The Social and Emotional Benefits of Playing Online Games
Guest Author: Michelle Joe
Posted by AndroidAppsReview.com
“The game of Chess is not merely an idle amusement. Several very valuable qualities of the mind, useful in the course of human life, are to be acquired or strengthened by it, so as to become habits, ready on all occasions. For life is a kind of chess, in which we have often points to gain, and competitors or adversaries to contend with, and in which there is a vast variety of good and ill events.”
These were the words of Benjamin Franklin authored in the “The Morals of Chess” before 28 June 1779.
According to limelight.com, today, gamers spend more than 7 hours (7 hours and 11 minutes) each week playing games, which shows a 19.3 percent increase over the last year.
In the UK alone, video games brought in over $5 billion in sales, dominating the entertaining market in 2018.
According to Forbes, the global gaming industry has also grown significantly as a result of the nearly ubiquitous play, generating more than $150 billion by the end of 2019.
Plenty of research has been done to highlight the negative impacts of online games, including the potential harm related to violence and addiction.
However, the nature of online games has changed massively since the last decade. Online games have become increasingly diverse, social, and realistic in nature.
A significant portion of research has begun to emerge, documenting the positive impacts of games in the development of social, emotional, and cognitive skills.
In this blog, we present the largely unexplored social and emotional benefits of playing online games.
From improving your judgment and analytical skills to enhancing stress and time management skills, there are numerous benefits that online games can bring to a player’s social and emotional life. Below we list a few of them:
Skill Development:
Online games can improve analytical skills and contribute to your overall mental enrichment. Since most online games cannot be paused, they require absolute attentiveness, thus increasing your concentration.
You are alert to every move made by the opponent, making you perceptive of the actions of people even outside the game.
Similar results were shown by the study conducted by the American Psychological Association in 2013, which found that gamers who played first-person shooting games showed “faster and more accurate attention allocation, higher spatial resolution in visual processing, and enhanced mental rotation abilities.” Several other studies showed that kids who play online games practice fast thinking and quick response in real-life.
Friendships:
Online multiplayer games provide a shared activity for family and friends to play and enjoy together. It is not surprising to see more than 75 percent of gamers playing with existing friends or family members, according to Essentialfacts.theesa.com. It is much similar to playing a team sport or any other shared activity.
Social and emotional games also help nurture new friendships that are more lasting than those created on other online platforms. Such games can be particularly useful for people who are shy or isolated.
The extra level of security associated with online games makes socialization and friendship easier for shy individuals. This is also supported by research that shows socially anxious individuals use online games to control their inhibitions and make new friendships.
Stress and anxiety management:
Stress-related disorders and other medical issues can have severe repercussions, including disability and even death. A study explored the link between distress and online gaming and found that games can be used to prevent the development of such diseases and mental disorders.
The team looked at the biological and physiological responses of a gamer when playing the game. They observed two sets of people - one group set up with the game Bejeweled II while the other were put in a similar environment but not playing any game. The team then measured brain waves and heart rate and found that the group that played the game showed improvement in their mood and reduction in physical stress.
Entertainment:
There is a common human need for entertainment, and online games fulfill that need. Enjoyment and entertainment are also the core features that make online games so attractive to players. According to Sciencedirect.com, a study conducted at the National Dong Hwa University showed that the satisfaction gained from gaming is a significant factor in gamers’ decision to continue playing a game.
The recent advancements in AI and machine learning have led to the development of online games that offer good competition and user-friendly interfaces, which makes the entire gaming experience more pleasurable and entertaining.
Interaction:
The interactive nature of online games promotes teamwork and effective communication. The incentive of winning together helps people interact better during games, which can then be reflected in their everyday lives. This can be helpful for introverts who find it easy to communicate through a medium under their control.
Social engagement:
The mundane affairs of life have made it increasingly difficult for people to find free time, but there are still far too many instances in life when we have nothing to do. Online games can fill up this vacuum by keeping you occupied mentally and psychologically.
Due to the advancements in online games and subscription-based services like PUBG and Unlimited Gamez mo, engaging with virtual opponents can be tantamount to playing against a human player in the real world.
Even if there is a lack of conversation in some games, it can lead to greater concentration and focus. While the competitive nature of online games makes them entertaining, the social and mental benefits that they offer can’t be ignored either.
Wrapping up:
Despite what the popular research may have shown to us, it seems like the hours spent playing online in front of the computer and mobile screens are not a waste.
The social and immersive components of online games make them educative beyond just entertainment. Altogether, online games help us develop skills to deal better with difficult situations and unexpected consequences.
They also enhance our skills of observation, concentration, and alertness, which are all essential for a happy modern life.
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Author Bio:
Michelle Joe is a blogger by choice. She loves to discover the world around her. She likes to share her discoveries, experiences, and express herself through her blogs. You can find her on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
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