Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature

A. Foreign Studies

When positive effects of games are discussed, most often it is in the

context of educational games. When it comes to entertainment computer games,

most often than not, negative effects such as alienation, addiction, and violent

behaviors are discussed. However, a growing number of empirical studies have

indicated that non-violent entertainment games can also produce positive

outcomes. In this section, positive effects of non-violent entertainment games on

improving training, spatial skills, cognitive abilities, academic performance,

adolescents’ sociability, and therapy will be examined.

One of the most disturbing concerns about entertainment games is that

they might interfere with players’ academic performances by offering a more

attractive option than doing homework. Research findings with regard to the

effects of playing computer games at home on academic performance are mixed.

In his testimony before the United States Congress, David Walsh (2000),

President of the National Institute on Media and the Family, suggested that a

strong preference for violent games is associated with a poor school

performance among teens. Yet, for non-violent entertainment games in general,

a positive relationship was found between time spent on entertainment computer

games and a child's intelligence in a survey of 346 seventh and eighth graders

from seven elementary schools (van Schie & Wiegman, 1997). Durkin and

Barber (2002) also found that children who played games in moderation had

higher GPAs than children who did not play games at all. However, excessive
playing of games does deteriorate academic performance. For instance, in a

large-scale study of 10 and 11 year-olds, Flemish, Roe and Muijs (1998) found

that heavy use of computer games was associated with negative outcomes in

terms of academic achievement, self-esteem, and sociability.

Lee, K. (n.d). What Do We Know About Social and Psychological Effects of

Computer Games? Retrieved from

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.475.144&rep=rep1&typ

e=pdf

The purpose of the present research is to determine whether playing

video games impact academic performance as determined by GPA. To

accomplish this, 198 participants filled out a Gaming Habits survey which was

analyzed using a series of one-way ANOVAs. The study found that there were a

significant effect of player status on GPA at the p<0.1 level for the two conditions

of player versus non-player [F (1,169) =7.08, p=0.09] Comparisons using

descriptive statistics indicated that the mean GPA score for the player condition

was significantly different than the non-player condition. These results show that

participants who indicated that they did play video games had significantly lower

GPAs than participants who indicated that they did not play video games.

Wright, J. (2011). The Effects of Vide Game Play on Academic Performance.

17, 37-44. Retrieved from https://scholar.utc.edu/mps/vol17/iss1/6/

Playing video games is often associated in our society with poor academic

performance. This anecdotal idea is supported by some research. A 2000 study found a

negative correlation between GPA and time spent playing video games. The correlation

was relatively small. Time alone accounted for a 47% variance in GPA, yet the findings

are significant. However, several older studies contend the results of research have

been mixed. A 1997 study suggest that “there is no clear causal relationship between

video game playing and academic performance.” The effect that interactive digital

media has on the learning process is not completely negative. It is not that the medium

itself is inherently flawed, but much of the information that gets transmitted through it

may be. As was noted in a 2008 study on media attention and cognitive abilities,

“content appears to be crucial” (Schmidt & Vanderwater, 2008, p. 63). If the content

being consumed is positive, then positive results can be expected. If the content is

negative, then negative results can be expected. The study examined research from

many sources in arriving at this conclusion.

There is a movement to leverage video games as a part of the learning process. A

paper from EDUCAUSE suggests that faculty need be aware of games that could be

helpful to the in class learning experience (Hitch & Duncan, 2005). It mentions using

tactical and strategy games to enhance the level of understanding and engagement with

the material. It specifically mentioned using Civilization IV, a game which focuses on

empire building and economies of scale to aid in the understanding of history and

economics.
A 2005 paper suggests that videogames are changing education and that games are

more than a simple form of entertainment (Shaffer, Squire, Halverson, & Gee, 2005). It

explains that student learning can be enhanced by experiences in vast virtual worlds.

These worlds can allow students to interact as a community. Virtual worlds are useful

“because they make it possible to develop situated understanding” (Shaffer, Squire,

Halverson, & Gee, 2005, p. 106). This means that students are able to actually

experience and experiment with the things that they are learning rather than simply

being told them as facts or equations.

Some research concludes there is little evidence to suggest that interactive media

enhances the learning experience (Schmidt & Vanderwater, 2008). Other sources have

noted positive impacts on student performance. One study of a game relating to

numerical analysis in an engineering curriculum found that “students experienced

significantly more intellectual intensity, intrinsic motivation, positive affect and overall

student engagement when completing homework” (Coller & Shernoff, 2009, p. 315).

Research on the subject has been mixed, but it seems that video games can have a

positive effect on learning when used in particular ways

Craton, J. (2011). The Effect of Video Games on Student Achievement.

Retrieved from http://www.acsd.org/article/the-effect-of-videogames-on-student-

achievement/
 Studies of the effects of video games on children’s academic performance give a

mixed signal. Some studies that specifically track test results have shown an

apparent link between increased gaming and decreased academic performance.

However, studies that track particular skills that could be used in academic work

sometimes show gaming to be beneficial. This apparent contradiction is largely

caused by the complexity of analyzing games and the difficulty of conducting

controlled experiments on children.

Lister, J (n.d) Academic Effects if Video Game Playing on Children.

C. Synthesis: Foreign Studies

Based on the different studies, video games have both negative and

positive effects when it comes to academics. Studies gave mixed results when it

comes to the academic performance of students. There were students who play

video games that have a high GPA and there were students who play but have a

low GPA. The difference of the people who play that have high GPA compared to

people who have low GPA is moderation. It is true that video games give benefits

but it is also important to play moderately and have limitations.

D. Synthesis: Foreign Literature

Video game playing is often associated with poor academic performance

but that isn’t entirely true. Past studies found out that there is a negative

correlation between playing video games and GPA but recent studies show that

video games also have a positive effect when it comes to student’s academic

performance. Video games have features which help enhance a child’s skills.