Effect of video games on people Essay Example for Free

Effect of video games on people Essay Video games are frowned upon by parents and seen as time-wasters, and worse, some education experts think that these games corrupt the brain. â€Å" Violent video games are easily blamed by the media and some experts as the reason why some young people become violent or display extreme anti-social behavior. But many scientists and psychologists find that video games can actually have many benefits – the main one is making kids smart,† stated by Rase Smart Kid website. Video games may actually teach kids high-level thinking skills that they will need in the future. Video games change your brain, according to University of Wisconsin psychologist C. Shawn Green. Playing video games change the brain’s physical structure the same way as learning to read, playing an instrument, or orientate yourself with the help of a map. Much like exercise can build muscle, the powerful combination of concentration and surges of neurotransmitters can build the brain. Video games are not as bad as many envision them to be. There are many beneficial skills that can be drawn from video games that are not even taught by schools, these skills include strategy, perseverance, accuracy, quick thinking, problem solving and logic, multitasking, taking risks, situational awareness, and management. Steven Johnson, author of Everything Bad is Good For You: How Todays Popular Culture is Actually Making Us Smarter, calls this telescoping. Gamers must deal with immediate problems while keeping their long-term goals on their horizon. All gamers know that in order to get to your goal, you must get through everything else which may include traps and enemies. Facing strong enemies also requires a good strategy in order to defeat them whether its persistence or taking a new risk. A lot of games have multiple levels, for example Unblock Me. If a gamer fails one time, they will certainly play again and again to reach their destination or move onto the next level. Focus and planning is required most of the time. Action games, according to a study by the University of Rochester, train the brains of players to make faster decisions without losing accuracy. In today’s world, it is important to move quickly without sacrificing accuracy. Not only first person shooter games require accuracy but also action games. Whether it is tossing an apple in a bucket or swinging a wrecking ball at an abandoned building, both need accuracy to succeed. Sometimes the player makes fast decisions or analyses almost every second of the game giving the brain a real workout. According to researchers at the University of Rochester, led by Daphne Bavelier, a cognitive scientist, games simulating stressful events such as those found in battle or action games could be a training tool for real-world situations. The study suggests that playing action video games primes the brain to make quick decisions. Video games can be used to train soldiers and surgeons, according to the study. Importantly, decisions made by action-packed video game players are no less accurate. According to Bavelier, Action game players make more correct decisions per unit time. If you are a surgeon or you are in the middle of a battlefield, that can make all the difference. In strategy games, for instance, while developing a city, an unexpected surprise like an enemy might emerge. This forces the player to be flexible and quickly change tactics. One must hold off on building a unit and train troops instead to withstand the upcoming enemy. Most of the time if there are not enough troops trained, the player sacrifices a lot of their resources and must change to a different tactic once again. When kids play games such as The Incredible Machine, Angry Birds or Cut The Rope, they train their brain to come up with creative ways to solve puzzles and other problems in short bursts. When owning a business and something goes wrong or an unexpected situation occurs, the speed of a single correct decision will make a great impact and may save jobs for a lot of people. Winning in any game involves a players courage to take risks. Most games do not reward players who play safely. Taking risks does not mean that one must play recklessly and lose everything all at once if at the point of losing. Taking risks may very well be cautious as well. Taking risks means moving forward with anything a player can do whether it is making a move in one direction or the other, or even buying an item that may or may not help the player at all. In strategy games, players take different risks depending on the situation. One must analyze the situation prior to taking any risk. By doing so, the chances of winning are great than simply going about a routine. Defense News reported that the Army include video games to train soldiers improve their situational awareness in combat. Many strategy games also require players to become mindful of sudden situational changes in the game and adapt accordingly. Changes in combat require changing tactic or making new decisions. Sometimes they are for the better and sometimes for the worse. If the right decision is made in the right time, that has the potential to change almost everything. The player learns to manage resources that are limited, and decide the best use of resources, the same way as in real life. This skill is honed in strategy games such as SimCity, Age of Empires, and Railroad Tycoon. The way a player uses their resources in the early game will show in the late game how well their decisions really were. As far as video games go, they change a lot of things in the world today. Those that see the true power of video games will say that they do a lot of positive things. Those that do not understand video games, blame them for crimes and see them as very corrupting, often saying that they destroy lives. Video games have many good sides to them. For some people they are fun, for others they exercise the brain. It all depends on how you choose to look at games. The media is often opinion biased and not always true.

