#gamegahuwatamolemotawennena

 

The Bright Side of Video Games on the Human Mind. 

Video games are commonly criticized for being violent, addictive and as a tool to waste time upon, but in reality, it could help develop life skills and even be happy and emotionally resilient.

The authors of this paper had one big question.

"Why do people play video games?"

According to a reddit questionnaire results they obtained data from 200 responses, and they found 7 main reasons on why people play video games. Which are,

• Escapism - to enter another world and forget the stress
• Entertainment - to get lost in new stories and characters.
• Accomplishment - to feel like u did something important.
• Fun - to enjoy leisure time.
• Socializing - get to know of new people.
• Stress relief - relaxing after a long day.

Based on these categories, they identified 19 psychological and emotional benefits of gaming. Such as:

•     Games can reduce anxiety and depression
•     Players experience a sense of control and satisfaction.
•     Gaming can enhance quick thinking, problem solving, coordination, and attention.
•     Cooperative games boosts social skills and emotional state.

Strengths:

• Gathering data in asocial media platform from various people around the world.
• The research looks at emotional, social and psychological effects together.
• Useful for both game developers and psychologists.

Weaknesses:

• The reddit data sample doesn't represent all the gamers out in the world.
• Grouping responses by themes can lead to biased thoughts.
• Lack of demographic data such as age or gender.
• Benefits are based on secondary sources.

Despite its limitations, the study stands out for showing gaming as a tool for mental wellness rather than a social problem. It suggests that gaming can provide emotional satisfaction similar to mindfulness and creativity.

"Before reading this article, I mostly saw video games as a fun time spending solution. but now, I realized they can also help with enhancing mental capabilities such as building strong muscle memory. I was impressed by how gaming can lower stress levels similar to meditation / working out. The authors’ connection between gaming and emotional wellbeing made me appreciate the balance between fun and psychological growth. Still, I would have liked to see more quantitative results or brain-based research to back up the claims."

A.E. PITIC and A.A.E. PITIC's (2022) study proves that gaming can be more than a hobby. it can be a source of psychological wellbeing. From boosting problem solving skills to improving quick thinking and emotional health, video games offer benefits that extend beyond a digital screen.

Alina E. PITIC, Andrada A.E. PITIC, 

"The positive effects of the video games on the human mind"

(2022)