarely reported. The overall
objective of this paper is to investigate: the negative consequences of video games,
and explain how video games can help improve our cognitive abilities such as
following directions, problem-solving, motor-skills, and reading.
Negative Aspects of Video Games
Whenever there is a mass shooting or terrorist attack video games are falsely
named as the culprit behind the perpetrators motive. Mark Ward author of Columbine

Ketan J Narotam
Proffessor Mcgriff
English 1102
August 10, 2016
families Sue Computer Game Makers, mentions that the shooters behind the
horrendous 1999 Columbine school shooting played, and were influenced by the video
game Doom. Kobina Amoakwa author of The Flight Software That 'Trains the terrorists'
, suggests that terrorists behind the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were taught
to fly by playing the video game Microsoft Flight Simulator. Daniel Bates and Helen Pow
author of Lanza's descent to madness and murder: Sandy Hook shooter notched up
83,000 online kills including 22,000 'head shots' using violent games to train himself for
his massacre., mentioned that the shooter behind the Sand Hook massacre was
obsessed with the computer game Combat Arms. As you can see a lot of mass
shootings/terrorist attacks were blamed on video games. Is the blame justified?
According to Youssef Hasan, Laurent Bgue and Brad J. Bushman, authors of Violent
Video Games Stress People Out and Make Them More Aggressive, states, Research
has shown that violent video games increases physiological arousal, such as heart rate,
blood pressure, skin conductance, and aggression The above quote highlights that
these are a portion of the same manifestations that are displayed by individuals who
have shared in a brutal demonstration or demonstration of animosity. However, I think it
is rather unfair to say that violent video games are related to these symptoms because
there many factors that the authors of this study failed to consider. For example, a high
heart rate or high blood pressure can be caused by a persons competitive nature,
physical condition, sexual feelings, or feelings of excitement. Blaming acts of violent on

Ketan J Narotam
Proffessor Mcgriff
English 1102
August 10, 2016
video games is equivalent to blaming a shoe company because a football player missed
a punt.
Another negative part of video gaming is the way that computer games are
normally recognized as the cause of obesity. Based on findings by Dai and Fry the
CDC reported 2009-2010, 12.1 percent of children ages 2 to 5 are obese, 18 percent of
6 to 11 year olds are obese, and 18.4 percent of 12 to 19 year olds are obese. This
statistic does not consider the children who are overweight. Dai and Fry also reported
that kids involved with video games are spending 13 and 14 hours a week playing them
rather than just an hour here and there. Based on these two statistics alone it is safe to
assume that children are spending their time indoors instead of spending time outdoors
exercising. This lack of exercise results in the children gaining weight. However, it is
rather unfair to blame video games solely on this. Yes, children are spending 13 to 14
hours playing video games. If video games did not exist the children would probably be
spending that time indoors watching Television for 13 to 14 hours, or reading a book.
The parents are also to blame for buying video games for their children in the first place
instead of encouraging them to exercise and live healthy lives. Computer games are not
to fault for obesity but rather the absence of support from our educational systems and
guardians to urge kids to be healthy are.

Ketan J Narotam
Proffessor Mcgriff
English 1102
August 10, 2016
The final negative aspect of video gaming is the fact that video games can lead
to addiction or cause children to be anti-social. According to Drea Christopher author of
The negative Effects of Video Game Addiction writes, That a video game addiction
can be harmful if your child is unable or unwilling to participate in any interests or
extracurricular activities other than gaming. It is unfair to say that this is a video game
addiction because there could be other factors causing this behavior among children
such as: Depression, Aspergers, and Bi Polar Disorder. According to the Anxiety and
Depression Association of America author of Depression Symptoms writes,
Symptoms of Depression can include Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and
activities, including sex. According to WEBMD staff author of Aspergers Symptoms
Syndrome Symptoms states, A symptom of Aspergers can include be preoccupied
with only one or few interests, which he or she may be very knowledgeable about. The
Mayo Clinic staff author of Diseases and Conditions- Bipolar Disorder- Symptoms also
states, A symptom of Bipolar disorder can include markedly reduced interest or feeling
no pleasure in all or almost all activities most of the day, nearly every day. As you
can see one of the main symptoms of video game addiction is also shared by:
Depression, Aspergers, and Bipolar disorder includes the same symptom of video
game. One should not doubt the existence of video game addiction in any shape or
fashion. The reason for this is because scapegoating video games as the culprit of
video game addiction, does not fully help us understand the root cause of video game

Ketan J Narotam
Proffessor Mcgriff
English 1102
August 10, 2016
addiction or any addiction for that matter. Instead, it uses video games as a short term
fix for video game addiction. When in reality mental illnesss such as: Depression,
Aspergers, or BiPolar disorder can help doctors come up with a long term fix for video
game addiction. The next section will investigate the positive effects video games can
have our cognitive ability.
What is Cognitive Ability?

