Brianna Vallet Can Playing Video Games be Beneficial for your Brain in the Long Run?

The Nerve Blog 18 11 2010. Web. 11 11 2013 This article is a positive one about the video games and, of course, the beneficial qualities of playing them, such as using different parts of the brain and improving hand-eye coordination. He backs up his claims with researchers findings and talks about what scientists are considering using games and the research they have gathered from them for. He also claims that just about any game has such positive effects, not just brainy games like Tetris and Bejeweled. It, very simply, explains the science and results that researchers have found to support the argument. Describing how past game players have actually altered the way they think is very convincing, along with adding the fact that this can be used in research to help cure Alzheimers, which will be a key point of my argument. But I think that will be the only part of this piece Ill end up using, since I found a good scholarly source about benefits. Columbine High School Massacre Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 5 Nov 2013. Web. 1 Nov 2013 This Wikipedia article has a complete coverage and breakdown of the tragic school shooting, the events that led up to it, and what people believe or did believe to be the reasons for the shooting. There is a complete timeline of the shooters actions on the day they committed the tragedy, a short biography of the shooters, and a breakdown of each reason that was proposed and whether it was disproven/discounted or not. I am not using the entirety of the article, only the very basic history of the day and focusing on one of the triggers people claimed caused it, the shooters like of first person shooters, Doom being primarily mentioned. I am only using this piece as its the only part that matters to my paper. This is also a very

good case of the argument virtual violence leads to real world violence that is popular with those who think that videogames are bad. Also, Im covering the findings the psychiatrists working on the case found, as their findings support my argument. Entertainment Software Ratings Board Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Nov 2013. Web. 1 Nov 2013. This Wikipedia article describes the events leading up to the founding of the ESRB, what the Board does, and how the Rating system works. It goes on to describe how the system has changed the way the gaming industry works, how now they have to make an executive decision to either tone down the violence or determine how far they can go without getting an Adults Only rating, or worse, the dreaded no rating at all, that prevents a game from being sold in stores. Again, I am only covering the very basic history of the ESRB, to point out that the game industry is indeed doing something about games with content that shouldnt be in the hands of children. Also, to point out that the worst content has a mature rating, which is impossible for anyone under 17 to purchase in stores. (You could argue that the could just buy it online, but most online stores only take debit cards, and you have to be close to the Mature targeted age to have one, and anyone younger should have parents that research the game content first or not let their children purchase things they dont approve of.) First Video Game Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Nov 2013. Web. 1 Nov 2013. This Wikipedia article lays out the history of the video game industry, and how the development of modern-day video games came to be. It also describes the debate of what the first video game really was, due to the definition of what a video game is. The first could arguably be a missile simulator inspired by radar displays of World War II, although due to limitations it didnt feature any graphics.

Im seriously thinking that this is going to be one of the sources that I cut out. Its more of an informing piece than an argumentative piece. Its interesting to learn how far video games have come, and it would be a good introduction of sorts, but due to my argument about the negative views people have about video games, it would probably be better to start as I already have, with my first controversial video game introduction. Its really a better source, my list of controversial video games, and if I have to, I can use the ESRB article to flesh out my paper. Griffiths, Mark. The Educational Benefits of Videogames. Education and Health. Vol. 20 No. 3, 2002 Pgs 47-51. Web. 8 Nov 2013. This is a piece published by a Professor in the Psychology Division of Nottingham Trent University. He lays out the benefit not only in playing video games, but what video games can do for researchers, such as gathering a broader demographic to study, and being able to change the studied task easier. There are a few negative points that he also lists, like previous experience in a particular video game can skew the results against people who havent played it, but the positive benefits in multiple categories, such as helping young children and children with mental disorders to learn skills such as language and math. (Within the right context of course.) This is a good scholarly source for my paper, as I got a ton of information for my video games have benefits argument. It breaks down the different benefits of playing video games, how it can help develop different skills in children, and how the studies of such benefits is being applied to real science, like helping children with attention deficit disorders without drugs and how it helps people in the hospital focus on something other than their pain. List of Controversial Video Games Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 31 Oct. 2013. Web. 1 Nov 2013.

This Wikipedia article is actually a list of games that were considered controversial, due to some part of their content. It lists the date the game was released, the console or platform it was released on, the company that created it, and why it was considered offensive. Most are on the list for sex or violence, especially the newer entries on the list, but some on the list are surprising. A handheld quiz game and a multiplayer party game were recalled in the UK for the use of the word spastic (which is an offensive word there.), and a world creation game specifically designed to appeal to all ages of players had an officially liscenced song removed because it was feared that Muslims would be offended, as the song supposedly contained words from the Q uran. (The companies decision to remove it was also considered controversial.) Im using this list to provide a little backstory on the controversy surrounding video games, as the list shows there has been controversy almost as long as video games have been around. Its a very complete list, with information on the dates, systems, and why it was considered controversial. As I mentioned earlier, this is a better introduction source than my First Video Game article, and Im actually using a bit more to cover the games that even we gamers agree is not acceptable. In short, its a better choice to draw on for my first part of my argument. Peckham, Matt. Researcher says Linking Video Games to Gun Violence is a Classic Illusory Correlation. Time.com 10 Oct 2013. Pg 1-1 Sinclair Community College Library Web. 31 Oct. 2013. This article discusses how quick people are to blame tragedies such as shootings on violent video games. Even the American Psychology Association issued a statement asking to reduce the violence in games, thinking it will reduce real world violence. But a body of researchers disagreed, and sent and signed a letter asking the APA to reconsider their stance, thinking the link to be a classic illusory correlation.

This is a good source, and I even think its scholarly, as I found it through the Sinclair library. It gives me a good point for my argument, even some psychiatrists dont believe in the virtual violence equals real violence scenario. Rudon, Timothy. 10 Benefits of Video Games. ODmodshop. 10 Mar 2009. Web 8 Nov 2013 This short article lists 10 benefits to playing video games, from helping children who are ill or have injuries to focus on something other than the pain, to helping kids with attention deficit disorders without drugs, and helping children develop skills like language and math. It does to in an attempt to appeal to parents that believe that video games are a waste of time to change their minds. I dont think Ill include this one. Its more of a blog/popular source than a scholarly one. And while blogs are fine as long as they have the references to back it up, this doesnt feel as informed as the first blog on my list, and covers information that is covered better and with more information in other sources I have on my list. Sternheimer, Karen. Do Video Games Kill? Contexts Winter 2007, Vol 6 No 1. SIRS. 10 Oct 2013 This article covers how video games have become a popular scapegoat for the media to blame on shootings and other violent events. It goes on to state that the studies that claim to find a link between such are flawed. She believes that we cant just use this excuse to blame on such events, we need to uncover the real reasons this is happening. This is a good (and I believe scholarly) source to support my argument against virtual violence equaling real violence. She covers the psychology and the studies, and how it is flawed. Especially be ignoring the other factors that lead to the violence, not just the games themselves. Video Game Addiction Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 6 Nov 2013. Web. 1 Nov 2013.

This article lays out the definition of video game addiction, and gives examples of the tragedies that result from this addiction. It lists the physical and mental problems these addicts face, and what is being done to treat sufferers of the addiction. This is a very good source. Its basically my entire source for my video game addiction part of my paper. It lays out the definition succinctly, and has good examples of the deaths and other tragedies that were caused by addiction, also what treatments have been devised to help.