Video Games

Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence by Mary Anne Klasen

First mass-marketed in the 1970s, video games are played by installing cartridges into a game box connected by wire to a television set. They then manipulate a joystick or buttons to control the actions of a character or series of characters as the imaginary characters face obstacles displayed on the screen. Video games, designed chiefly to appeal to children and adolescents, are also played in arcades and on small, hand-held screens.

It has been estimated that more than 50 million homes in the United States have one or more of the most popular game systems--Sega, Nintendo, and Sony--including as many as 80% of families with boys ages 8-16. Few children have not been exposed to some form of video games, and access to the games is readily available in all walks of life.

Video games for home use proved popular from the start. Children are particularly attracted to them for a variety of reasons. The fantasy characters and situations appeal to young imaginations and provide an escape from everyday routine and the stresses presented by parents, friends, and school. In addition, the games give children a level of control they don't experience in real life as the characters on the screen respond to their commands. Players also receive immediate rewards for making the right moves. Most games can be played at a variety of skill levels so that every player can progress to a higher level.

The popularity of video games has been matched by the controversy they have sparked among parents, psychologists, and educators. The most prevalent objection results from the violent themes and characters that predominate in most video games. A 1989 study by the National Coalition on Television Violence (NCTV) found that, of the 95 most popular home video games, 58% were war games and 83% featured violent themes. As technology has improved to allow the games to show more realistic situations and characters, debate has escalated about the potential effects of video games on children's behavior. One NCTV study, which monitored the playground behavior of eight- to ten-year-olds immediately after playing a laser-weapon game, found an 80% increase in fighting. There is also added concern that repeated exposure to violence desensitizes children to its effects. Other experts--and video game manufacturers--contend that negative effects have not been proven adequately and, in fact, playing such games gives players an avenue for the harmless release of stress and aggression.

Public pressure prompted some video game manufacturers in the early 1990s to begin labeling games to warn consumers about violent or sexually explicit content. In 1994, in response to considerable political pressure and the possibility of a federal rating agency, the industry created its own rating system. Generally, ratings are assigned based on their suitability for various age groups. An "Early Childhood" designation on a game box indicates that the game is suitable for players ages three and older, and there is no violence, sexual content, or profanity. "Kids to Adults" is for players ages six and older and may contain minimal violence or crude language. A "Teen" game for ages 13 and up may contain violence, profanity, and mild sexual themes. A "Mature" rating is considered suitable only for ages 17 and older, and may include more intense violence, profanity, and mature sexual themes. "Adults Only" games may include graphic descriptions of sex and violence.

While most consumers applaud the institution of the rating system, critics contend that its effectiveness is compromised by some retailers' unwillingness to screen buyers. Some video-game retailers continue to sell inappropriate games to underage buyers in spite of the ratings. The ratings themselves attract many underage buyers to the most inappropriate products, which makes sales procedures especially important to enforce. In addition, critics argue, the ratings may prompt many parents to abdicate their own responsibility for monitoring their children's activities.

The issue of gender bias in video games is another area of considerable debate. Not only are the themes of most video games male-oriented--sports and combat--female characters in the games are portrayed as victims to be rescued by the male hero or objects of violence or sexual desire. The typical female video game character rarely initiates action and is often scantily dressed. Some have argued that the predominantly male themes and passive, sexual female characters will help perpetuate male dominance in everyday life as well as in technology-related industries. There has been a move in recent years to create more games that will appeal to girls as well as to create more gender-neutral games like the popular "Mario" and "Sonic" titles.

Besides the socialization concerns presented by video games, medical concerns were also raised in the early 1990s, when video games were linked to epileptic seizures experienced by some 50 children. About a third of the children had experienced previous seizures, and there was some question about whether the seizures they experienced were actually related to playing or watching a video game. Two large studies later reported that the children who experienced video game-related seizures (VGRS) were particularly sensitive to light and that the video games with their flashing lights merely precipitated, rather than caused, the seizures. Sitting too close to the screen could exacerbate the effects of the light sensitivity, as could the increasingly complex graphic technology featured in today's games. Patients with epilepsy are not thought to be particularly susceptible to VRGS, and no lasting neurological damage has been linked to these seizures.

Despite the controversy surrounding video games, positive benefits have also been noted: development of hand-eye coordination, increase in concentration, logical thinking skills, healthy competition among children as well as socialization skills gained from sharing strategies, and heightened self esteem resulting from successful performances.

The educational potential and use of video games remains untapped, and many believe that technological advances will allow the development of more complex educational software to accompany the already dazzling video displays. In the future, many hope that video games will encompass both entertainment and education.