Taylor

Karger
Dr. Sullivan
English 324
3/27/14
Popular Science Article
Video Games. Fun, At What Cost?

In the United States, it was reported that over 90% of households now own a

video game system! This is a staggering amount of households considering video

games have only been around since the 1950s.
Considering this drastic increase, some may wonder: do these video games
have any kind of effect on our daily lives; specifically on our children? The answer
many scientists have found is yes. Furthermore, the effects that have been reported
are not on the beneficial side. Additionally, Jonathan Craton states that: The trend
toward increased video game and other interactive digital media usage does not
appear to be going away.
As many parents already know, it is difficult enough getting kids to go
outside and play or do their homework, especially when staying inside and playing a
video game is so appealing and easily accessible. Taking video games away, or
setting time limits are all quick fixes to this problem in young children.
But, what happens when these kids go off to college? Who will be there to
help them set time limits, or manage their time spent playing video games in order
to make time to study? Studies have shown that college-aged gamers who spend
more time play video games tend to have lower grade point averages than those
college students who dont play as much.

Now, what exactly about video games is causing this harmful effect on college
students grades? Researchers have studied video games effects on grade point
average, but there have also been studies of other aspects of our lives that video
games affect. These studies have shown that playing video games causes students to
lose track of time, and in college, good time-management skills are vital. Without
good time-management skills, students could be choosing to play video games
instead of studying, or, for example, putting off writing an important paper till the
last minute before it is due.
Furthermore, studies have shown that this effect may not be the same across
genders. Anatol Tolchinsky and Stephen Jefferson state: men endorsed significantly
higher levels of PVGP [problematic video game play] than women. Problematic
video game play, meaning time spent playing games, results in loss of time
awareness and other psychological effects that could be harmful. This difference
across genders could be due to the fact that woman typically do not play as many
video games, or that they have a better set of time-management skills.
There is no doubt that people find video games to be fun, with most
households owning a video game system. But, is the fun worth it? If students are
unable to find a way to maintain their time spent studying and doing other
homework for school and limit their time spent playing video games, it may be very
difficult for these students to maintain good grade point averages. And with the
number of video game players increasing, this will continue to be a problem worthy
of research.

Further Readings
1. Anand V. A study of time management: the correlation between video game usage and academic
performance markers. Cyberpsychology & Behavior [Internet]. 2007 [cited 2014 February 16]; 10(4): 552559. Available from: http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=49f76042-f33e-4827-9f852038239b61b0%40sessionmgr4001&vid=7&hid=4114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1
zaXRl#db=buh&AN=26271120
2. Burgess S, Stermer S, Burgess M. Video game playing and academic performance in college students.
College Student Journal [Internet]. 2012 [Cited 2014 February 16]; 46.2 2012: 376-387. Available from:
http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=5&sid=929a5746-ae45-4e47-83a0baa0d250d46e%40sessionmgr4004&hid=4114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#
db=keh&AN=77698068
3. McCutcheon L, Campbell J. The impact of video game playing on academic performance at a
community college. Community College Journal [Internet]. 2006 [cited 2014 February 16]; 10(1): 59-63.
Available from: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0361697860100105#.UwFg5_1Z7
4. Tolchinsky A, Jefferson S. Problematic video game play in a college sample and its relationship to time
management skills and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptomology. Cyberpsychology, Behavior
& Social Networking [Internet]. 2011 [cited 2014 February 16]; 14(9):489-496. Available from:
http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=5&sid=6ee8049f-1795-41f2-952474d5b4862f99%40sessionmgr4005&hid=4114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#
db=buh&AN=65433384
5. Drummond J. The relation between playing violent single and multiplayer video games and adolescents
aggression, social competence, and academic adjustment. OhioLINK [Internet]. 2009 [cited 2014 February
16]. Available from: https://etd.ohiolink.edu/rws_etd/document/get/bgsu1236354262/inline.
6. Saleem M, Anderson C, Gentile D. Effects of prosocial, neutral, and violent video games on college
students' affect. Aggressive Behavior [Internet]. 2012 [cited 2014 February 16]; 00: 1-9. Available from:
http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=4&sid=4949c4be-d11d-4477-b2e31a8cfedf78c5%40sessionmgr112&hid=124&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=
cmedm&AN=22549724
7. Lee C, Aiken K, Hung H. Effects of college student's video gaming behavior on self-concept clarity and
flow. Social Behavior and Personality [Internet]. 2012 [cited 2014 February 16]; 40(4):673-680. Available
from: http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=4&sid=e722a6e6-a8d6-484a-8af69fbc61fcdb20%40sessionmgr114&hid=124&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=
psyh&AN=2012-16847-015
8. Craton J. The effects of video games on student achievement. association of christians in student
development [Internet]. 2011 [cited 2014 February 16]. Available from:
http://www.acsd.org/mobile/articles/the-effect-of-videogames-on-student-achievement/
9. Lewin T. At colleges, woman are leaving men in the dust. The New York Times [Internet]. 2006 [cited
2014 February 16]. Available from:
http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/fysh/Course%20Readings/At%20Colleges,%20Women%20are%20Leaving%
20Men%20in%20the%20Dust.pdf
10. Mathis J. Increasing the capacity of college counseling through video game design. Journal Of College
Admission [Internet]. 2010 [cited 2014 February 16]; (209): 14-23. Available from:
http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=4&sid=e722a6e6-a8d6-484a-8af69fbc61fcdb20%40sessionmgr114&hid=124&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=
keh&AN=59669950