MOGS

The Positive Affects of Gaming

Jane McGonigal, an author and game designer, recently wrote an article titled “Video Games: An Hour A Day Is Key To Success In Life”. Here is a link to the article,http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-mcgonigal/video-games_b_823208.html. I am going to discuss the best parts of her article, and elaborate on the points she makes with my own.

Jane points out that recent scientific research trends have shown that gaming is one of the most productive ways we can spend our time. This is because “games do a better job than ordinary life of provoking our most powerful positive emotions — like curiosity, optimism, pride, and a desire to join forces with others to achieve something extraordinary.”

Moreover, the unique medium of MMORPG’s (and other similar online games) provides a sort of proving ground for people to test and develop their mental and social skills. You can really learn what motivates an individual by gaming competitively online with them. Games have strict rules, risk-reward scenarios, and highs and lows. Together, you must trudging through the lows, seek to reach the highs, all while adhering to the game’s rule set. Experiencing all this with your fellow gamers is what the core of the online gaming experience is all about, albeit may be masked by fanciful graphics and the desire for epic loots.

Jane says that games “are a particularly effective way to bond with our friends and family — strengthening our real-life and online social networks in ways that no other kind of social interaction can.” A study mentioned in the article showed that “just 90 seconds of playing a game like World of Warcraft – where you have a powerful avatar – can boost the confidence of colleges students so much that for up to 24 hours later, they’re more likely to be successful taking a test at school… and more outgoing in real-world social situations.”

The key is to recognize where you can utilize skills in the real world that you have learned and developed while gaming. For example, doing 3v3 Arenas in WOW helps to develop your communication skills, your ability to adapt to the situation at hand and improvise strategies on the fly, and ultimately, your ability to make your group of three think and function as a single unit. All of the aforementioned skills you are honing can be used to help you succeed at school or a job.

The “U.S. Army Mental Health Assessment Team shows that playing games up to 21 hours a week can produce positive impacts on your health and happiness. Gaming for 28+ hours a week can put you at risk ll be at risk for negative impacts — like depression and social anxiety.” So tread that fine line carefully, and do not forget to get your gaming in for the week!

Jake@mogs.com