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PRINCE MOHAMMAD BIN FAHD UNIVERSITY
COMM 1312: Writing and Research
Course section
Assignment n.
Student ID
Name
Surname
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Grade (5 points to be added to your final course grade):
Contents and coherence of the abstract (max. 5 points)
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PRINCE MOHAMMAD BIN FAHD UNIVERSITY
COMM 1312: Writing and Research
Course section
Assignment n.
Student ID
Name
Surname
116
3
202201141
Abdulmohsen
Almana
Grade (20 points)
Introduction and thesis contents (max. 15 points)
Structure and coherence (max. 5 points)
Word count penalty (/600)
Plagiarism penalty
TOTAL
[please write your assignment in the following page]
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Impacts of Video Games on Cognitive Skills
Introduction
Recently, the world of video games has become an omnipresent and impactful means of
entertainment and recreation. From simple pixelated screens to immersive virtual environments
that offer players complex puzzles epic battles and breathe-taking open worlds. The video game
industry has grown greatly and now it plays a major role in the international entertainment
market. Hence, the need to know the complex effects of video games not only as a source of
pleasure but also as a subject of research has gained momentum (Anderson & Dill, 2000). This
research investigates the intricate relationship between video game engagement and cognitive
skills, addressing the impact of video games on academic achievement, social skills, and overall
cognitive well-being. The thesis explores the correlation between playing video games, academic
performance, and social skills, with a focus on diverse game genres and gaming habits. The
research aims to uncover not only potential detriments but also cognitive benefits associated with
specific gaming practices. By assessing the impact of different video game types, optimal
gaming habits, and potential integration with education, the study seeks to provide
comprehensive guidelines for parents, educators, and clinicians to strike a balance between video
game use and maximal cognitive well-being.
Playing video games can sometimes enhance some cognitive skills, such as visual
attention, problem-solving, and coordination, but too much gaming can negatively affect
academic performance and social relations. Action video games enhance visual processing while
puzzle games enhance critical thinking (Granic et al., 2014). However, many hours spent playing
rather than studying is connected to lower grade. Also, compulsive gaming may be a substitute
for face-to-face social interaction and thus, a player can feel lonely. Therefore, balancing gaming
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with other meaningful activities would be essential in maximizing benefits and minimizing harm.
This looks like a good way of integrating moderate, variable gaming habit with academic duties,
sport, socializing and family time. Life style that enhances real world learning and gives
appropriate gaming based on individual ability and needs can give cognitive benefits without
drawbacks.
Research Questions
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Does playing video games relate to academic achievement and social skills and does the
amount of time spent playing video games correlate with this?
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Do different types of video games affect cognition and psychological wellness
differently?
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Which gaming habits are most beneficial as cognition enhancers but least harmful?
Research Objectives
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Assess the relationship between hours spent gaming and results such as grades, test
scores, and social connections.
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Assess the effects of various video game genres (action, educational, multiplayer, etc.) on
skills like visual processing, problem-solving, and prosocial skills.
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Ascertain gaming patterns, such as time limits, breaks, and additional leisure activities
that enhance benefits while restricting hazards.
•
Assess ways in which gaming might be integrated with education, as well as other social
interests, to encourage appropriate physical and emotional development.
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Give guidelines on how parents, educators, and clinicians can strike a balance between
video game uses for maximal wellbeing.
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Literature Review
Video games have become a popular hobby for children and adolescents. However, there
are many controversial arguments about the effects of video games on intelligence and
psychological health. Research suggests that games can have either positive or negative effects
and depends on the type of game, amount of play, and characteristics of the person. However,
some video games appear to enhance particular aspects of cognition. For example, games
improve one’s visual attention and short-term memory skills. Specifically, action video games
like first-person shooters require players to track multiple objects, remembering spatial
relationships and the position of potential hazards and resources (Anderson & Dill, 2000).
Research has indicated that skilled action game users score higher on tests of visual processing
speed and divided attention. The practice in complex action environments is likely to translate
into superior visual skills, as multiple informational streams seem practiced throughout the
extensive practice.
Video games may also aid in promoting problem-solving skills and creativity. Gamers
are usually given complex systems through which they are expected to learn in-game
environments. Players are required to use new approaches with available resources instead of
following linear, predetermined solutions. Researchers established that experienced gamers
provide more creative solutions to problems, perform better in logical reasoning tasks, and adopt
a more systematic approach than non-gamers (Green & Bavelier, 2003). The cognitive traits of
gamers are somewhat similar to skills required for careers in science, technology, engineering,
and math.
