MEDIA AND DEVELOPMENT 1
Media and Development
Grand Canyon University: PSY-355
, Media and Development 2
Nine out of ten children play video games, which is sixty-four million kids. Video
games can be pleasurable and addictive during middle age child development. This is due
to the drive of playing video games from the experience of autonomy or competing with
other. Studies have shown that video games can be associated with better visual attention
short-term memory, reaction time, and working memory which are all cognitive functions
(Brilliant, Nouchi, & Kawashima, 2019). Video games can positively change brain
function cognitively as well as the attention span. Dopamine is also released as a feel-
good neurotransmitter when playing video games. Injecting drug stimulants such as
amphetamine or methylphenidate is the same amount of dopamine released while playing
video games (Koepp, Gunn, Lawrence, et al.1998). It is important to address that there
are many ways video games can negatively affect a child’s development, but video games
can benefit the brain function in many ways.
Playing excessive amounts of video games can impact the physical development
during middle childhood. Manychildren spend too much time in front of a screen and
interacting only with technology. Children who follow that pattern of interacting with
videogames at an unhealthy rate has been linked to higher obesity rate in children
(Kracht, Joseph, &Staiano, 2020). Children who participate in videogames at an
unhealthy rate experience problem with their energy behavior, consuming unhealthy
foods and lower physical activity. Those characteristics have a huge influence on a
child’s weight and if not addressed as soon as possible, the situation can become worse.
To treat an overweight child from the case of video games, it is important to involve the
family and promote permanent changes in the lifestyle of the child(Martorell, Papalia,
Media and Development
Grand Canyon University: PSY-355
, Media and Development 2
Nine out of ten children play video games, which is sixty-four million kids. Video
games can be pleasurable and addictive during middle age child development. This is due
to the drive of playing video games from the experience of autonomy or competing with
other. Studies have shown that video games can be associated with better visual attention
short-term memory, reaction time, and working memory which are all cognitive functions
(Brilliant, Nouchi, & Kawashima, 2019). Video games can positively change brain
function cognitively as well as the attention span. Dopamine is also released as a feel-
good neurotransmitter when playing video games. Injecting drug stimulants such as
amphetamine or methylphenidate is the same amount of dopamine released while playing
video games (Koepp, Gunn, Lawrence, et al.1998). It is important to address that there
are many ways video games can negatively affect a child’s development, but video games
can benefit the brain function in many ways.
Playing excessive amounts of video games can impact the physical development
during middle childhood. Manychildren spend too much time in front of a screen and
interacting only with technology. Children who follow that pattern of interacting with
videogames at an unhealthy rate has been linked to higher obesity rate in children
(Kracht, Joseph, &Staiano, 2020). Children who participate in videogames at an
unhealthy rate experience problem with their energy behavior, consuming unhealthy
foods and lower physical activity. Those characteristics have a huge influence on a
child’s weight and if not addressed as soon as possible, the situation can become worse.
To treat an overweight child from the case of video games, it is important to involve the
family and promote permanent changes in the lifestyle of the child(Martorell, Papalia,
