Children and teens who have been caught up in the video game phenomenon may be too involved in the game to care about school. The Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine reported that these gamers may interact with those close to them but they spend less time reading and less time doing their homework than their peers who do not play games. The study reasons that these young people prioritize their lives with the game first and everything else takes a back seat. The desire to work hard in school is not there.
Computer video games can be natural teachers. Well-designed video games give their player's immediate feedback with reinforcements and punishments. Some assist in learning at different rates, and others offer the chance to practice to master a skill. Computer games are a game of repetition, which can strengthen connections between brain cells. This repeated use is thought by researchers to assist memory storage and learning, according to The Dana Foundation, an organization that supports brain research. Improved memory could then be transferred over to real-life studies and homework.
Another argument against computer game influence is the increased use and potential overuse of violent games. According to The Dana Foundation, violent games desensitize children to violence. These games could also cause an increased amount of aggressive thoughts and behaviors. These effects can be short-term and long-term. Children, just like humans of any other age, may learn what they practice, so the games may be linked to increased behavioral problems in school.
According to Psych Central, what kind of game interests the young mind has an impact on what kind of work the child will produce in school. For example, if he decides to play an action game but then has to switch gears to do homework, it is likely that he will try to hurry up his work. This faster-paced action could cause more mistakes to happen, resulting in poorer scores. On the other hand, if he decides to play a strategy game, he may take his time to do his homework properly.