Results of recent studies indicate that playing video games not only changes how our brain performs but also its structure and chemistry, demonstrating that playing video games increases the efficiency & size of the parts of the brain responsible for visual skills; identifying the visual relationships between objects and linking them to each other. Moreover, video games, especially strategy games, have been instrumental in improving brain function among adolescents and may protect them against dementia & Alzheimer’s disease (Nichols, 2017). Besides, therapeutic games show signs of promise in helping to relieve & reduce anxiety symptoms in adolescent samples; In a study, therapists used a game called “gNats Island” with adolescents experiencing anxiety disorders “ADs”, they played the game alongside a clinician who acted as a partner. Later from questionnaire feedback, therapists indicated that adolescents found the game more fun & engaging than “just talking” as they mentioned, and assisted them to avoid the imagination of face-to-face confrontations. In another study, a member of the design team used the game with 15 adolescents experiencing issues including anxiety, but also depression, the ability to manage anger, and issues related to autism. Although some participants used the game in a regulated manner, in six 1-hour sessions over 6 weeks, others used the game flexibly as determined by the clinician. Qualitative feedback showed that after the intervention stage had finished, the participants preferred to explore the web-based environment and have become more interactive (Barnes & Prescott, 2018). Consequently, it’s pretty clear that video games are truly effective in reducing the symptoms of anxiety disorder & improving adolescent’s modes, which is a huge plus; while people are entertaining themselves, they are recovering from disorders & negative thinking.
Playing violent video games online and offline increases aggression relative to playing a neutral game, but why is this true? According to (Hollingdale & Greitemeyer, 2014), it’s important to note that violent and neutral video games differ in terms of perceived difficulty, enjoyment, and action, with violent video games being more difficult, enjoyable, and faster. Surprisingly, the effect that playing violent compared to neutral video games increases aggression is not due to the increased difficulty, enjoyment, and action in violent games, but for a suspicious reason of not considering to view the control of potential cofounders within video game research with prior caution. Because there were barely studies to have studied the effects of violent video games on aggression, more researches are needed before the conclusion of playing online vs. offline has no consequences on the player’s social aspects. Shortly, there must be research that addresses the effects of violent online video games on behavioral aggression in the long term. Although, there is a difference in competition between online & offline video games that must have an impact on the aggression levels of online relative to offline players (Hollingdale & Greitemeyer, 2014). An experiment was made to test our prediction, that aggressive behavior, by pronouncing the dispensed grams of chili sauce by participants after playing a violent video game online. The experiment was done, finding adequate answers to our prediction; the patterns of data suggest that both playing violent video games online and offline compared to playing neutral video games increases aggression. Pieces of evidence suggest that playing against human opponents heightens the gaming experience, competition, and consequently levels of aggression which lead to concerns that may pose a public health risk.