This segment will explain the beneficial impact computer games can have on
cognitive ability? Before the benefits of videos games in relation to cognitive ability
are explained, it is important to know what cognitive ability is. Dr. Pascale Michelon
author of What are Cognitive Abilities and Skills, and How to Boost Them writes,

Cognitive abilities are brain-based skills we need to carry out any task
from the simplest to the most complex. They have more to do with the
mechanisms of how we learn, remember, problem-solve, and pay
attention, rather than with any actual knowledge. For instance, answering
the telephone involves perception (hearing the ring tone), decision taking
(answering or not), motor skill (lifting the receiver), language skills (talking
and understanding language), social skills (interpreting tone of voice and
interacting properly with another human being).

Ketan J Narotam
Proffessor Mcgriff
English 1102
August 10, 2016
What is interesting about this definition is that it highlights some of the cognitive
abilities affected by playing video games. Another rather interesting aspect about this
quote is the fact how it mentions that: following directions, problem solving, motor, and
language skills are cognitive abilities. The reason this is important is because these are
the same cognitive skills that video games help improve. The following sections will
cover the above quote, and explain how video games can help improve cognitive
abilities in relation to: following directions, problem-solving, motor, and language skills.

How Video Games Help With Following Directions?

Video games can help us follow directions. Dai and Fry states The first and
foremost thing one discovers in a game is that following directions is of the utmost
importance. This is true in many ways. First of all, every game has guidelines,
restrictions, and objectives. This is especially true in Role Playing Games (RPG) such
as World and Warcraft and Skyrim. In these games, players are given quests that they
must complete in order to progress through the game or receive a game. Following
directions is also important in competitive games such as: Counter Strike Global
Offensive (CS:GO), Call of Duty, Overwatch, and League of Legends. In these games
players must work and communicate together to achieve various objectives. In these
games there is usually a team leader who formulates the strategy. It is important for
players to listen to this leader and adapt to their strategy calls.

Ketan J Narotam
Proffessor Mcgriff
English 1102
August 10, 2016
How Video Games Help With Problem Solving and Logic

Video gamers also use problem solving and logic skills in conjunction with
following directions. Dai and Fry states, As the player confronts new challenges he or
she must use problem-solving to find solutions. The player cannot get through with what
they already have or know and must find new combinations and incorporate old skills
with new skills to overcome obstacles such as the level or quest. Problem solving and
logic skills are important in pretty much every video you can think of. A rather simple
example of a players utilizing logic would be in the in the poplar puzzle game: Angry
Birds. Armed with nothing but a slingshot players must formulate ways to hit a group of
birds. Every map is different and players must adapt their play style and utilize problem
solving and logic in various environments.

How Video Games Effects Hand Eye Coordination?

Another positive aspect of video games in relation to cognitive ability is how it

effects hand-eye coordination. Dai and Fry writes In shooter games, the player keeps
track of their position, direction, speed, aim, results and more. The brain processes all
this information and then coordinates with the hands since all actions are done through
the controller or keyboard. In CS:GO players are constantly running and shooting at the
same time. Players must also keep track of their aim and react to different situations.

Ketan J Narotam
Proffessor Mcgriff
English 1102
August 10, 2016
For example, every weapon is different, and has a unique purpose. In this situation
players must learn to adapt their handling of a specific weapon in the situation or
environment they are in. Players must also use quick reflexes whenever they are
confronted by the enemy. In this situation, players usually have three to five seconds to
figure out what movement they should make and the type of weapons they should
quickly switch to. Whats really interesting is the fact that just by playing any type of
game using a keyboard or controller can greatly impact our real life job or professions.
For example, Florida Hospital author of Video Games Help Doctors Improve Surgical
writes In support of Dr. Rossers warm-up research, Florida Hospital Celebration
health has created a specific area within the physicians lounge where doctors can
spend 5-10 minutes with video game warm-up sessions before going into surgery. To
roll out the program, special sessions are being held to help surgeons understand the
importance of a warm-up before surgery. Florida Hospital also states that medical
students who were video gamers performed much better on surgical tests than those
who have not played video games. This statistic can also be applied to other
professions where having a steady hand is a must. Examples of these types of
professions include: Welding, Auto Mechanic, Electrician, Law Enforcement, Military,
and Culinary.

Ketan J Narotam
Proffessor Mcgriff
English 1102
August 10, 2016
How Video Games Improve Reading?