Deep into Darkness Peering Essay -- Poetry Analysis

Edgar Allan Poe is considered to be one of America’s most prominent poets. While his reputation precedes him, there is little that is actually known about the famous author. His life can only be accurately summed up by a few historical accounts and a series of letters written in his own hand. These, of course, do not even come close to describing the man behind the pen, as it were. One critic writes, â€Å"monomania can easily be developed over the motely tragedy of the personal life of Poe, so deeply buried under a shifting mass of conflicting rumours, echoes of rumours, and downright lies† (Bradsher 241). He was, socially, a private man, but he gave the world something more interesting and powerful that can be told in letters and biographies; he gave us himself. Every poem, short story, or piece of literature that his ink marked upon paper was a part of him. They are these things we must study in order to understand Poe. What’s more is that we must understand these things in order to see him. Poe even states that â€Å"the mind of a painter is expressed in his pictures† (Poetical 360). His entire repertoire is the key to the proverbial lock of his intent behind his own masterpiece. These are what have made Poe such a notorious figure in American culture. Experiences within Edgar Allan Poe’s life lead to his different perspectives on death. By analysing Annabel Lee, The Raven, The Masque of the Red Death, we can see that these perspectives include: hope; despair; and fear. Annabel Lee is one of Poe’s more famous poems. It is about a young man (the narrator) that falls in love with a girl when they are both children. Their love was so strong that it made even the angels jealous, so Annabel Lee was stricken ill by the heavens and perished... ...out the nature of yourself and man more interesting than giving us the answers. After all, where’s the fun in knowing? â€Æ' Works Cited Bradsher, Earl L. "The Poetic Works of Edgar Allan Poe." Review. The Sewanee Review Apr. 1918: 241-44. Print. Campbell, Killis. "Contemporary Opinion of Poe." PMLA 36.2 (1921): 142-66. Print. Campbell, Killis. "Selected Poems of Edgar Allan Poe." Review. American Literature Mar. 1929: 103-04. Print. Law, Robert A. "A Source for Annabel Lee." Journal of English and German Philology 21.2 (1922): 341-46. Print. Poe, Edgar Allan, and J. Montgomery Gambrill. Selections from Poe. Boston: Ginn &, 1907. Print. Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Poetical Works by Edgar Allan Poe." The Crayon 5.12 (1858): 360. Print. Werner, W. L. "Poe's Theories and Practice in Poetic Technique." American Literature 2.2 (1930): 157-65. Print. Deep into Darkness Peering Essay -- Poetry Analysis Edgar Allan Poe is considered to be one of America’s most prominent poets. While his reputation precedes him, there is little that is actually known about the famous author. His life can only be accurately summed up by a few historical accounts and a series of letters written in his own hand. These, of course, do not even come close to describing the man behind the pen, as it were. One critic writes, â€Å"monomania can easily be developed over the motely tragedy of the personal life of Poe, so deeply buried under a shifting mass of conflicting rumours, echoes of rumours, and downright lies† (Bradsher 241). He was, socially, a private man, but he gave the world something more interesting and powerful that can be told in letters and biographies; he gave us himself. Every poem, short story, or piece of literature that his ink marked upon paper was a part of him. They are these things we must study in order to understand Poe. What’s more is that we must understand these things in order to see him. Poe even states that â€Å"the mind of a painter is expressed in his pictures† (Poetical 360). His entire repertoire is the key to the proverbial lock of his intent behind his own masterpiece. These are what have made Poe such a notorious figure in American culture. Experiences within Edgar Allan Poe’s life lead to his different perspectives on death. By analysing Annabel Lee, The Raven, The Masque of the Red Death, we can see that these perspectives include: hope; despair; and fear. Annabel Lee is one of Poe’s more famous poems. It is about a young man (the narrator) that falls in love with a girl when they are both children. Their love was so strong that it made even the angels jealous, so Annabel Lee was stricken ill by the heavens and perished... ...out the nature of yourself and man more interesting than giving us the answers. After all, where’s the fun in knowing? â€Æ' Works Cited Bradsher, Earl L. "The Poetic Works of Edgar Allan Poe." Review. The Sewanee Review Apr. 1918: 241-44. Print. Campbell, Killis. "Contemporary Opinion of Poe." PMLA 36.2 (1921): 142-66. Print. Campbell, Killis. "Selected Poems of Edgar Allan Poe." Review. American Literature Mar. 1929: 103-04. Print. Law, Robert A. "A Source for Annabel Lee." Journal of English and German Philology 21.2 (1922): 341-46. Print. Poe, Edgar Allan, and J. Montgomery Gambrill. Selections from Poe. Boston: Ginn &, 1907. Print. Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Poetical Works by Edgar Allan Poe." The Crayon 5.12 (1858): 360. Print. Werner, W. L. "Poe's Theories and Practice in Poetic Technique." American Literature 2.2 (1930): 157-65. Print.

