The Influence of Multimedia on Children's Behaviour

Multimedia is one of the modes covered in convergent text, it includes different content forms like text, audio, images, animation and video. I will be using video games to explore the ways in which multimedia can have an impact and influence on a young, male audience. Video games tend to attract the attention of young boys from as young as 3. Though parents are in spending control, many buy games suited for an 18-year-old for their young child. Electronic games are pure entertainment for young children, they keep them amused and at the same time safe from the outdoors while parents attend to household commitments.

 

However, parents seem to be unaware of the damaging impact aggressive video games can have on a child. Violent gaming has been normalised by the media, ‘a review of almost a decade of studies found that exposure to violent video games are a risk factor for increased aggression’ (Radowitz, 2015). This implies that young boys are a reoccurring target for brutal video gaming, it can have a negative influence on children that are actively participating in violent activities online that are illegal in reality – constructing aggression in a way that legitimises it. Additionally, aggressive gaming like Grand Theft Auto, can influence children to isolate themselves from family and peers, they form a bond with their online character and concentrate solely on the missions included in the game such as murdering specific individuals in order to gain points or money. Radowitz indicates that there is ‘a consistent relation between violent video game use and increases in aggressive behaviour, aggressive cognitions and aggressive affect, and de- creases in pro- social behaviour, empathy and sensitivity to aggression’ (Radowitz, 2015). This perhaps suggests that brutal activity on video games influences boys to become unemotional and detached from other people’s feelings, this can have an impact on the child’s development because it evokes that violence is the solution when dealing with issues.

On the other hand, online gaming can influence children to in fact be very social with their peers, ‘many games involve multiperson play, with the players either in the same room or connected electronically… video games are associated with playing with friends’ (Kutner, Olson, 2008: 9). This highlights that video games are a form of socialising for young boys. They cause discussion between players that can connect by going against each other or teaming together online on games like Call Of Duty. It could be said that video games allow the brain to rapidly develop at an early stage in life, Mayer emphasises that ‘fast- paced action games improves cognitive processes dealing with attention, task switching, and resistance to distractors’ (Mayer, 2014: 762). This displays the idea that action games are educative as well as entertaining for children. They provide the child with basic skills that can be used through their adolescence – the ability to think fast, multi- task and the drive to achieve things.

Moreover, a distressing matter occurred in Louisiana where a 90 year old woman was shot by a young boy in her care, ‘Sheriff’s deputies have not revealed a motive but they pointed out the child was playing the video game before the fatal shooting… The game which is rated “M” for mature audiences is recommended for ages 17 and above, has been associated with encouraging violence’ (Boy,8,Kills Gran After Playing Video Game, 2013). This severe incident implicates that the aggressive nature of the video game influenced the child to commit such a brutal crime. Alternatively, this could suggest that youth are unable to determine the difference between reality and the disturbing images on a screen.

Overall, aggressive video games have a powerful influence on the behaviour of children. Violence can lead to a child developing a short temper and anti- social behaviour, on the contrary, video games promote a healthy interaction between peers and stimulates the brain. The relevant research method I would use to explore the influence of video games on children would be an observation including the examination of children’s reactions to games in an arcade.

References  

Boy, 8, Kills Gran After Playing Video Game. (2013) Sky News, 24^th August. Available at: https://news.sky.com/story/boy-8-kills-gran-after-playing-video-game-10436368 [Accessed 15^th November 2017].

Kutner, L. Olson, C. (2008) Grand Theft Childhood. New York. Available through: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=WWNKwlY96rEC&printsec=frontcover&dq=do+video+games+cause+violence&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiY3q3W_cHXAhUG2hoKHQQYDJwQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=do%20video%20games%20cause%20violence&f=false  [Accessed 14^th November 2017].

Mayer, R. (2014) Multimedia Learning. 2^nd edn. Cambridge University Press. Available through: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=r3rsAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA762&dq=multimedia+effects+on+learning&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwixh8KK-cHXAhUClxoKHYz_BB8Q6AEIUTAI#v=onepage&q=multimedia%20effects%20on%20learning&f=false  [Accessed 15^th November 2017].

Radowitz, J. (2015) Study finds that violent video games may be linked to aggressive behaviour. Independent, 17^th August. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/study-finds-that-violent-video-games-may-be-linked-to-aggressive-behaviour-10458614.html [Accessed 15th November 2017].