Hobbies And Interests
Potential for Addiction
Psychotherapist Hilarie Cash notes playing computer games can cause the brain to increase the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that stimulates pleasure. Excessive game playing conditions players to keep playing for the dopamine rush, prompting these players to neglect all other aspects of their lives. Richard Ries, psychology professor at the University of Washington, cautions that not enough studies have been conducted on intensive playing to classify this behavior as an addiction, noting the medical profession tends to view excessive computer gaming as compulsive behavior.
Physical Concerns
In a 2008 bulletin for the American Medical Association, Dr. Ronald M. Davis cited a Swiss study which found that for every hour children spent playing computer games each day, their risk of obesity doubled. In addition to the effects of prolonged sedentary activity, KidsHealth notes many computer games require repeated motions from players that put stress on joints, tendons and muscles, increasing their risk for suffering repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis. In their paper "Working with Gamers: Implications for Counselors," Gerra W. Perkins and her co-authors note that computers games' flashing images can trigger epileptic seizures, even in players with no prior history of convulsions.
Contribution to Aggressive Behavior
The effects of violent games on players' behavior remains a controversial topic among researchers. Writing in "Review of General Psychology," Christopher J. Ferguson, Ph.D., noted that despite initial concerns over violent computer games, researchers found children who grew up with video gaming didn't exhibit increased aggression as a whole. Patrick Markey, Ph.D., cautions that violent games tend to exacerbate aggressive tendencies in players with specific personality traits. Using the Five-Factor Model of personality, Markey found that players who scored low in agreeableness and conscientiousness, while registering high levels of neurosis, were likely to exhibit increased aggression after playing games which rewarded violent behavior. Dr. L. Rowell Huesmann of the University of Michigan postulates that violent computer games can affect children more subtly, desensitizing them to violence over time and influencing them to believe violence is an acceptable problem-solving method.
Social Withdrawal
Massively multiplayer online role-playing games often require substantial time commitments from players to develop alter egos and progress through open-ended game worlds. Many players join guilds, collectives of players within a game, and the relationships players develop online can take precedence over their real-world relationships and obligations. Cash notes young players may devote themselves so much to playing they neglect coursework, sabotaging their academic careers and job prospects.