Critique of the Hawthorne Experiments

Written by Fritz J. Roethlisberger (1898 – 1974), The Hawthorne Experiments, explores the experiments, results and conclusions of studies performed at the Hawthorne Plant of the Western Electric Company. The Hawthorne Effect is the theory that resulted from the studies. Roethlisberger, a key member of the team, joined the team in 1927 and actively participated in the research until 1936, first as Elton Mayo’s assistant and later as his collaborator (Roethlisberger, 2007). Roethlisberger earned a BA in engineering from Columbia University, a BS in engineering administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a MA in philosophy from Harvard University (Roethlisberger, 2007). When Roethlisberger became Elton Mayo’s assistant and a member of the Harvard Business School Department of Industrial Research, his studies towards a PhD in philosophy were halted (Roethlisberger, 2007). Roethlisberger held multiple positions while at Harvard University including: Instructor of Industrial Research (1927-1930), Assistant Professor of Industrial Research (1930-1938), Associate Professor of Industrial Research (1938-1946); and Wallace Brett Donham Professor of Human Relations (1950-1974) (Roethlisberger, 2007). Roethlisberger also served as a consultant to the Training within Industry Program of the U. S. Governments Office of Production Management from 1941 to 1942 (Roethlisberger, 2007). Roethlisberger is also responsible for multiple other essays and books including, â€Å"Man-in-Organization: Essays of F. J. Roethlisberger† (1968), â€Å"Counseling in an Organization; A Sequel to the Hawthorne Researches (1966)†, and â€Å"Management and Morale† (1941) (Biography – Fritz, 2010). Critique The article uses the experiments performed at the Hawthorne plant of the Western Electric Company as illustration to prove Roethlisberger’s theory . He wrote: It is my simple thesis that a human problem requires a human solution. First, we have to learn to recognize a human problem when we see one; and second, upon recognizing it, we have to learn to deal with it as such and not as if it were something else. Too often at the verbal level we talk glibly about the importance of the human factor; and too seldom at the concrete level of behavior do we recognize a human problem for what it is and deal with it as such (Natemeyer & McMahon, 2001, p. 30). Roethlisberger also said, â€Å"A human problem to be brought to a human solution requires human data and human tools (Natemeyer & McMahon, 2001, p. 30). Again the results from these experiments reiterated Roethlisberger’s theory of treating human problems with human solutions. There were multiple experiments performed at the Hawthorne plant. â€Å"In the illumination experiments†¦we have a classic example of trying to deal with a human situation in nonhuman terms (Natemeyer & McMahon, 2001, p. 31). The illumination studies were performed from 1924 until 1927 and were to study the effect of lighting changes on employee productivity (Kirchner, 1992). Within this experiment, various degrees of illumination were experimented on a ‘test’ group and most of the experiments performed on the group showed an increase of productivity. According to Roethlisberger, â€Å"in still another experiment, the workers were allowed to believe that the illumination was being increased, although, in fact, no change in intensity was made† (Natemeyer & McMahon, 2001, p. 31). Again the researchers saw an increase in productivity. Some of the researchers were beginning to develop their basic ideas and assumptions with regard to human motivation (Natemeyer & McMahon, 2001, p. 31). In the next set of experiments, also known as the Relay Assembly Test Room Experiments, Western Electric Company drew support from Harvard researchers. The experiments (with five young women from the Relay Assembly room of the plant) involved manipulated a number of factors including, pay incentives, length of workday and work week, and the use of rest period (Natemeyer & McMahon, 2001, p 32). While researchers kept tons of data regarding this experiment, including the temperature and humidity of the room and the amount of slept each women had the night prior, the physical changes had little change on the productivity (Natemeyer & McMahon, 2001, pp. 32 – 34). The experiments at the Hawthorne Plant continued with interviewing the actual employees. These interviews began in 1928 and were the â€Å"first real attempt to get human data and to forge human tools to get them† (Natemeyer & McMahon, 2001, p. 35). In the beginning of the interviewing process, the interviewers found it difficult to not input their feelings, advice, etc into the interviews (Natemeyer & McMahon, 2001, p. 35). Over time and with practice: They discovered that sooner or later a person tends to talk about what is uppermost in his mind to a sympathetic and skillful listener. And they become more proficient in interpreting what a person is say or trying to say (Natemeyer & McMahon, 2001, p 35). It was the data from these experiments that supported the research of the Harvard team and lead them to conclude that productivity increase when management/supervisors began to pay attention to their employees. In the final set of experiments at the Hawthorne Plant, also described as the Bank Wiring Observation Group (1931-1932), researchers observed a group of employees that represented three occupational groups – wiremen, soldermen, and inspectors (Natemeyer & McMahon, 2001, p. 8). All of the work done in this room was piece work and what the researchers discovered while observing was† To be an accepted member of the group a man had to act in accordance with these [the] social standards. One man in this group exceeded the group standard of what constituted a fair day’s work. Social pressure was put on him to conform, but without avail, since he enjoyed doing things the other disliked. The best-liked person in the group was the one who kept his output exactly where the group agreed it should be (Natemeyer & McMahon, 2001, p. 8) It was these observations that lead the researchers to the conclusion: informal groups operate in the work environment. According to Roethlisberger, â€Å"most of us want the satisfaction that comes from being accepted and recognized as people of worth by friends and works associated. Money is only a small part of this social recognition (Natemeyer & McMahon, 2001, p. 39)† Despite the modern criticism the Hawthorne res earch receives, the studies changed the landscape permanently. These experiments help disprove, Frederick Winslow Taylor’s theory of scientific management. According to his theory, management should scientifically design the job, scientifically select and train the right worker, reward for performance (Dessler & Phillips, 2008, p. 12). The study at the Hawthorne plant shows that management can not be a separate identity in the workplace but needs to be actively involved and available to employees. While the findings of the Hawthorne Experiments disproved Taylor’s theory they do support Abraham Maslow’s theories. In Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, he points out there is more to motivation and an enjoyable workplace, then a paycheck. According to his theory, an employee has numerous needs including: physiological needs (food, water, etc), safety and security needs, social needs, self esteem, and self actualization (Dessler and Phillips, 2008, p. 12). In these experiments, the employees included in the group received more attention and were included into ‘special’ social groups. Today’s Workplace Fritz J. Roethlisberger’s conclusions from the Hawthorne Experiments are still relevant in today’s workplace. Employees need to feel as though they are a member of a group and their thoughts and opinions matter to the company they work for. While some researchers criticize the Hawthorne Experiments, the experiments, flawed or not, point to a key point – the employees in the Hawthorne experiment were pleased and thrived when receiving attention from the resea rchers. As Roethlisberger, pointed out one can not solve human problems or concerns without a human solution and he is correct. Social needs, self esteem needs, and self actualization needs, as defined by Maslow, are all human needs and can not be completed or satisfied with changed lighting, rest periods, increased pay, etc – they need human interaction and human solutions. These needs are even more important in our society and many companies do recognize these. Many companies now offer mentoring programs, employee groups (including health committee, activity committees, etc), rewards, and acknowledgement programs. When employees are made to feel special their physical and intellectual performance improves and thus a company will experience success.

Chinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart - 2170 Words

The widespread influence of Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart not only has earned it a number of accolades, but also led to its reputation as one of the most influential works of fiction by an African writer of all time. According to an article from the Chronicle of Higher Education, the novel has sold about eleven million copies in fifty different countries, was a part of Harold Bloom’s 1994 selection of the canonical works of world literature, and The Sunday Times named Achebe one of the â€Å"1,000 makers of the 20th century† for his work. For many years, literary representations of Africa had been immersed in negative conceptions of reductive romance, primitivism, and colonial sentiment. With a fresh new perspective, Things Fall Apart†¦show more content†¦Throughout most of the novel, he writes in a perspective from inside the clan of Umuofia, and describes the customs and traditions of the Igbo in detail. Achebe introduces the role of the Umuo fian town crier by describing, â€Å"Okonkwo had just blown out the palm-oil lamp and stretched himself on his bamboo bed when he heard the ogene of the town crier piercing the still night air. Gome, gome gome, gome, boomed the hollow metal. Then the crier gave his message, and at the end of it beat his instrument again† (21). Rather than explaining Igbo culture in an informative tone or introducing any of his own opinions or judgment, he simply allows it to be assumed that one traditionally uses the ogene drum to convey messages from distant villages. His integration of Igbo culture in this fashion establishes an alternate perspective to the usual portrayal of Nigerians, while still keeping an objective tone. By telling everything exactly how it is, Achebe not only maintains historical accuracy, but also presents the dualities of Igbo culture. He shows both the good and bad aspects in equal amounts throughout the story. He depicts courage, nobility, humanity, and complexity within his characters and their lives, while still including the cruelty of some Igbo customs, such as the beating of women, the murdering of children, and the treatment of the sick. Achebe