Video Games & Academic Performance: Correlation Found - Essay Sample

Introduction

Violent video games should be banned because they negatively affect the academic performance of students. A study by Anand (2007) found out that there is a correlation between playing video games and grade point accumulation among students (Wright, 2011). It means that the scores declined as the students spent more time playing violent video games. On the contrary, student scores increased as students spent little time on the games. Using academic performance to measure the effects of violent video games is appropriate since it enhances continues improvement and performance; hence, it gives accurate results over a given period. Playing violent video games is addictive and players spend a lot of time. In the process, they spend little time to do their homework since they get home late after school (Shao & Wang, 2019). On the same note, the games develop a deviant behavior among students, which they translate in school. Consequently, they do not want to be corrected whenever they go wrong triggering high levels of conflicts between teachers and students. Indiscipline in school significantly contributes to a decline in academic performance; thus, the reason to ban violent video games. However, not all violent video games affect the academic performance of students since there are others that support brain development and engagement. Nevertheless, violence games train players to be violent; hence, there should be alternative games that are not violent.

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Violent Video Games Cause Physical Impairment

Additionally, authorities should ban violent video games because it causes physical impairment among the players. When playing games, bodies of the players become sedentary, stimulating violent video games. According to child development theory, developing bodies crave movement yet violent video games teach players to be a stand, or sit still. Consequently, sedentary behaviors and bodies affect the physical development of children (Rowan, 2018). Also, it over-stimulates, causing many irreversible conditions and impairments among children. When children play games, their brains go into a hyper state, increasing production glands and dopamine in the brain. The result includes high blood pressure in case of prolonged playing of the games. The probability of heart attacks is high and stroke in later years. In this regard, authorities should ban violent video games to support healthy child development through the various development stages (Shao & Wang, 2019). However, there should be alternative games that foster child development by fostering their vision and combination of the brain and hands.

Video Games Cause Stress

Finally, violent video games cause stress among players. The extent of stress caused influence trait expression among children. The relationship between violent video games and stress is direct and stress is one of the factors causing aggression. At some point, players lose self-control, leading to negative behaviors among players. Because of the stress, players engage in interpersonal-affective deficits like smoking and excessive alcohol consumption (Kimmig, Andringa & Derntl, 2018). Because of this, professionals argue that violent video games contribute to health issues among players; hence, the reason to ban them. Individuals undergoing stress have high health risks. As a result, the government and non-governmental organizations should work collaboratively to ensure they reduce factors causing health risks and advocate for games that foster healthy child development. In the end, the behavior leads to the development of negative behaviors among children; hence, deviating from acceptable values (Kimmig et al., 2018). In this regard, there should be alternative games that support child development without compromising their values. Also, there should be age limits to regulate how children play games at different ages to ensure healthy development.

References

Kimmig, A. S., Andringa, G., & Derntl, B. (2018). Potential Adverse Effects of Violent Video Gaming: Interpersonal- Affective Traits Are Rather Impaired Than Disinhibition in Young Adults. Frontiers in psychology, 16(9), 1-11.

Rowan, C. (2018). Ten reasons why video games should be banned for children under the age of 12. Retrieved from: http://movingtolearn.ca/2018/ten-reasons-why-video-games-should-be-banned-for-children-under-the-age-of-12

Shao, R., & Wang, Y. (2019). The Relation of Violent Video Games to Adolescent Aggression: An Examination of Moderated Mediation Effect. Frontiers in psychology, 21(10), 1-10.

Wright, J. (2011). "The effects of video game play on academic performance," Modern Psychological Studies, 17(1), 1-10.