John He

Professor Creaney

English 21002

21 April 2020

Annotated Bibliography

Many individuals worldwide, from adolescents to adults, turn to video games as a form of leisure activity. With its ease of accessibility, people are able to play almost anywhere and everywhere. As a result, a lot of time is usually dedicated to gaming. However, this may be a problem to some people when excessive time is put into gaming where daily life is consequently affected. This issue is called video game addiction, where a person compulsively indulges in video games to the point where they become nonfunctional in many areas. As such, this problem needs to be brought to light so that individuals do not fall victim to excessive gaming. 

“Gaming Disorder.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 14 Sept. 2018,   www.who.int/features/qa/gaming-disorder/en/.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a well known organization for its accuracy and legitimacy when it comes to its information in regards to public health. “Gaming Disorder” is a short article from the WHO website that provides information on the health problem known as gaming disorder, where the general consensus of the issue is that the people with the disorder tend to spend a lot more time gaming while ignoring their other activities and interests without care for the consequences. The main purpose of this website is to provide general information on the issue and its symptoms. Overall, although there is not a whole lot of information on this site, it recognizes the existence of the disorder which is important considering the fact that the WHO is widely known and credible.

Griffiths, Mark. “Video Games and Health.” BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), BMJ Publishing Group Ltd., 16 July 2005, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC558687/.

Griffiths highlights the different sides of video games; its pros and cons. The article that he wrote, “Video Games and Health”, shows the benefits as well as the adverse effects of video games on health. He gives multiple examples of each; the usage of video games in a clinical setting and the adverse effects of video game addiction from case studies. The article does not choose a stance for either its support or opposition to video games, but simply gives research data. This is important for my research because there is no bias in his article and also allows me to provide the perspectives on both sides of video games as well as confirm some of the  information that I have from other articles.

Video Game Addiction. “Social Consequences of Gaming Addiction.” Video Game Addiction, Video Game Addiction, 6 Apr. 2019, www.video-game-addiction.org/social-consequences.html#Overcoming_Gaming_Disorder.

This blog explains the social consequences that video game addiction can have on an individual and lists several of its detrimental effects; loss of social connections, lack of social skills, and poor mental health. The blog highlights the process of how compulsive gaming leads to neglect of social health and its resulting effects. The main purpose of this blog is to spread awareness of the negative effects of gaming addiction and to advocate for the intervention from friends and families to overcome the issue. This source contributes to my research by giving me another point that supports my claim that excessive gaming is dangerous. 

Vince, et al. “Video Games Are Good For You, Brain and Body: Why They Are Beneficial.” www.idtech.com/blog/video-games-are-good-for-you.

Contrary to the majority of my sources, this source provides information on the positive effects of gaming. Vince uses scientific research and studies to support his claims of video game benefits. Some benefits that he mentions include the positive effects gaming has on brain development, as well as physical improvements such as the enhancement of eyesight and fine motor skills. However, like many other sources, this one stresses the importance of gaming in moderation. The blog is a valuable addition to my sources because it is useful for providing information that supports that fact that gaming in itself is not a detrimental activity.