Furthermore, some games seem to foster prosocial behavior and empathy. Cooperative
games and games where players play as the opposite sex have been associated with increased
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empathy for others. For instance, research demonstrated that post-game, players who worked
together showed more helpful behaviors toward others than competitors. It also elicits more
nuanced moral reasoning when people role-play as characters with moral dilemmas (Green &
Bavelier, 2003). Nevertheless, more research is needed to draw direct connections between
social cognition and gaming.
However, excessive gaming is known to have negative effects such as social isolation,
poor academic performance, and addiction. Non-gamers show higher quality friendships, more
social support, and less loneliness compared to those who play games for several hours per day.
Games can push people away from real-world interactions and into the immersive worlds.
Frequent gamers tend to perform poorly academically and may miss out on some learning
opportunities. Lastly, some individuals become excessive gamers and neglect their other
important obligations (Ferguson, 2015). Experts caution against substituting sleep, exercise, and
real-world socializing with leisure gaming.
However, the impacts of gaming depend on the content of the game and the amount of
time spent playing. For instance, different effects are expected in games associated with
aggression as compared to those of puzzle games. Educational games created to teach content
have been shown to lead to knowledge gains, whereas passive entertainment games display
minimal cognitive benefits. It seems that multiplayer games offer more social and motivational
incentives than single-player games (Ferguson, 2015). In general, the effects of gaming most
likely depend on replacing passive screen media like TV with active, social play.
There are many mediating factors to consider that make it hard to tell how video games
affect the cognitive development and well-being of youth. Moderate playing of games may
improve visual skills, problem-solving, and prosocial behavior (Ferguson, 2015). Nevertheless,
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gaming in excess could cause problems such as socialization deficits and poorer academics.
Therefore, in future research more longitudinal research is required to properly establish
causality between gaming and results in the long-term. In addition, work could be done in order
to ensure benefits are maximized by designing game content and structure to training objectives.
It appears that the secret is in achieving some kind of equilibrium and making sure that gaming is
more or less complementary to some other learning activities and social interactions (Green &
Bavelier, 2003). However, with mindful integration into the lifestyle, video games could be
shaping the minds of the next generations.
Method
Study Design
The study design will be a mixed methods research approach that integrates both
quantitative and qualitative data for a full picture of the effects of video games. Complementary
strengths will be achieved through the use of a questionnaire, cognitive tests, and interviews.
Qualitative data provide an in-depth, subjective view of individual experiences of gaming as they
relate to quantitative data on the outcome of academic and social skills. Combining these
techniques will provide both objective data and personal accounts that will shed light on the
intricate nature of this phenomenon.
Participants
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100 male and female respondents, aged 13 to 17, will be recruited from local schools and
after-school programs. Purposeful sampling will seek diversity among people with varied
gaming behaviors and tendencies. They will represent both avid gamers and non-gamers.
Consent of the parents and youth assent is required prior to the participation. Therefore, this
sample will be about adolescents, who are regular game players and are still developing
cognitively and socially. The examination of such effects during this critical age can provide
insights into healthy gaming.
Quantitative Methods
Using validated questionnaires, participants will be asked to report their gaming habits,
cognitive abilities, academic achievement, and psychosocial functioning. Playing times for
different genres of video games will be self-reported and serve as a measure of gaming habits.
Tests of visual processing speed, problem-solving, and creativity will be used to assess
cognition. Self-reported GPA and recent grades will determine academic achievement.
Loneliness, social support, and prosocial behavior will be measured using standardized scales as
the final psychosocial factors. Correlational analyses will establish relationships between certain
gaming behaviors and cognitive, academic, and psychosocial outcomes.
Qualitative Methods
Twelve other participants will also undergo hourly interviews focusing on the subjective
experiences and perceptions regarding the effects of gaming on cognition, education, and social
behavior. They will also be asked open-ended questions where will they describe their own
gaming habits in general and the consequences they perceive. Thematic analysis will be used to
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identify similar stories or themes in the interviews by translating and analyzing them. This will
add the qualitative aspect to the quantitative data and provide individual perspectives.
