The Heads of House and I are often asked about gaming and its impact on young lives. Console and online gaming just seem to be getting bigger and better. The rise in the general quality, interactivity and social connectivity of gaming over the last few years has led to more people gaming than ever before. But how and why does gaming keep getting bigger each year?

Modern developments and innovations have made gaming a more immersive and socially connected experience than ever. In just a few years we have seen huge leaps forward in the quality of gaming graphics, equipment, interactive game play and social connectivity. All of this has created an intense sensory experience that no previous generation has encountered.

Using similar techniques to those used by advertising and gambling agencies, modern gaming mimics the kinds of sensory assaults that we naturally associate with high-risk/high-reward scenarios. The threats and rewards do not even need to be real for our brains to have an intense response. Essentially the promise of strong rewards that come from winning a game, accessing locked content and other bonuses is what makes gaming so compelling.

When matched with the high potential for failure and the totally immersive experience that we find in modern gaming, it can keep us constantly engaged and entertained. Once this kind of natural response is triggered, blood can flow away from the rational, decision making part of our brain and into the more primitive and instinctual areas of the brain. All of this impairs decision making ability and keeps our young people engaged in the game.

Recently, research has taught us about the plasticity of the brain which we teach our students in their Wellbeing classes. This refers to the ways in which the brain creates new neural pathways in response to the experiences we have, and the chemicals released in the brain as a result of those experiences.

The flooding of our nervous system with dopamine is a good thing if we are faced with a life-threatening situation. The sudden spike of neurotransmitters allows us to quickly respond and remove ourselves from the threat of danger. The response was always only meant to be a short-term response, since the body was never meant to be in a continuous state of heightened arousal. Without a break from these spikes the body can move into unhealthy patterns of behavior. These constant spikes in dopamine can decrease motivation, attention and emotional stability, as well as create addictive behaviours and dependencies; which have long term negative and life changing consequences.

It is important to recognise the signs of excessive screen time or gaming resulting in spikes in dopamine and affecting behaviour. The most common signs of excessive screen time or gaming are:

• It affects the ability to focus and complete school tasks.
• It negatively impacts a person’s relationships with family members and peers.
• It takes priority in a person’s life over the basic functions such as eating, sleeping, personal hygiene and exercise.
• It causes significant changes in mood or ability to control outbursts (e.g. physical aggression) when asked to stop.

We may ask why our young people are so engaged with their screens, well it is because their basic needs are being met with a:

• Need for connection, a sense of belonging to a group or tribe.
• Feeling of control – autonomy of what we do, by selecting what is watched or played.
• Me competency - how many people respond to posts with likes and shares is a tangible measure.

Psychological weaknesses are that the game is never done, there is no point of completion, intermittent rewards and always another level resulting in a fear of missing out (FOMO) if they are not in the game resulting in digital disconnection.

As parents we need to be the pilot of the digital plane for our children using the three B’s;

Boundaries: Parents need to be consistent but not instantaneous. Negotiate prior to the device being switched on. Set a timer because when in a game, time flies, or negotiate the number of levels. Screen time should not be used as a reward or punishment, as if used as a reward we are placing it on a pedestal.

Basic needs: Screen time should not override our basic human needs of relationship, sleep, eating and physical exercise or ‘green time’. Green time after screen time enables self-regulation, this can be achieved by a walk, physical activity, a shower or chewing on ice blocks.

Bored: Allow moments of white space where there is no processing or digital connection. Time is generally based on age, active or passive and a space where there is no technology, for example in their room for 10 minutes of solitude which is difficult, but is good practice for us all.

We need to remember that technology is a great servant, but not a master, and we as adults need to be role models to those in our care.

There is also compelling evidence that game play in moderation can improve cognitive skills such as processing speed, executive functioning and cognitive flexibility using modest amounts of about an hour a day, have been associated with improvement in psychological adjustment and self-esteem. So, yes, it’s OK for your children to game but in moderation.

Exerts from Raising Children in a Digital World; Dr Kristy Goodwin

Helen Del Frate

Dean of Students