Comments on: APA: video games help students, surgeons http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/technology/apa-video-games-help-students-surgeons/ Movies, Music, TV, Video Games, and More Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:56:07 +0000 hourly 1 By: Linda Kaye http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/technology/apa-video-games-help-students-surgeons/comment-page-1/#comment-5582 Linda Kaye Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:04:50 +0000 http://blastmagazine.com/?p=2236#comment-5582 As a researcher studying the positive experiences of gaming, I often find myself caught in the middle of the debate of the effects of videogames. It is reassuring that some researchers are recognising the benefits of gaming rather than dedicating all the attention to the violence aspect of games. A large body of research in the lab, comparing violent vs non-violent videogame playing has shown that those people in the violent condition had higher levels of aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviours following game-play. Although this may seem like good evidence what we need to consider, however, is that this type of research tends to be conducted on people who don't actually play videogames!! Therefore their whole experience of gaming is different, thus the effects are highly likely to be different. Research needs to adopt a wider approach and study the gaming experience on actual gamers in order to show better evidence of the positive effects which gaming can offer. As a researcher studying the positive experiences of gaming, I often find myself caught in the middle of the debate of the effects of videogames. It is reassuring that some researchers are recognising the benefits of gaming rather than dedicating all the attention to the violence aspect of games.
A large body of research in the lab, comparing violent vs non-violent videogame playing has shown that those people in the violent condition had higher levels of aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviours following game-play. Although this may seem like good evidence what we need to consider, however, is that this type of research tends to be conducted on people who don’t actually play videogames!! Therefore their whole experience of gaming is different, thus the effects are highly likely to be different.
Research needs to adopt a wider approach and study the gaming experience on actual gamers in order to show better evidence of the positive effects which gaming can offer.

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