Videogames In Adolescence
Since its arrival, videogames have increasingly taken on a more important role in young people. And it is that video games in adolescence represent one of the most popular forms of entertainment. For this reason, parents sometimes worry about the effect they can have on the minds of young people.
There are video games of all possible themes. There are those of sports competitions, such as football or basketball, and also action, platforms, strategy, etc. Some of them are violent, so it is recommended that parents be attentive to the games their children use and keep track of the actions they can perform within it.
In fact, video games have a very high consumption by teenagers. More and more people prefer to play with their video game consoles than to watch a movie, read or listen to music.
The possibility of having fun, meeting challenges and playing online with people from all over the world are some of the causes that promote the passion for video games in adolescence.
The importance of video games in adolescence
This type of entertainment occupies an extremely prominent role in the lives of young people for several reasons:
1. Competition
In the first place, for adolescents, video games represent an option to feel that they have mastered a certain task. These are challenging for players, leading to a sense of accomplishment when the results are favorable.
Certainly, the fact of reaching the objectives, advancing and passing the tests of the game, in addition to having a good level of competence, can provide a high degree of confidence. Plus, they provide constant feedback through leaderboards, achievements, and progress bars to make goals tangible.
2. Socialization
Believe it or not, video games represent a perfect tool for socialization. Even if most video games are played individually, playing is part of a new common culture of young people, who exchange games, talk about them at recess, etc.
In fact, thanks to online games, the chances of meeting people from all over the world have multiplied exponentially.
3. They actively participate in the activity
On the other hand, the fact of actively participating in something and being the main responsible for the development of actions is one of the things that most motivates adolescents.
Unlike any movie or series that you can see on television, video games force the player to direct the action and face the challenges in the first person.
4. Fun
Finally, it is obvious that fun is one of the fundamental elements that encourage adolescents to invest so many hours in video games. The fact of being able to play with a console or on the computer causes them to clear their mind and focus only on the activity they are carrying out. In addition to amusing them, it helps them forget the pressure they have in other commitments.
Tips on using video games
Your teenager may well spend many — perhaps too many — hours playing video games. If this happens, consider that reducing the number of hours completely is very difficult to do.
However, you can take into consideration some tips to improve the use that young people should make of video games:
- Show interest in knowing what kind of games your child likes.
- If possible, do not install the game console in the adolescent’s room.
- Control your child’s media consumption, be it television, video games or the internet.
- Set time limits on video games.
- Monitor internet usage with your child to see what games they can play online like.
- Share information about certain games with other parents.
Finally, do not forget that video games in adolescence play a fundamental role, given their popularity, advantages and risks.
Therefore, it is necessary that you control the time your children spend and the type of content they consume. It is recommended that your child avoid those games that are aggressive or violent and that are not suitable for his age.
