The Effects of Playing Computer Games for High School Students

Positive Effects

• Solving problems through logic and intuition is cited as one major benefit of computer games, which put a premium on abstract reasoning, improved hand-eye coordination and visual-spatial ability for success. The fast pace of many games also sharpens adaptive thinking and quick decision-making skills. Players must also decide how to maximize scarce resources, a key feature of strategic games such as SimCity, Age of Empires and Railroad Tycoon.

Negative Effects

• Critics suggest that long-term exposure to violent game imagery desensitizes players, who must earn rewards by repeating successful behaviors such as killing enemy soldiers. Definitive answers haven't emerged on this point, but social critics maintain that it's wrong to reward revenge or aggression. Other consequences included reduced academic performance, greater risk of social isolation and lack of outlets for natural creativity.

Cultural Effects

• Surprising uses are being observed for games that seemed unimaginable when they appeared on the mass market two decades ago. In Philadelphia, the U.S. Army set up its own arcade to boost recruiting efforts, "Certification" magazine reported in April 2009. Besides the usual computer and Xbox games, this facility included a Black Hawk helicopter simulator room. Companies are also rolling out efforts like "America's Army," a free game designed to give players a taste of the military experience.

Societal Effects

• Considering all the criticism aimed at gaming, it's not surprising that the issue remains far from settled. For example, a 2004 survey of 1,254 adolescents by Harvard Medical School researchers presented a more nuanced picture of gaming than the one typically presented by academics. Among other findings, the research suggested that young people didn't see gaming as an isolator but instead as a means of connecting and socializing with friends.