Games are bad for your eyes
The next time your mom/girlfriend tells you that sitting too long in front of that "machine" is bad for your eyes, you can tell her that is pure gibberish. According to a recent American study, your eyes can distinguish contrasts more accurately when you often play games. This means you can see the difference between colours and light and dark tones better. In other words: you see a lot more at night. These results can be reached after a few months, which proves that playing games is better for you than not playing games at all.
Games make you dumber
Research tells us that gamers are better in solving problems and thinking rationally. By playing strategy games like Red Alert or simulation games like The Sims or SimCity, gamers are being forced to create a certain strategy or future image. It also enhances their capabilities of solving problems. Gamers try and fail, but afterwards, they try again and learn from their mistakes. Schools notice that students who often play games reach higher scores than the other ones. If your father wants to make a new Einstein of you, tell him you have to game a lot!
Hand-eye coordination and reflexes
For playing a game correctly you have to control your hands well. It sounds very stupid and obviously, but it's of course important to know - even though you're not aware of it - which movement of your hand causes what. After having played a game for a while, your hands know, without any problems, what to do. That's called hand-eye coordination and also improves your handiness in 'real' life. The same can be said about your reflexes. The reactive power of a gamer can be less than 100 milliseconds.
Games cause aggression
Kids are more aggressive, which is caused by violent games. People who say this, can't be more wrong. The only thing we are certain of is that nowadays there's given more attention to it. Violence and accidents reach the news more, but does this mean that it occurs more often? The chance of a plane crashing is thousand times less likely to happen than a car crash, but when you look at the news you'll see a lot of emergency landings and accidents concerning a plane. This creates a wrong image.
The aggression among young people hasn't increased; we just put more emphasis on it. When violent games weren't sold yet, same situations occurred. The increased attention gives people the impression of more violence. A lot of them link this with the rise of action games and shooters.
Ten to fifteen minutes after playing a violent game, you have aggressive thoughts. Thoughts. This doesn't mean you will convert them into actions. By the way: it's proven that after a heavy workout you're also more aggressive than before. The press and the rest of the world must pay attention to any rash conclusions concerning games and violence. Opponents of games are known for spreading bogus information.
Simulation games
Games are more and more being used for professional purposes. These 'serious games' can prepare an employee for a future job. For instance: Fire Departments play Hazmat: Hot zone and future soldiers practice their skills with America's Army. According to developers, a lot of young employees, who are raised with games, have a lot of advantages because of their practice. If these games had proven to be a bad influence on you, they wouldn't be using it for earlier mentioned purposes. Further they make teaching undoubtedly more fun, especially for youngsters.
Games cause violence
The ones who freak out and start to shoot people in schools, like Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, are being blamed on their actions for playing games. 'War games' to be precise. Although it has never been proven. Even more: apparently shooters aren't that aggressive games. Race games are proven to cause more excitement. According to a British research a game of ping-pong is more likely to cause aggression than a shooter. During and after playing the race game and the game of ping-pong, gamers reacted aggressive and excited. The same couldn't be said for gamers who played the shooter game. What does this teach us? Be more afraid of Lewis Hamilton than the average Modern Warfare enthusiast.
Games cause stress
Playing (action) games causes stress. You definitely feel the rush and agitation that comes with it, but your body doesn't actually need this. In dangerous situations, your body gives you a boost of adrenaline, which you use to escape or find a solution. With playing games, your body does the same thing, but you don't do anything to vent this adrenaline. Result: an overdose, which causes stress. Ever had the feeling you wanted throw your controller out of the window? Well, our point exactly...
At the same time a research from Oxford claims the opposite. Games have the ability to help reduce stress. The research shows that people, who played Tetris after a stressful situation, were less tense than before. Who's to say which research is wrong or right?
Games teach kids to kill
Games are being used to train soldiers, but also teach kids how to shoot. Therefore they know how to kill other people. This could be right, but only if these next highly unlikely circumstances can be applied:
Fortunately this isn't reality; otherwise planet earth would be infested with mindless zombies who'll shoot everything that crosses their path.
Gamers are antisocial
Gamers live in their own world, don't take part in any social activities and don't want to be interrupted to listen to stories of others or share their own experiences. This is true, but only during gaming. Just like someone who is reading a book, gamers don't want to be disturbed during their pastime. They simply want to enjoy the adventures, which they undertake time after time, to the fullest. Wouldn't you?
This doesn't mean that gamers generally are antisocial and introverted. From the moment they put down their controller, they can be socially active as well. They are, for instance, no stranger to playing 'some b-ball' or visiting a trendy club.
Most of the time games are being played together. When you play online, you're likely to communicate with gamers from other countries. Who knows, even make a few friends. How can you call someone, who has contacts in China, Sweden, Germany..., antisocial?
Friends of gamers are gamers
Friends of gamers are more likely to be gamers as well. This is true, but also very obvious. People are always inclined to look for friends with the same interests. If other people find this stupid or boring, well... that's their problem.
Games alienate people from reality
Games of today are usually packed with ethical aspects. Furthermore gamers regularly take leadership in these games, which is rather interesting concerning the choices they make and the emotions that come with this.
The reality in games is totally different from the one in real life. Youngsters realize this as well. I would say: 'these people aren't morons", but even morons know the difference between fighting for the fun of it and 'the real deal'.
Source: www.playstationpure.be
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http://www.playstationpure.be/blog/item/355/Games-and-their-Prejudices/5
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Nice blog, although games also have detrimental effects. Such as playing for too long can cause eye strain, pretty much like being at the computer too much or really just tiring your eyes out. Probably why I wear glasse now :p. Take everything in moderation is my new motto now.
But yeah, I like how it focuses on the positives. Which is what a lot of people who aren't gamers seem to ignore. Good job.
nice blog, sorry I didn't come in sooner to comment (and that no one else is either, lol)!
too true, some people seem all too willing to demonize new media that they don't fully understand. hopefully I'll remember some of your excellent points the next time I feel compelled to defend my favorite pastime.