Does the amount of time a child spends playing computer or video games affect his or her social development? |
It definitely does, as there is not much of meeting and talking to people at home, neighborhood or school.
Well, this goes both ways. It has its on pros and cons. The advantage is the child understands how things work by playing with other children online, but the biggest disadvantage is getting obsessed. If it turns out to be an obsession, then it is time to make him/her stop as soon as possible. On the positive side of it, there are some parents who want their child to be at home and safe. This is a best way to keep them indoors. Another positive thing is the development of the software games and jobs in turn.
Posted by: MKimberlyI agree that the amount of time a child spends playing on the computer or on video games does affect his or her social development because when playing those games they aren't interacting with anything human.
Children develop so many life skills while they are young. Out playing baseball or other activities with other kids teaches kids about getting along with others, what is mean to say and what is not, what makes the other kids laugh, etc. If the children are always inside playing on the computer then they don't get that interaction with other people and it makes it harder for them when they get older to socialize. I think they can overcome this hurdle, but its better if they can just avoid this hurdle all together.
Posted by: P0PuI4rDougII think development is affected by time in front of a screen because it affects brain processing and social skills.
Children who spend a great deal of time in front of a computer screen playing video games are inevitably affected by the experience. Studies have shown that excessive "screen time" at a young age can impact the child's ability to distinguish between fantasy and reality. It also affects the ability to concentrate and focus on information. Furthermore, many video games are violent and I find it hard to believe that extended concentration on images of blood and killing do not desensitize children to violence at least somewhat. I think parents should limit screen time as a conscious decision on how they raise their children.
Posted by: R3yGoobIeI believe that children who spend more time with video games have hindered social development, because it takes away from their social interaction with other people.
When a child plays a large amount of time playing video or computer games, they are spending less time in social situations. I believe a child needs social interaction to develop socially, and that is something that is lacking in today's society. Parents use games as a babysitter, instead of encouraging their children to interact with others.
Posted by: EducatedAlfonsoI agree playing too much video games is not good for kids proper development as kid's mental, physical and social well being tends to get affected negatively.
Since kids tend to play computer or video games all the time, they tend to avoid going out and interacting with kids and people around. They become recluses and can get stressed out quickly while playing video games all the time. Then, they start to lack of physical exertion. That, coupled with the fast food that kids love to eat, can make kids bulky. This in turn will further compound matters for kids in such predicaments.
Posted by: WillyN4t3Playing on computers is turning kids into couch potatoes.
Studies have shown that kids who spend a lot of time in front of computers learn to speak late which makes it difficult for them to interact with others. They also lose interest in studies which makes them less popular in school. There is a lot less time dedicated to physical activities which means they play very little with other kids.
Posted by: Sk8brdrSalomI was that kid
When I was 10 I started playing online games and spending most of my day on the computer. I stopped going outside, stopped socializing with others, and slowly became a paranoid, insecure and insane little kid. I was this way until I was 12 years old, luckily my step father came along and took it away from me. I cried more when he took the computer away than I did when my grandfather died a few months before. So yeah, it affects a kid's mind quite a bit.
Posted by: AnonymousSure Does!
I grew up in a bad situation. My dad was addicted to methamphetamine and my mother wanted to advance her life in another state. Since my father had custody, of course I was forced to stay with him. During this very horrible time, i found a video game that I really liked (Diablo II). Every morning before school I would play it until the very last minute before I had to leave. While at school, I would often think about it. After school the first thing i would do is my homework (self taught obedience). My dad would always be in his room with the door closed for days on end. After homework, I would immediately go to playing my game. During this period of time, I had no friends and got made fun of a lot. My security was in the game. Since it was an online game, I could be another person, or rather be who I actually was while suppressing the person I am in real life. Me and my brother were both playing Diablo II at this time. We would set time limits of 1 hour a piece and alternate between each other until I decided it was bed time (10 PM). I am telling this story to allow people to understand the implications of video games on a developing brain. I am 22 year old now and I deal with Social Anxiety Disorder. I connect this problem to too much video games. It could be a combination of horrible parenting and a constant addiction to a game. Either one or the other, children need a stable environment with the emotional and mental development with a parent. If you think your child may be playing too much video games, then your child is playing too much video games. Your child needs you mentally. Our evolution did not prepare us for this age of technology. I have social anxiety because of video games. I am literally scared to talk to people, even my friends. I am lost in this world, with constant negativity and depression. It's may be hard for people to understand, but too much game play can lead to very negative developments for a child. Just remember this, and do not allow you child to play too much games. Take them outside, to the park, aquarium, pool, or cinema. KEEP THEM ACTIVE (mentally and physically) That's my advice, and I hope people take it.
