Pros and Cons of Online Gaming | Luke Visser Chappaqua | Gameplay
Gaming has evolved in the last twenty years from something traditionally done alongside friends at someone’s house to an activity many gamers engage with online. Whether it’s Xbox live, discord servers, or twitch streaming, a vast majority of gaming experience requires an internet connection to take place. There have been plenty of benefits and costs to this change in social interactions; let’s look at some of the pros and cons of the transition to online gaming.
PRO: Visual Processes Improved.
There is growing evidence to support the notion that playing a variety of videogames can strengthen visual processes. These benefits can be large and small, but regardless it’s clear that video games are not solely the brain drain that people have maligned it as. According to Psychology, Today, gamers develop the capacity to distinguish between subtle shades of grey , an experience known as visual contrast sensitivity.
PRO: Socializing
There are plenty of positive social aspects that come alongside gaming online. While some online gaming communities have received notoriety for their negativity, there are plenty of online groups that work hard to support each other and be a source of positivity on the internet. This has become all the more important in the midst of the pandemic where individuals have had less and fewer means for direct social interaction.
PRO: Video Games Can Enhance Executive Functioning
Executive functioning is a measurement utilized to describe an individual’s capacity to assess a problem and find a solution swiftly and effectively. There is evidence suggesting video games can improve multitasking while increasing mental flexibility . Speculatively this makes sense when you consider the number of puzzle-solving and pattern recognition skills involved in the vast majority of video games.
CON: Addiction
One of the most significant issues with online gaming is that it can be an incredibly addictive activity. Various things feed into this: microtransactions, flashing lights, and rewards-based repetition. According to this university article, one in ten people who lay video games can be defined as addicted . Perhaps the most damning evidence to the existence of videogame addiction is that treatment centers have begun to crop up around the globe for those struggling with video game addiction.
CON: Could Influence Anxiety and Depression
It’s important to remember that video games are a positive release that negatively affects anxiety or depression in their lives. Ho wever, there is a subsect of individuals who have been proven to experience heightened anxiety and depression when overindulging in video games. While research is conflicting in this area, it’s imperative to be aware that video games, at least theoretically, could negatively impact your health.
Originally published at https://lukevisserchappaqua.org on April 9, 2021.
