“She’s like they teach me to kill people or something,”
says David, 17.

“We don’t know, so you kind of speculate, and
when you see violence … you naturally associate it to
violent acts,” says his mother, Susan Neckman.

While plenty of studies have been conducted on the violence
in video games and it’s potential harm, now researchers
from the University of Rochester say they have a little good
news about kids and video games. Their study showed that experienced
players were 30% better than non-players when tested for reaction
time, awareness of surroundings and ability to multitask.

“You’re used to doing a whole lot of things at
once cause you’ll look at your map, and there’ll
be three people and they’ll all be in different places,
so you have to deal with all of them,” David says.

Researchers performed their study in computer labs, so there’s
no proof that David’s “skill” translates
to the real world. But experts say that special awareness
and reaction time are some of the same skills used while driving.

“As much as I’m not personally a big fan of single-person
shooter games, if it does in fact show that we can improve
our scanning skills and our planning skills, then I’ve
got to hope that it would perhaps make an adolescent behind
a 3,000-4,000 pound machine potentially a safer driver,”
says Dr. Joanne Max, a psychologist.

On the other hand, experts say that plenty of other games
can likely teach the same skills without the shooting and
without the blood.

David’s mother lets him play – as long as he
doesn’t overdo it.

“My son’s a good kid, so I didn’t really
make a big issue of him playing the games,” Mrs. Neckman
says.

A new study from the
University of Rochester in New York suggests that playing
video games may be beneficial to children’s development.
In four experiments, researchers analyzed for six months subjects
who played video games several times a week. They found that
these individuals were capable of monitoring more complex
visual information more easily than non-gamers. In fact, when
the researchers monitored novice players for 10 hours of training
on the game Medal of Honor, they found that the gamers improved
their visual processing skills. The researchers concluded
that the fast-moving action of such games as Spiderman actually
pushes players limits, forcing them to juggle a number of
varied tasks and thus helping them to develop different aspects
of visual attention.

How popular is gaming among children today? The National
Institute on Media and the Family (NIMF) cites the following
data concerning children and video games:

• An estimated 84% of teens are playing video games.
• Boys average 10 hours a week playing video games.
• At-risk teenage boys spend 60% more time playing games,
  and they prefer more violent games than other teens.
• Only 15% of teens think their parents know about video
  game ratings, and only 2% say their parents routinely check
  ratings.
• Eighteen percent of boys report that their parents would
  be upset it they knew what video games they were playing.
• Youth who prefer violent video games are more likely to
  get into arguments with their teachers and are more likely
  to get into physical fights, regardless of gender.

What kinds of effects does gaming have on
a child? The NIMF cites the following positive and negative
aspects of gaming:

Positives:

• Video game playing introduces children to technology.
• Games can give practice in following directions.
• Some games provide practice in problem-solving and logic.
• Games can provide practice in use of fine motor and spatial
  skills.
• Games can provide occasions for adults and children to
  play together.
• Users are introduced to information technology.
• They can serve as therapeutic applications with patients.
• They provide entertainment.

Negatives:

• Games could foster social isolation, as they are often
  played alone.
• Practicing violent acts may contribute more to aggressive
  behavior than passive television watching.
• Women are often portrayed as weaker characters who are
  helpless.
• Game environments are often based on plots of violence,
  aggression and gender bias.
• Many games only offer an arena of weapons, killings, kicking,
  stabbing and shooting.
• Feelings of mastery occur in a world that is not real
  – a video world.
• The long-term effect on aggression is unknown.
• More often, games do not offer action that requires independent
  thought or creativity.
• Games can confuse reality and fantasy.
• In violent games, players must become more violent to
  win.

As a parent, you must monitor your child’s involvement
in gaming. The NIMF offers the following strategy for keeping
tabs on your child’s exposure to video games:

• Limit game playing time – no more than one hour
  per day is recommended.
• Play with your child to become familiar with the games.
• Provide alternative ways for child to spend his or her
  time.
• Require that homework and jobs be completed first. Use
  video game playing as a reward.
• Do not put a video game set in your child’s room
  where he or she can shut the door and isolate himself or
  herself.
• Talk about the content of the games your child plays.
• Ask your video store to require parental approval before
  a violently rated video game can be rented by children.

National
Institute on Media and the Family
University of Rochester