Mixed Methods Integration
The qualitative interview themes will add meaning to the quantitative questionnaire, and
test findings. The similarities and discrepancies between the datasets will be studied. Finally, the
integrated data will be synthesized to generate evidence-based guidelines on how video games
can promote healthy growth. Mixed methods utilization takes advantage of the
complementariness of quantitative and qualitative paradigms.
Data Analysis
Quantitative Data Analysis
Descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS will be used for analysis of the
questionnaire data on gaming behaviors, their impact on school achievement, and other
psychosocial variables. In order to describe gaming habits and score distribution descriptive
statistics will be used. Relationships of particular gaming behaviors with cognitive tests,
academic performance, and psychosocial measures will be assessed via correlational analyses.
The multiple regression would then examine whether gaming predicted outcome, controlling for
age and gender as covariates. These correlations will be established between various gaming
patterns and developmental issues.
Qualitative Data Analysis
A data-driven, inductive approach to thematic analysis will be applied to the interview
transcripts. Then, open coding will organize responses in order to come up with ideas to support
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the experience of gaming. After that, one can use axial coding to see the connection between
various themes and higher-order categories. Lastly, selective coding will establish main classes
which comprise multiple groups of sub-themes. Adequate intercoder reliability processes would
help in establishing a reliable scheme for identifying themes. This will add depth and nuance to
these numbers, painting them as rich narratives.
Integration
It will integrate both a quantitative and a qualitative strand through convergent design
during the process of interpretation. Qualitative themes will help in appreciating the quantitative
correlation between gaming and developmental outcomes. Agreement points, points where there
was no harmony, and complexities within the datasets will be emphasized. Meta-inferences for
guiding optimal gaming habits. The combination of the two types of data will offer a
comprehensive analysis with a multiplicity of views on the same issues.
Synthesis of the findings:
Comparative analysis: we will conduct a comparative analysis of the findings from the
reviewed literature. This analysis will involve identifying common themes, patterns, and traits in
research, particularly regarding cognitive development and well-being. A balanced perspective:
we will ensure a balanced view by considering both the positive and negative impacts of video
games on cognitive skills and psychological health. This approach aligns with the research
objectives, addressing potential benefits and drawbacks.
Recommendations
Formulation of recommendation:
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Our research will culminate in formulating recommendations or strategies based on the
conclusion drawn. This recommendation may encompass guidelines for responsive video game
playing insights for educators on incorporating video games into curricula or suggestions for
mitigating potential advanced effects.
Conclusion
This research proposal provides a strong basis for a comprehensive assessment of the
implications of video games on cognitive development and overall well-being. The literature
review has presented a fair view of the problems and benefits of playing video games. The
research will be conducted based on the defined research objectives and the question which will
aim to address the multidimensional features of the topic. These researches aim systematically to
review existing literature, applying a structured methodology in a bid to offer evidence-based
insights and recommendations that inform discussion, decision-making, and policies relating to
video games and provide a more nuanced understanding of the subject today.
The researchers will further analyze the quantitative and qualitative data for additional
research to build on the existing literature review and proposal framework. Statistical analyses of
longitudinal large-scale datasets of gaming behaviors, academic performance, and psychosocial
factors will help to shed light on possible correlations and causal relationships. Qualitative
texture and stories will be crucial to complement the numerical data, provided through in-depth
interviews with video game players of different ages, gender, and gaming routines. Surveys on
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the motivations for gaming, the playing styles, and perceptions among different demographic
groups will also provide additional insights.
The proposed study is likely to contribute to the knowledge of how video games relate to
cognitive abilities, social skills, mental health, physical activities, academic achievement, and
general well-being. This research aims to provide an empirically grounded, thorough, and
balanced investigation into issues of ongoing debates and concerns about video games in
education, healthcare, and public policy as regards the nuances and without reductive
conclusions.
References
Anderson, C. A., & Dill, K. E. (2000). Video games and aggressive thoughts, feelings, and
behavior in the laboratory and life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78(4),
772-790.
Green, C. S., & Bavelier, D. (2003). Action video game modifies visual selective attention.
Nature, 423(6939), 534-537.
Ferguson, C. J. (2015). Do angry birds make for angry children? A meta-analysis of video game
influences on children and adolescent aggression, mental health, prosocial behavior, and
academic performance. Perspective on psychological science, 10(5), 646- 666.
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