To say that games have an adverse impact on people is the same as to say that the media drives violence. Everything in excess is harmful, and games are no exception. Numerous studies and papers on video game addiction exist. And they all debunk the myth that games badly influence anyone who plays them. Video games are not bad at all. It all depends on our approach toward them and how much time we spend on them.
Teachers have been implementing games in curricula because they are confident that played in moderation, video games teach students to be organized and meet deadlines. What else do games teach us? Let’s find out!
How to Catch Attention
Catching attention is a necessary step in many projects, presentations, and writing assignments. It boosts the reader’s engagement in the text and makes them stay attentive. However, failing to spark the audience’s attention results in low involvement and comprehension of the text.
Games teach us how to catch attention because they are amusing, complicated, and demanding. Games also increase our concentration levels, making us less distracted and scattered. The impressive power of video games lies in their interactive nature. Meaning players don’t simply watch and passively follow the plot. They are part of the process, and their actions have a direct impact on the plot.
How To Read Speedily
Those who have ever played Gothic or Dragon Age know how challenging it was to follow the plot and different conversations. Today’s games are more friendly in this regard. Players have enough time to read the conversation before moving forward. Still, such interactions and dialogues make people read every line without skipping it, even if they have to do that fast.
Not only do games make us more engaged, but they also require reading blocks of text, sometimes very quickly. This approach boosts our productivity. For instance, we can apply the skills of speed reading when writing an essay. It allows us to write and review the paper quickly and effectively. Besides, speed reading lets us work and process more information. Students report that they can handle research paper writing assignments way faster than they used to, thanks to playing video games.
How To Be Visually Alert
Scholars from the University of Rochester have recently conducted a study showing that those who play video games remain visually alert compared to those who don’t play any games. Moreover, participants who played games in moderation were more agile in reaction and environmental orientation. They could find practical solutions to different problems in the given terrain (in real-life surroundings).
Also, neuroscientists declare that such a study sheds light on the effectiveness of video games. The results draw the attention of various military units. They plan to implement such a strategy when training soldiers. Besides, this method tends to be on the radar of respective authorities who work with people with attention and concentration impairments.
How To Play Fair
Every game has a plot. And players are obliged to follow it to progress through the game. By playing according to the established rules, we realize that this also should be done in real life. Fair play is necessary for daily routine, sports, and academia. It is essential to foster and nurture this understanding, as it plays a critical role in the community’s development.
Apart from that, games give us a safe opportunity to compete, realize our mistakes, correct them, and regroup. This experience increases the awareness that thorough thinking is necessary before making any decision because many actions can’t be undone.
How to Reward Ourselves
Many people can’t separate work and leisure time. And even when they try to do that, they rarely succeed because of the inability to stop thinking about one activity when doing the other. Games give us the craved rest, which is why so many people play them after work and during weekends.
Games are wired to generate pleasure, and they stimulate the surge of dopamine in the brain. As a result, our brain reprograms itself and allows us to extend the duration of mental and emotional regeneration. Moreover, games aid memory, increase confidence, reward effort, and stimulate the brain to work with diverse tasks.
Some people consider games a harmful activity with no benefits. However, studies clearly show that playing video games has lots of advantages for people of any age. Games also teach us how to grab attention and make any story as captivating as possible. Students and other writers can hugely benefit from this. In addition, games teach us how to read swiftly, play according to the rules, and stay visually alert. Perhaps, if you share this article with people with differing thoughts, they would review their attitude toward games as something downright evil?
