Advantages

Among the advantages for the people who use them we can find:
1- Training and improvement of physical and mental abilities
It has been proven in some studies that if we play video games daily, we can improve
our visual attention, be more efficient in changing tasks, be faster in tasks where we
have to perform a visual search or discriminate objects by their shape / color.
Also among other benefits, it contributes more effectiveness in the follow-up of
multiple objectives (Green and Bavelier, 2003).
Other researchers have conducted training studies corroborating that the practice of
video games also improves the execution of divided tasks and mental rotation (De
lisi and Wolford, 2003 quoted in Salguero, 2009).
2- It has therapeutic uses
Video games can be used in people who have both physical and mental problems. As
for example in people who present problems of mobility in the arms, or that they
find it difficult to be related; as is the case of people with autism .
It has also been used in a rehabilitative way in people who present problems of care ,
among others.
3- Use as didactic means
Video games can be a means of learning for people who use it because it is a
different context and more playful. They are therefore a good means of motivation
for children and young people , as well as for children who have learning difficulties
or are even at risk.
Thanks to this means students can be motivated to learn by creating fun feelings
(Salguero, 2009).
4. Fosters positive values
The games of consoles and computers also promote values such as solidarity,
friendship, cohesion and a sense of belonging to a group. It is important for parents
to take advantage of these benefits to improve family relationships
(Reyes-Hernández et al. 2012, Reyes-Hernandez, 2014).
5- Use as leisure and entertainment
We need to get distracted so we do not feel stressed in our day to day or just to fight
the daily boredom. For this reason, video games are a great means of entertainment
because of the large number of realities they present (González, 2010 in
Reyes-Hernández et al., 2014).
6- Develop empathy
Since there are a multitude of group games, players have to make decisions and
know that they can have consequences, both positive and negative, on the other
players in the game. Therefore, it is a means that facilitates the development of
empathy (Levine, 2009 Reyes-Hernández et al., 2014).
7- Increase the sense of competence and self-esteem
The use of video games also creates feelings of self-esteem and competition in
players game after game. As you overcome the different challenges and levels, you
feel better about yourself and able to meet the following objectives.
8- Encourage teamwork
In team games, players will also develop group work skills as they sometimes have to
be united to overcome some challenge.
In addition, it also allows them to develop other abilities such as quick thinking to act
satisfactorily in the face of problems presented to them or even work under pressure
to avoid losing the game.

Disadvantages of using video games

In addition to the aforementioned advantages, we also find possible disadvantages
and negative effects on people who use it:
9- They can create addiction
It is common to hear that there are people who are addicted to video games ,
however, and despite the studies that have been done about it, to this day cannot
prove that playing with video games can create addiction.
Salguero (2009) talks about that some people at a given moment, acquire a
pathological fixation by an object or activity. Even so, we have to analyze the person
and ask ourselves why he has reached that point.
In addition, we also have to point out that there are activities that are tremendously
entertaining and absorbing, so you can spend more time than usual.
10- It increases the aggressiveness of the player and they are violent
Some games are very aggressive and violent. Sometimes, this content is not only
limited to physical aggression but also enters ideologies. There is a wide range of
research in this regard in which a clear conclusion is not reached as to whether video
games create or increase aggressiveness in their players.
Some argue that its effect is short-term (Barlett, Branch, Rodeheffer and Harris,
2009), while others argue that it has a long-term effect on players (Anderson et al.,
2008).
11- It has negative effects on socialization
The child who has fun with games that are violent can lead to negative effects in
their socialization with other equals, leading to their lack of sense of belonging or
social justice (Reyes-Hernández, 2006 in Reyes-Hernández, 2014).
We also know that video games cannot be discussed, which increases the use of
violence as a solution.
12- They present a disproportionate image of the woman’s body
In many games, sex and sensuality is an important part of the plot or story. It is
usually presented to the woman as a sexual object and with bodies disproportionate
to the real ones.
This image can make it assimilate in the players that the body of a woman should be
that and not another (Abanes, 2008 in Reyes-Hernandez, 2014).
13- It can affect the life of the players
If you do not have control of its use, it can affect our life in a negative way; thus
affecting our school performance, the family and our day to day life in general.
Recommendations for parents and educators
Once we have presented the advantages and disadvantages of the use of video
games, we need to develop a section of recommendations for parents and educators
regarding the use and proper purchase of video games.
It is necessary that we attach importance to the purchase of a video game to our son
to the age group to which this game is directed, in addition to the plot and history
that presents, with the idea of avoiding the violent ones and choosing those that are
going to learning.
As a general rule, we have to implement a usage schedule that does not exceed the
daily time. For this, we will have to expose other alternatives to the console such as
the sport, the park, etc. If you play the computer, we will also follow these
recommendations.
Whenever possible, it is important that we play with them, so we will know the
different games that exist and those that they like (Sánchez, Reyes and Hernández,
2000).
If adults also play at home, it is important that children play games that they can
enjoy, that is, for the whole family.
Some figures
Video games are the favorite toy for both children and adults in today’s society. In
2009, annual sales rose to $ 1.9 trillion.
On a global scale in the entertainment industry with an estimated $ 690 billion
dollars, Americans topped the list of video game users. Followed by the Asia-Pacific
region with 432 billion and Europe 14.3 billion (García, 2012).
Of the audiovisual entertainment consumption, the use of video games accounts for
35% of the total, ahead of the cinema box office, video films and recorded music.
If we talk about Spain, in 2009, about 10.5 million Spaniards used video games. Of
this figure, 62.5% were men and 37.5% were women. There are more and more
players between the ages of 20 and 34 and the presence of this toy has increased in
homes.
In the case of computer players, its usual user are young people who like sports
games, strategy, adventures and races. While in a console, the profile is for children
up to 13 years old who choose one or another video game depending on how fast
and the protagonist present (Godoy, 2009).

In quota sampling, a population is first segmented into mutually exclusive sub-groups,

just as in stratified sampling. Then judgment is used to select the subjects or units from
each segment based on a specified proportion. For example, an interviewer may be
told to sample 200 females and 300 males between the age of 45 and 60. This means
that individuals can put a demand on who they want to sample (targeting).
This second step makes the technique non-probability sampling. In quota sampling,
there is non-random sample selection and this can be unreliable. For example,
interviewers might be tempted to interview those people in the street who look most
helpful, or may choose to use accidental sampling to question those closest to them, to
save time. The problem is that these samples may be biased because not everyone
gets a chance of selection, whereas in stratified sampling (its probabilistic version), the
chance of any unit of the population is the same as 1/n (n= number of units in the
population). This non-random element is a source of uncertainty about the nature of
the actual sample and quota versus probability has been a matter of controversy for
many years.[1]