Behavioral benefits of videogames
We've all seen the "explicit content" label on a lot of popular video games, and every time an installment of "Call of Duty" is released, the same arguments are being rehashed again and again. Studies suggest that frequent play of violent video games can lead to aggressive behavior, and this is what leads many parents to forbid their young children to play the games. Stories like this cause people to think that video games are always bad for us, and provide no behavioral value. However, more recent research suggests that there are social and behavioral benefits to gaming.
If playing violent games can make people behave antisocially, it would follow that playing prosocial games can encourage beneficial behavior. There are studies that show that players of cooperative games were more likely to help others, or to volunteer for additional research. It's important that we continue to examine the possible social, neurological and psychological benefits of video games.
Research continues to challenge the claim that games are antisocial; that factor depends on the game being played. A look at the twenty-five most popular video game franchises shows that only four are violent; the rest are sports, simulation, racing and kids' games.
The idea that kids only play violent video games has seemingly been disproven, and additional research shows the further positive benefits of gaming- and it also seems to say that the media should be more fair in its coverage of the link between video-game playing and behavior.