Reading plays a huge role in RPG games like: World of Warcraft, Skyrim, Final
Fantasy, Zelda. Players are constantly reading objectives, quests, and stories as they
play the game. The amount of text a player can read in a video can be equivalent to that
of a book. What makes reading in video games different from a reading novel is the way
the text is present on the screen the way flash cards are presented to a student
studying for a written exam. This method of reading can greatly improve how fast we
can read, how we retain specific information, and it can also help people struggling with
dyslexia. In an experiment, Sandro Franceschini author of Action Video Games Make
Dyslexic Children Read Better writes, Attentional Dysfunction is an important core
deficit in dyslexic individual. This means that people suffering from dyslexia have a
hard time retaining the information they read. Franceschini further states Video game
training has been proven to increase attention abilities. The reason for this is because
of how quickly the text is displayed on the screen forcing the player to read faster. In
order to prove this Sandro Franceschini devised an two month experiment in which
twenty children with dyslexia played reading focused adventure games. It was
concluded that an overwhelming majority (70%) of the children showed improvements
in:, speed reading, spelling, writing, and pronunciation; the most interesting aspect of
this experiment is that they also tried the experiment with children that did not suffer

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Ketan J Narotam
Proffessor Mcgriff
English 1102
August 10, 2016
from dyslexia. The results of that experiment surprised scientists because the children
with dyslexia outperformed the students that did not suffer from dyslexia. In the next
final section we will look at how certain video games can affect certain areas of the
brain.

How Video Games Affects Certain Parts of Our Brain

Dai and Fry, states The six areas of the brain affected by videos include: Brain
Cell Connections, Premotor & Parietal Cortex, Prefrontal Cortex, and Dor
sal Anterior Cingulate Cortex. Any game that focuses on repeated actions such as:
platform, puzzle and strategy games are related to and strengthen Brain Cell
Connections. Any games that focus on real-time action and movement impact the
Premotor & Parietal Cortex. A good example of this would be the games: Mario,
Pacman, and Space Invaders. The prefrontal cortex part of the brain helps us with
logical thinking and decision making. Games that utilize the Prefrontal Cortex include
Tetris, and strategy games such as: StarCraft 2 and League of Legends. Games that
involve planning your next move such as: Chess, Civilization, StarCraft 2, Battlefield
4, Call of Duty, Overwatch, CS:GO, and League of Legends affect the Dorsal
Anterior Cingulate Cortex.

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Ketan J Narotam
Proffessor Mcgriff
English 1102
August 10, 2016
Conclusion

As should be obvious there are numerous negative and positive parts of

computer games. A portion of the negative parts of computer games include:
Violence, Obesity, and Addiction. Some positive aspects of video games on cognitive
ability include improvements in: Following directions, Problem Solving, Hand-EyeCoordination, and improvements in reading. Even though the benefits outweigh the
negative aspects video gaming, it is important to note that scientists have just
recently begun researching the impact of video gaming on cognitive ability. However,
one must not neglect the negative aspects because of this very fact. The reason for
this because the positive or negative aspects mentioned in this paper may end up
being debunked in later experiments. Scientists are constantly finding new data
regarding this subject matter. But, in the end the one thing all scientists agree on is
that: anything we do we must do in moderation. Anything can be healthy for but if it is
done excessively it can in no doubt harm you, and lead to an addiction.

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Ketan J Narotam
Proffessor Mcgriff
English 1102
August 10, 2016

Works Cited

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. "Video Games and Children:
Playing with Violence." N.p., n.d. Web. 17 July 2016.
Amokwa, Kobina. "The Flight Software That 'trains the Terrorists'" Associated
Newspapers, 2005. Web. 10 Aug. 2016.
Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Symptoms. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Aug.
2016.

Bates, Daniel, and Helen Pow. "Lanza's Descent to Madness and Murder: Sandy Hook
Shooter Notched up 83,000 Online Kills including 22,000 'head Shots' Using
Violent Games to Train Himself for His Massacre." Associated Newspapers,
2013. Web. 10 Aug. 2016.
Christopher, Drea. The Negative Effects of Video Game Addiction.
LIVESTRONG.COM, 2015. Web. 03 Aug. 2016.
Dai, Danielle, and Amanda Fry. Effect of Video Games on Child Development.
Developmental Pyschology at Vanderbilt. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 July 2016
DiChristopher, Tom. Digital Video Game Sales Rose 5% to $6.2B in April: Report.
N.p., 2016. Web. 03 Aug. 2016.
Florida Hospital. "Video Games Help Doctors Improve Surgical Skills." N.p., n.d. Web.
Franceschini, Sandro, Simon Gori, Milena Ruffino, Simona Viola, Massimo Molteni, and
Andrea Facoetti. "Action Video Games Make Dyslexic Children Read Better."
N.p., n.d. Web. 20 July 2016.
Mayo Clinic Staff. Bipolar Disorder Symptoms. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Aug. 2016.
Ward, Mark. "Columbine Families Sue Computer Game Makers." BBC, 2001. Web. 10
Aug. 2016.
.

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Ketan J Narotam
Proffessor Mcgriff
English 1102
August 10, 2016

WebMD. Asperger's Syndrome Symptoms in Children, Teens, Adults. WebMD, n.d.

Web. 03 Aug. 2016.

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Ketan J Narotam
Proffessor Mcgriff
English 1102
August 10, 2016