With an uproar of activity online, playing video games have never been more accessible or intriguing to play. There are a lot of worries that come with a new purely online activity. How to regulate it? Should it be regulated? How is this affecting my children? Questions like these are constantly being asked of professionals but there doesn’t seem to be a firm answer. Because video games are so varied, it’s hard to put them into a single box, and finding correlation between games and behavioral patterns is not easy.
I spoke to early childhood psychologist Dawn Konkol about it and she had some interesting things to say. She said, “The goal is to not completely shield children from all digital content but to help them become discerning, balanced consumers who know how to navigate their online worlds safely and responsibly. Most research generally recommends limiting violent video game exposure for young children and promote healthier non-violent forms of entertainment that encourage positive socio-emotional development and attentional control.”
Konkol works primarily in a preschool setting and says that “exposure to video games and social media at a preschool age can negatively impact literacy, cognitive development and school readiness.”
Alongside Konkol, I spoke with early childhood speech and language pathologist Terri Barnett. I asked her how video games might affect attention spans or other developmental processes in children. Barnett responded, “when video gaming is used in conjunction with speech and language therapy in a direct environment through role-playing and editing or dissecting the video tasks and scenes surrounding the game There is enhanced student engagement with creating narratives, or organizing thoughts, and collaborating with peers which leads to overall good communication outcomes.”
She then spoke about the negative effects of excessive gaming, “excessive gaming can create more reactive states from a person in a situation rather than proactive, where the brain will respond and prepare by anticipating a potential problem versus just reacting to the problem. There is also a correlation that is shown between problematic or violent gaming use, and the increase in mental health issues. Violent video gaming also has effects on desensitizing children to violence, which can then be problematic in their developing brains. The Academy of Pediatrics clearly states limits for young children and the digital world, including video gaming.”
Stepping aside from the professional views of this matter, I wanted to speak to real people who are involved in video games on a regular basis. Xander Mobus, known for his voice over work in video games like Super Smash Bros and Persona 5, explained how video games can affect concentration abilities. Mobus says “I think it’s been pretty well demonstrated that video games are a great exercise in concentration and focus. It takes a lot of time and energy to get into and complete a game, or get good at a competitive game. It’s been shown to be great for brain elasticity and for fine motor functions! A lot of great cognitive benefits. If anything, games can be too good at this. There is a reason why everything that wants our attention throws in gamification elements.”
When asked if he thinks video games can make children violent, Mobus replied, “Can video games cause a rise in aggression? Sure, but so can playing competitively in sports. I’m not saying give your 6-year-old Silent Hill 2, but the same basic parenting advice one would use for movies is applicable to games as well.”
Twitch Partner Melmie was asked if she thought video games harm young children. She responded, “I wouldn’t necessarily say that kids are going to repeat violent actions in a video game in real life but I do think it’s important for kids under a certain age to be monitored by their parents and have a limited amount of time they are exposed to those types of games and a lot of video games have age restrictions so as long as they are of age than it should be okay.”
I also asked Melmie if she thought video games strengthened or diminished concentration abilities. Melmie said, “I think video games definitely have the potential to improve cognitive abilities such as concentration. It all varies depending on the games, but there are a lot of games that require an immense amount of concentration and thinking, which I can see transferring to real-world scenarios.” Melmie then gave me an example, telling me about a friend who was an ESports player and then went on to excel in college classes.
All signs point to complexity; the answer is always complex. There is no way to make sure a child is one hundred percent safe online, but moderation is always key. From professionals in childhood development to professionals in the gaming world, all agree that moderation is needed. Video games can be a great form of expression and help children excel in real-world scenarios, but there needs to be a watchful eye on them for excessive gaming.
