I strongly believe that one of the most powerful aspects of Tech Talk Tuesday is starting the discussion with something positive about the tech in our lives. Kids are so used to hearing our negatives about tech time, that they may start to tune out if the discussion if it is not balanced. If we really want to have effective dialogue that creates a lasting tech balance with our kids, we need to talk about the positives too. Believe me, your kids will want to hear this week’s TTT.
I recently read a controversial article in American Psychologist, the journal of the American Psychological Association, about why video games can have some benefits. I say controversial because there clearly are very pro-violent video games. Improved reflexes and faster processing of their environment after playing shooter video games were some of the study’s findings. The authors of "The Benefits of Playing Video Games" write:
“Compared to control participants, those in the shooter video game show... higher spatial resolution in visual processing, and enhanced mental rotation abilities.”
Ask your kids if they feel any cognitive benefits after they’ve played a video game and they are doing another activity.
Next, share this excerpt from the same article with your kids:
“Gaming may be among the most efficient and effective means by which children and youth generate positive feelings. Several studies have shown a causal relation between playing preferred video games and improved mood or increases in positive emotion.”
After you read this excerpt to your kids, talk with them about what kinds of feelings they experience right after they play a fun video game. Then, ask them if they ever have sad or hard feelings during the day and, if so, do they then have an urge to play the game that makes them feel good.
Questions to continue the conversation:
As well as our weekly blog, we publish videos like this one every week on the Screenagers YouTube channel
I strongly believe that one of the most powerful aspects of Tech Talk Tuesday is starting the discussion with something positive about the tech in our lives. Kids are so used to hearing our negatives about tech time, that they may start to tune out if the discussion if it is not balanced. If we really want to have effective dialogue that creates a lasting tech balance with our kids, we need to talk about the positives too. Believe me, your kids will want to hear this week’s TTT.
I recently read a controversial article in American Psychologist, the journal of the American Psychological Association, about why video games can have some benefits. I say controversial because there clearly are very pro-violent video games. Improved reflexes and faster processing of their environment after playing shooter video games were some of the study’s findings. The authors of "The Benefits of Playing Video Games" write:
“Compared to control participants, those in the shooter video game show... higher spatial resolution in visual processing, and enhanced mental rotation abilities.”
Ask your kids if they feel any cognitive benefits after they’ve played a video game and they are doing another activity.
Next, share this excerpt from the same article with your kids:
“Gaming may be among the most efficient and effective means by which children and youth generate positive feelings. Several studies have shown a causal relation between playing preferred video games and improved mood or increases in positive emotion.”
After you read this excerpt to your kids, talk with them about what kinds of feelings they experience right after they play a fun video game. Then, ask them if they ever have sad or hard feelings during the day and, if so, do they then have an urge to play the game that makes them feel good.
Questions to continue the conversation:
As well as our weekly blog, we publish videos like this one every week on the Screenagers YouTube channel
For a long time, people have been talking about how video games might be linked to extreme acts of violence, such as school shootings. The fact is millions of youth have played violent video games, and far less than 1% will ever do any such acts of violence. Today I look at two studies that shed more light on the ACTUAL effects that violent games can have on youth behaviors.
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In today's blog, I delve into the darker side of gaming, from the aggressive exchanges and trash-talking in first-person shooters like Call of Duty and even Minecraft and Roblox. This discussion is featured in my latest podcast episode, where I interview a gamer and Dr. Kishonna Gray, an assistant professor in digital studies at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Gray, who explores the human dynamics in video games and assists parents in navigating challenging aspects of gaming culture, provides valuable insights and solutions.
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Today I’m sharing two polar opposites stories of people’s choices around video gaming — extremes can be great conversation starters. One is from a kid who decided, on his own, to stop all video gaming essentially, and the other is about teens attending a high school that is 100% focused on video gaming and the video gaming industry.
READ MORE >for more like this, DR. DELANEY RUSTON'S NEW BOOK, PARENTING IN THE SCREEN AGE, IS THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE FOR TODAY’S PARENTS. WITH INSIGHTS ON SCREEN TIME FROM RESEARCHERS, INPUT FROM KIDS & TEENS, THIS BOOK IS PACKED WITH SOLUTIONS FOR HOW TO START AND SUSTAIN PRODUCTIVE FAMILY TALKS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND IT’S IMPACT ON OUR MENTAL WELLBEING.