Posted by: vincentanzaloneEven though children choose by themselves to play video games, they could be using it as an excuse not to interact with people.
If a kid isn't as good as socializing, our society has given them a way to escape by isolating themselves and playing video games. Since this means they aren't working on getting better socially, they could develop social anxiety and that makes it even harder to interact.
Posted by: AnonymousYes, I agree that the computer keeps a child more isolated than outdoor play does.
I do believe our children's development is affected by computers and video game play if it's to excess because that's time that a child used to be playing outside with other children. I think that some computer work is good because it trains the brain in new patterns, but the isolating factor needs to be watched and time on the computer limited.
Posted by: AlondraHComputer and video games affect the social development of children, because it limits their real-world interactions.
The more time a child spends playing computer or video games, the more it limits the amount of time they spend interacting with other children in the real world. Even though video games often allows players to communicate with other players, this type of interaction does not prepare children for the real world.
Posted by: MannP4rkI do believe that the amount of time a child spends playing computer or video games can affect his/her social development, if that time is excessive.
While computer and video games are a part of childhood now, in the same way that books and jump rope once were, I do think that excessive game playing can affect a child's social development. While, admittedly, they can still socialize by playing those games with and against other children, they do not pick up on the same physical clues or learn group etiquette in the same way they would in person.
Posted by: ToughEfrain26The amount a child plays computer or video games does effect his or her social development because they are not playing in reality.
For a lot of children computers and video games are just an escape from reality. If too much time is spent on either, it does effect the child's emotional development. Computers and video games are an interpersonal way of interaction.
Posted by: LorenaHYes, I agree that the amount of time a child spends playing computer or video games can affect their social development, because it can cause them to live in a more unrealistic world, compared to more socialized children.
Yes, I agree that the amount of time a child spends playing computer or video games can affect their social development, because it can cause them to live in a more unrealistic world, compared to more socialized children, especially if the games they're playing are violent. If a child plays a game for a short period of time, then hangs out with friends, they probably won't have a problem, even if the game was violent. I think they will realize that it's just a game and violence is not okay. However, if a child plays games for long periods of time, they can become withdrawn, interested only in games, not sociable and, perhaps, think unrealistically. If they play a lot of violent games, they may act that way or think it is okay. They could get lonely and sad, and not be comfortable around others.
Posted by: I33IessI believe for the total development of a child, he needs to do some other activities instead of just sitting in front of a computer playing games.
For the total development of a child, he has to do some physical as well as some mental activities. They should develop some hobbies like reading — things they find interesting. With all round development, we can produce good, healthy, intelligent human beings.
Posted by: MeirP4p4The effect of playing video games on a child are varied but it is there
Many results can occur fromplaying video games, from becoming secluded and obsessed to getting better in touch with what other students are doing. The question is wether or not video games affect child development, not if it is good or bad. anything that you interact with is going to have an effect on your development, this is a non-debateable FACT of human development, neither good or bad in itself. Almost all children play vdeo games in their lifetime on a regular basisand often this can have a negative effect on their development, but it would be detrimental to hand-eye coordination and creativity to get rid of computer games for our children.
Sources: currently studying psychology and sociology.Posted by: AnonymousThe amount of time a child spends playing games on the computer or on a video game system affects their social development, because it colors their way of thinking about the world.
Anything that people spend time on will change their perception of the world around them. The longer that kids spend playing video and computer systems, the more this changes the way they look at the world around them. It takes time away from them socializing with other children. If the games are aggressive or violent, this immerses the children in a world of violence, and makes violence feel more "normal" for them.
Posted by: GainfulValentin574 year old temper tantrums
I have a 4 year old who has major breakdowns when he is told he can't play video games on the wii or ipad or asked to be all done playing. His grandparents introduced him to Mario kart on the wii and he loved it so we continued to let him play a few games but now am regretting introducing him to video games. We have tried the timer method but he still throws a major fit when we need to put it away then it ends up ruining our entire day with him in a bad mood. We ended up taking away all electronics from him and maybe will let him play with it for a short time on a rainy day and see if he improves behavior.
Posted by: AnonymousMay cause awkwardness
Video games socially isolate the kids and leads them to have a false relationship with people online. They are not really interacting with anyone, not to mention it kills a lot of brain cells doing nothing. It may also cause rage, i.E 'rage quit' and other violent outbursts. All in all, the best thing to do is limit the time playing video games.
