Video games help children improve literacy, communication, and mental well-being, a survey finds
What is a video game?
It is difficult to find a general definition of what a video game is, each author who has described it focuses or punctuates some of its characteristics.
"An electronic game in which one or more people interact, through a command, with a device equipped with video images. This electronic device, known generically as a platform, can be a computer, an arcade machine, a console, or a portable device such as a mobile phone. Video games are, today, one of the main industries of art and entertainment."
Among the advantages for the people who use them we can find:
1- Training and improvement of physical and mental abilities
It has been proven in some studies that if we play video games daily, we can improve our visual attention, be more efficient in changing tasks, and be faster in tasks where we have to perform a visual search or discriminate objects by their Shape/color.
Also among other benefits, it contributes more effectiveness in the monitoring of multiple objectives (Green and Bavelier, 2003).
Other researchers have carried out training studies corroborating that the practice of video games also improves the execution of divided tasks and mental rotation (De lisi and Wolford, 2003 quoted in Salguero, 2009).
2- It has therapeutic uses
Video games can be used in people who have both physical and mental problems. As for example in people who present problems of mobility in the arms, or that they find it difficult to be related; As is the case of people with autism.
It has also been used in a rehabilitative way in people presenting with Attention problems , among others.
3- Use as didactic means
Video games can be a means of learning for people who use it because it is a different context and are more playful. Therefore, they are a good means of motivation for children and young people, As well as for children who have learning difficulties or who are even at risk.
Thanks to this means students can be motivated to learn by creating fun feelings (Salguero, 2009).
4. Fosters positive values
The games on consoles and computers also promote values such as solidarity, friendship, cohesion and a sense of belonging to a group. It is important for parents to take advantage of these benefits to improve family relationships (Reyes-Hernández et al. 2012, Reyes-Hernandez, 2014).
5- Use as leisure and entertainment
We need to get distracted so we do not feel stressed in our day-to-day or just to fight the daily boredom. For this reason, video games are a great means of entertainment because of the large number of realities they present (González, 2010 Reyes-Hernández et al., 2014).
6- Develop empathy
Since there is a multitude of games in a group, players have to make decisions and know that they can have consequences, both positive and negative, on the other players in the game. It is therefore a means of facilitating the Development of empathy (Levine, 2009 Reyes-Hernández et al., 2014).
7- Increase the sense of competence and self-esteem
The use of video games also creates feelings of self-esteem and competition in players game after game. As you overcome the different challenges and levels, you feel better about yourself and able to meet the following objectives.
8- Encourage teamwork
In team games, players will also develop Group work skills Since, at times, they have to be united to overcome some challenges.
In addition, it also allows them to develop other skills such as quick thinking to act satisfactorily before any problems that have been presented or even work under pressure not to lose the game.
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