Research studies on Influence of Electronic game

play:
Interactive video and computer games belong to the new multimedia
culture that is based on the digital computer technology. The scientific
research into games is still relatively rare. Although some work was
published in the 1970s, research took off in the 1980s, many
researches has been conducted since then but most research on
electronic play has focused on its possible negative effects for children
and adolescents, and contextual factors such as socioeconomic status
(SES) and culture are rarely considered. But the positive potential
benefits of electronic play from a psychological perspective, as well as
individual and contextual factors that may shape the influence of
electronic play for children and adolescents are merely described in the
present research field.
According to (Dorothy E. Salonius-Pasternak, 2005) most of the
research on computer and video games has focused on possible
negative influences and the evaluation of policy designed to minimize
risk to children and adolescents. While computer and video games
have been a source of concern, they also have the potential to have
positive influences on development.
As stated earlier (Dorothy E. Salonius-Pasternak ,2005) believes that
the possible physiological benefits of play is that the electronic play
may have the potential to restore some of the critical elements of
childrens play that have been compromised due to the increased
supervision and control of childrens free time and imaginations. In
addition to providing children with opportunities to negotiate societys
rules and roles, electronic play may facilitate childrens developing
their self-regulation of arousal. Adventures within computer and video
games allow children to confront danger and the concomitant feelings
of fear and anxiety, mastery and defeat, power and powerlessness,
Computer and video games may also be beneficial in the context of
therapeutic play and play therapy. Studies have shown that electronic
play may also contribute positively in the contexts of physiotherapy;
occupational therapy; pain management; facilitating the development
of social skills in children and adolescents with learning disabilities,
mental retardation, and autism spectrum disorders; reducing
impulsivity in children and adolescents with attention-deficit disorders;
and improving problem-solving strategies, self-regulation of arousal,
cooperative behavior, and self-esteem (Demarest, 2000; Gardner,
1991; Griffiths, 2003, 2004; Spence, 1988)

In another article by ( Kaveri Subrahmanyam et al., 2000)explains that

the cognitive research suggests that playing computer games can be
an important building block to computer literacy because it enhances
childrens ability to read and visualize images in three-dimensional
space and track multiple images simultaneously, playing specific
computer games has been found to have immediate positive effects on
specific cognitive skills.
Research published by University of Rochester neuroscientists (C.
Shawn Green & Daphne Bavelier; 2003) has grabbed national attention
for suggesting that playing "action" video and computer games has the
positive effect of enhancing student's visual selective attention. Infant
they stated about the specific human physiological and physical
improvements like Improvement in cognitive science and visual
learning which internally includes hand-eye coordination, or hasten
reaction time, or benefit peripheral vision and reaction time and visuomotor coordination and spatial skills which is ability to gather and
manipulate spatial information
According to (Patel Sejal A, 2004) Games are conducive to the
development of specific skills: attention, spatial concentration,
problem-solving, decision-making, collaborative work, creativity, and,
of course, ICT skills. Games promote intellectual development, and the
players can benefit from developing knowledge strategies, practicing
problem-solving, and developing spatial skills, and related aspects
such as increased precision and reaction rates. Patel in his research
study on games in the field of education, explained about the methods
of learning through games.
So with reference to all the authors works, the positive prospective of
electronic games on children and adolescent will have better results.
But further research is needed in order to assess the possible benefits
of electronic play for children and adolescents. Future studies should
consider both individual and contextual factors that may shape the
influence of electronic play, including gender, cognitive and socioemotional development, trait aggression, SES, and culture.
Researchers need to carefully design empirical studies with clearly
operational zed variables in order to expand our understanding of the
relationships that may exist among these variables.
Reference:
Dorothy E. Salonius-Pasternak (2005).The Next Level of Research on
Electronic Play: Potential Benefits and Contextual Influences for
Children and Adolescents. Harvard Medical School Center for Mental
Health and Media, USA, (pp. 5-22).

Demarest, K. (2000). Video games: What are they good for? Retrieved
October, 2008 from http://www.lessontutor.com/kd3.html
Kaveri Subrahmanyam.,& Robert E. Kraut (2000).Impact of home
computer use on childrens activity and development. The Future of
Children, CHILDREN AND COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY. Vol. 10, No. 2
Fall/Winter 2000. (pp -1-5)
GREEN, C S, AND BAVELIER, D. 2003. Action video game modifies
visual selective attention. Nature 423 (2003), 534-537,Letter to Nature.
Patel Sejal A(2004) .Games in the field of Education. The University of
Auckland, Auckland