Posted by: AnonymousIf they are on the computer too much they are interacting less
Kids miss out on the essential time communicating with parents and interacting with siblings and friends where they develop their social skills.
Posted by: Anonymous
The amount of time a child plays computer games is not a sufficient predictor of their social interaction to affect their social development.
Computer or video games may be social activities, whether they are multi-player games that require interaction with other people or single-player games that two or more people can collaborate on. It is the type of games played rather than the amount of time played that is relevant when considering effects on social development.
Posted by: g0thik0rgiIt depends more on the kid than the games.
If a child has an overlying social problem, then they may or may not be more affected by different games. Different kids may be affected differently or not at all. In fact, I think it might even affect them positively. Also, certain games, such as Halo, require teamwork to complete. And in MMORPG's (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games), one talks to other players, either to defeat foes, or even just to chat.
Posted by: AnonymousParents May say No to TV
TV in the modern world is one of the cheapest sources of electronic communication all across the world. It is the need of time; the preschooler can get help in learning about alphabet through TV, Grade schooler became aware of the nature and exposure to different choices.
Apart from this when children (10-12) are in the phase of development are extremely affected by it. The children tend to watch the competition among the wrestlers “WWF” because there are a lot of sports channel which directly on air it. These kind of shows send the message that the “fight is fun.” Research had proven that children watching violence on the TV and on the video games display some sort of aggressive behavior. The mental level of children do not differentiate between what’s right and what’s wrong as the adult do.
The parents are requested to say no to TV and Video games till the age of 16-18 years.Posted by: Anonymousit all depends on how you look at it
because most kids do spend time playing these games online and on the video game consels (such as x box) kids will be talking about he games so..in a way yes and in a way no. but mostly no it does not effect social devlopment. it gives them a starting ground or a "break the ice topic" to talk about when they meet new people (new friends)
Posted by: AnonymousNo, and people are ignorant to think so.
People blame the computer and videos, because it is an easy target to hit. If you really wanna look at people being isolated look at the school system and how well they don't enforce bullying. How they allow certain individuals to be cast out of things. Which teachers could easily, fix by doing more group work with him/her choosing the students for the group. I mean I could play outside by myself and still be isolated. Their isn't a difference. I've seen many people try to down video games and everytime the psychologist admits to never playing a video game themselves, nor give legit evidence. I've seen one that the psychologist said violent video games stimulate more brain activity and that is bad..... That if I play for more then 2 hours a day I will want to go out and shoot people like I did in the game. It's all bullshit. And people are ignorant to think so.
Posted by: AnonymousWhile the amount of time a child spends using a computer may affect social skills, I do not think it is a predominant factor.
I think a more important factor in a child's social development is interaction with family and friends. Family, in particular, has a great deal of influence on a child's computer use, and parents should take care to engage their children in ways that help the child with social development. Moreover, some children are naturally more outgoing than others, and the use of a computer will have only a negligible effect in this case, I think.
Posted by: SuddenRashad84This is total Bull puckey! I'm living proof that debunks this debate.
I am 6 feet 2 inches, 185 lbs, all muscle, I'm one of the more popular students in the cliques, and I've had a constant 30+ hours of video games since I was in third grade. There is no physiological evidence that playing an excess of video games degrades one's social status or thinking processes. Yes, this is entirely situational as to How much exactly one plays, and how one manages their time; but regardless of age, there is no cataclysmic effect on people. I played baseball all my life until high school, where I picked up a multitude of sports, and still managed up to 40+ hours of video games. I've had at LEAST honors every year except one quarter, where other things had intervened. I am around 80th position in my class, and have received multiple honors; and I have a level 85 rogue on World of Warcraft. In school I talk to someone from about every clique, I've had multiple little relationships, and I've been screen-glued since the super nintendo. Desensitization is not an issue from video games, as many, no matter how well graphics they have, cannot recreate the physical and emotional state of having witnessed someone being killed on the news or in person.
Posted by: AnonymousObviously some of you have not heard of on line gaming - which involves others - hence - promotes the development of social skills.
If video games retard social development then I would argue that books likewise retard social growth. From there, the viewing of television would retard social development. So if you are willing to ban video games in order to get "little Johnny" outside and interacting then take away his books and his tv as well so that he is so bored that he will be forced to find entertainment through other living beings. Reading Tom Sawyer or Harry Potter is as individualistic an act as playing Final Fantasy and moreso than playing any online or two player game. I've rarely seen two people happily reading ONE book together.
Posted by: Anonymous