The Video Game Debate: Unravelling The Physical, Social, And Psychological Effects Of Video Games

Description

Do video games cause violent, aggressive behavior? Can online games help us learn? When it comes to video games, these are often the types of questions raised by popular media, policy makers, scholars, and the general public. In this collection, international experts review the latest research findings in the field of digital game studies and weigh in on the actual physical, social, and psychological effects of video games. Taking a broad view of the industry from the moral panic of its early days up to recent controversies surrounding games like Grand Theft Auto, contributors explore the effects of games through a range of topics including health hazards/benefits, education, violence and aggression, addiction, cognitive performance, and gaming communities. Interdisciplinary and accessibly written, The Video Game Debate reveals that the arguments surrounding the game industry are far from black and white, and opens the door to richer conversation and debate amongst students, policy makers, and scholars alike. Cover......Page 1 Title Page......Page 4 Copyright Page......Page 5 Table of Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgments......Page 8 1 A Brief History of Video Games......Page 10 2 The Rise (and Refinement) of Moral Panic......Page 31 3 Are Electronic Games Health Hazards or Health Promoters?......Page 48 4 The Influence of Digital Games on Aggression and Violent Crime......Page 63 5 Gaming Addiction and Internet Gaming Disorder......Page 83 6 Social Outcomes: Online Game Play, Social Currency, and Social Ability......Page 103 7 Debating How to Learn From Video Games......Page 125 8 Video Games and Cognitive Performance......Page 140 9 Exploring Gaming Communities......Page 162 10 No Black and White in Video Game Land! Why We Need to Move Beyond Simple Explanations in the Video Game Debate......Page 185 Contributors......Page 199 Index......Page 202