Psychological effects Game

The effects that the habitual use of video games may have on people, and especially on children, have been the subject of interest and controversy .

Among the positive effects attributed to them are abilities such as: "hand-eye coordination, logical capacity, spatial ability, problem solving, strategy development, concentration, attention, collaboration, cooperation and selection of relevant information, auditory stimulation, among others ». 7 According to one study, the child develops mental abilities and his reasoning ability is more active compared to a child 20 years ago who did not have this technology. In adults they can function as a stress reliever, contributing to good health. 8 Others claim that they improve visual health 9 and even certain skills such as those necessary for the practice of surgery. 10It should also be noted that the effects vary according to the type of game. 7 A professor at the University of Nottingham has also stated that they can have the effect of attenuating pain. 11 According to a study, short-term exposure has a positive effect on the care of children without psychiatric problems, they obtained a better score in the Stroop test after being exposed for one hour to a video game they played for the first time . 12

Regarding the negative aspects of video games, it is worth noting factors such as addiction. The easy access to computers, smartphones and consoles, added to a lack of control by parents or the environment of a dysfunctional home, can lead to children or teenagers making an abusive use of video games. This has negative effects such as being more prone to aggression, lack of assertiveness and low academic performance. 13

Another controversial aspect of video games in children is that they can curb some aspects of their motor development, and lead to a lack of socialization, 14 although the latter is refuted by other studies that point to the opposite, that video games increase his sociability 15 16 "Video games are an entertainment that is well suited to the reality of the child born in the computer age since they involve socialization in the culture of simulation that characterizes contemporary advanced societies" (Turkle 1997). 17

In one study, mental health is associated with playing videogames. It was found that players who played moderately had the best mental health, those who played excessively had a slight increase in problem behaviors and those who did not play video games had the worst mental health